for living up to his responsibilities in the World Series for not making himself available to the press is that they have hardly lived up to their responsibilities in regards to how they have been with him.
They have been reckless and downright careless in how they have represented his contract situation since before last year. No wonder he's not ready to confer his most private thoughts with them in a moment of pain.
Now the media is trying to "LeBronize," Pujols. It's not going to work and the main reason is that Pujols is not going to be taking his talents to South Beach, Long Beach, North Beach or Coney Island Beach. You can just beach any thought that his talents are going anywhere and here are seven reasons why.
Albert Pujols and his family are deeply rooted in St. Louis, perhaps more than any athlete in the world. In order to understand why, you have to understand the family he has.
When Pujols married his wife, Diedre, she had a child already, Isabella. Isabella has Down syndrome. When Albert married Diedre he adopted Isabella. He didn't just adopt her though, he started thePujols Family Foundationto "help those living with Down syndrome here at home and to improve the lives of the impoverished in the Dominican Republic."
In other words this is not merely just a charity that Pujols felt like lending his name to. I know there are other athletes who are deeply committed to their charitable works, but few are as privately involved in the day to day challenges as the Pujols family is.
The Pujols Family Foundation is rooted in the St. Louis community. It is not impossible but it is unlikely that the Pujols family with their deep and profound roots in the community would move for, what to them would be, a relatively minor difference in income.
When it comes to endorsements there is a kind of myth circulating that if you live in a major market you are going to get more endorsement deals. To a point that's true, but only to a point. That point has everything to do with status and recognition.
LeBron James made more in endorsements than virtually any athlete in 2010, even though he played with the relatively small market Cleveland Cavaliers and then his popularity took a huge hit. In fact, he made $30 million that year, more than twice his salary.
In baseball, Derek Jeter received the most in endorsements, $10 million. Pujols was second with $8 million. When you are the best in the world, you don't need to live in a major market.
People who follow baseball might not of known the names David Freese or Allen Craig before the World Series, but they sure knew the name Albert Pujols.
Now, for players like Freese and Craig, they could make more money in endorsements in a larger market, but for a player like Pujols who has national appeal, it doesn't matter where he plays. In fact, some would argue that because of his identity as a "good guy" his image could take a hit if he left St. Louis and it could cost him endorsement money.
Do I even need to say anything or is the picture enough? This was no flash in the pan team either. TheCardinalshave made the postseason seven times since Pujols played his first major league season.
He has played in 77 postseason games. Since he has come into the league, only Derek Jeter and Jorge Posada have played in more.
He has been to the LCS five times in the last 10 years, more than even theBoston Red Soxor theNew York Yankees. In fact, that's more than any team in the majors.
They've also been to more World Series than any other team in baseball over the last 10 years, three. They've also won two, which is tied for the most.
In fact, you can argue that over the last decade no team has been as successful as the Cardinals. Where's Pujols going to go where he's going to be more successful than he has been with the most successful team in the majors?
Consider the fact that the Cardinals just won the World series without their best pitcher, Adam Wainwright. They saw two of their future stars really step up in the postseason, Allen Craig, and especially David Freese.
In addition Jaime Garcia has really been developing and looks to be an ace of the future.
They have a champion ace to bring up the young Garcia in Chris Carpenter. They have Lance Berkman, Matt Holliday and Yadier Molina, as well as Albert Pujols, to bring up the young hitters. They also now look to have a real closer in Jason Motte, who it is rumored, can squeeze his beard and get apple sauce at will.
This is a team that isn't just the World Champions. They are a team that is set for the future. With Wainwright coming back to be the ace of the staff this is a rotation that can now match the lineup.
The only pieces in question are the tail end of the rotation and a couple of bullpen fill-ins.
This is very much a team that will be a top contender not just just next year, but for the next several years.
The most laughable thing about the contract discussions is how far off everyone was. Reports were that Pujols was seeking $300 million and 10 years. It came out that he was actually asking for $230 million and 10 years. That's still a sweet chunk of change, but it's a long way from $300 million.
His request comes out to 10 years at $23 million a year. The Cards had a nine year, $195 million deal on the table. That comes out to $21.7 million a year.
What that comes down to is really not very much. Yes, it's $35 million over the length of the contract, but that's an extra year. In truth they are actually just $1.3 million a year, and one year apart on the contract. In giant contract negotiations, that's not very much.
That was before the Cardinals won their second World Series in six years too. Is a World Series worth $35 million? You would think so, and if it is then that all by itself makes up for the difference in the negotiations.
On Pujols side, he's been on record as saying that what's most important to him is being able to compete. Nothing says "we can compete" like winning the World Series.
Believe it or not Pujols is already 37th all time on the home run list. He could very realistically break the 600 mark in 2015 when he's just 35 years old. The all-time record is well within reach for him. Imagine what will follow him once he starts moving up the top 10.
That's not the only historic record that could fall though. If he were to play for 10 more years, many other records are well within his grasp. He only needs to average 100 runs per year (his present average is 117) to break the all-time runs record.
He just needs 97 RBI per year to break Hank Aaron's all-time RBI record. His average so far is 120. If he averages just 156 hits per season he would break Stan Musial's club hitting record. Based on his career averages he would be just shy of 4,000 hits at the end of the contract. Even that's a possibility.
Imagine the value of those extra revenues from that. How much is Stan Musial still worth to this franchise? What would it be worth to have a 75-year-old Pujols come out on a golf cart and throw out the first pitch in the 2055 World Series?
Yes, he might not be hitting with the same productivity at the end of his contract. Even machines wear down. But the fact is that his value won't be diminished because of the history he will be chasing. In fact, it is possible he will be even more of a draw as he starts knocking out some of those records.
Imagine if he is able to take of the two most embarrassing records in baseball, the hits record (he'd need about 12 more years for that) and the home run record. How much is that worth?
The relationship between Albert Pujols and some of the Cardinals is a deep friendship. It may well be the case that his friendship with Yadier Molina alone is enough to keep him in St. Louis. Many of the people on the team, Molina, Chris Carpenter and Adam Wainwright go back a long way with Pujols.
Other players such as Lance Berkman and Matt Holliday have signed, in part, to play with him.
On top of all that, and perhaps even surpassing all of that, is his relationship with Tony LaRussa. It was almost at Pujols insistence that the Cardinals renewed LaRussa's contract this year.
There were several instances during postgame interviews where Pujols was almost moved to tears when talking about the group of guys who were around him.
Compare that to how LeBron James left with the Cleveland Cavaliers, where he felt betrayed by his teammates and there was a noticeable rift on the court.
I just don't see any way that Pujols "LeBrons" the Cardinals. He loves his family too much. He loves the city to much. He loves the team too much.
Aside from that he said he would pray and ask God what to to do. The fact that he spent the first 11 years of his career as a Red Bird
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