"The Hug" Between Hendry and Pujols

**rebecacy** · 05-12-2011, 04:32 PM

Originally Posted by enisthemenace

I hope enough research has been done to know when enough is enough and bail, while driving the price up to a point that will absolutely cripple the Cards financialy. I think there is too much emotion in St. Louis for the latter option to not be extremely realistic.

This is what the Cubs management has already done -- never happen in STL.

**Clark** · 05-12-2011, 04:34 PM

Originally Posted by erikbj

Who knows if he really is 31? Supposedly that is the main reason the Birds didn't give him a blank check in the off-season.

If the Cubs want to give him $280MM next winter, great. i say give him 5 years, $125MM.........Albert can still feed his family (barely) and the Birds can have some money left over to buy some pitching.

AP is great and my favorite player, but his next contract maybe a franchise killer for whoever signs him.

That's considerably less than what Gonzalez got from Boston (7 154) or Texeira got for NY (8-180)

I highly doubt Albert gets 10 years unless the Cardinals get desperate but I think it could be something like 7 years 200 million or 8 years 225 million.

As a Cubs fan, I'm more concerned about the years than the dollars. I'd be ok with paying him 35 million a year as long as they weren't on the hook for his "golden years"

**Cyforce** · 05-12-2011, 04:50 PM

Originally Posted by erikbj

Who knows if he really is 31? Supposedly that is the main reason the Birds didn't give him a blank check in the off-season.

If the Cubs want to give him $280MM next winter, great. i say give him 5 years, $125MM.........Albert can still feed his family (barely) and the Birds can have some money left over to buy some pitching.

AP is great and my favorite player, but his next contract maybe a franchise killer for whoever signs him.

I don't think you understand the Cubs situation. An ARod type contract seems over the top for a 31 yr old player. But one World Series Championship pays for the entire deal easily. Cubbie Nation dwarfs everyone but the Yankees and a World Series would sell merchandise at a level never seen by any professional team. Signing AP suddenly makes Chicago a FA destination that players will sign for less just to get on board.

**GoCubsGo** · 05-12-2011, 04:58 PM

5 years, $130 million = maybe
10 years, $300 million = no way in hell (hopefully)

Originally Posted by Cyforce

Signing AP suddenly makes Chicago a FA destination that players will sign for less just to get on board.

Not true. Kerry Wood came back because he's a true Cubbie, but for everyone else, "Show me the money!"

**Hawkeye11en1** · 05-12-2011, 05:01 PM

Originally Posted by Cyforce

Signing AP suddenly makes Chicago a FA destination that players will sign for less just to get on board.

Depends on who you are talking about. Role players, yes. Stars? No. Case in point: Matt Holiday.

**Rogue52** · 05-12-2011, 05:19 PM

Hendry is a horrible GM. The ONE season he was productive in the trade market was 2003 and that team should have gone to the World Series. The fact they didn't isn't his fault.

Otherwise, he's done a whole lot less with a whole lot more than about the rest of the league.

**erikbj** · 05-12-2011, 06:15 PM

Originally Posted by Cyforce

I don't think you understand the Cubs situation. An ARod type contract seems over the top for a 31 yr old player. But one World Series Championship pays for the entire deal easily. Cubbie Nation dwarfs everyone but the Yankees and a World Series would sell merchandise at a level never seen by any professional team. Signing AP suddenly makes Chicago a FA destination that players will sign for less just to get on board.

I understand the cubs situation and if they want to give a guy who maybe is 31 today or maybe he's 33 or older a huge contract feel free. He is not going to put up the same numbers going forward, his body is already breaking down a bit. As a cards fan, I say pay him for what he has done as long as you have enough money to build around him. I think owners are realizing that the contracts have got out of control and the money ap thinks he deserves is not going to be there.

**CyCrazy** · 05-12-2011, 06:26 PM

I fully believe that Pujols will retire a Cardinal even if it means not getting a max deal. Could be blind homer-ism but I just cant imagine him leaving STL. I think the legacy he will gain by remaining a cardinal is a big deal to him. He will be regarded as high as Musial if he stays for life.

**GrindingAway** · 05-12-2011, 09:09 PM

Hopefully Hendry was hugging him hoping to build relationship that could land him as Pujols agent after the Cubs let him go.

**Kenjifujima** · 05-12-2011, 09:32 PM

Hendry and Pujols have a bromance going on right now.

**gocubs2118** · 05-12-2011, 09:51 PM

Originally Posted by Rogue52

Hendry is a horrible GM. The ONE season he was productive in the trade market was 2003 and that team should have gone to the World Series. The fact they didn't isn't his fault.

Otherwise, he's done a whole lot less with a whole lot more than about the rest of the league.

Huh? Trades is what Hendry is good at, it's the contracts that have come back to bite him in the ***.

**LindenCy** · 05-12-2011, 09:54 PM

Originally Posted by CyCrazy

I fully believe that Pujols will retire a Cardinal even if it means not getting a max deal. Could be blind homer-ism but I just cant imagine him leaving STL. I think the legacy he will gain by remaining a cardinal is a big deal to him. He will be regarded as high as Musial if he stays for life.

I'd love to have him on the Cubs, but could definitely see him staying. I miss the days when players actually stayed on a team most of their career and you didn't end up trading for someone you "hated" the previous year.

**rebecacy** · 05-12-2011, 09:58 PM

"Cubbie Nation dwarfs everyone but the Yankees" == hehehehehehehehe........ best laugh of the week !!!!!!!!!!!!!

**jdoggivjc** · 05-13-2011, 08:38 AM

The only person making a much bigger deal about this hug than it really is is Colin Cowherd. He is absolutely convinced that this is Pujols' way of sticking it to the Cardinals. Whatever...