Pujols sets Extension Deadline

St. Louis Cardinals 1B Albert Pujols has set a deadline for a contract extension this season.  The deadline set by Pujols if for February 16 (Wednesday).  Cardinals position players report on February 18.  Pujols has stated that he doesn't want to discuss an extension mid season, but has not stated that he wants to become a free agent.

The idea of Pujols playing anywhere outside of St. Louis may sound absurd to many.  The Cardinals should have enough money tucked away to offer Pujols a suitable contract.  Pujols is the best player in the game and by proxy should get the highest contract in the game's history, but does he really expect to get more than the ten-year $275 million-deal given to 3B Alex Rodriguez by the New York Yankees in 2007?

The only two teams who would consider giving Pujols that amount of money are the Yankees and Boston Red Sox.  With 1B Mark Teixeira and 1B Adrian Gonzalez entrenched in New York and Boston, respectively, he doesn't appear to be due a big raise.  Pujols is a natural third baseman and, as former WNYO moron Anthony Milazzo pointed out in April, 2010, he played left field for awhile in St. Louis and he could play as a DH in a perfect world, but it's hard to imagine Pujols lowering himself to another position to accommodate anyone else, or anyone else lowering themselves to accommodate Pujols.

That said, it appears that St. Louis would offer a top contract and winning environment for Pujols.  Outside of the Steinbrenner family (and their public relations goon Brian Cashman) and GM Theo Epstein, executives will be generally unwilling to spend $300 million on one player.  One possibility would be the Los Angeles Angels of Anaheim, with Pujols at first and 1B Kendry Morales moving to DH.

However, this off season the Angels failed to make an offer to LF Carl Crawford and couldn't afford 3B Adrian Beltre, suggesting that their finances are limited.  Other big-market teams like the Chicago Cubs, Los Angeles Dodgers, and New York Mets are going through legal problems which are hampering their finances (okay the Cubs actually make sense).  The bottom line is that Pujols will be a Cardinal in 2011, and we shouldn't worry about where he might end up until he actually leaves.