{Opinion|Viewpoint}|Did the Cardinals {make a mistake|slip up} in letting Albert Pujols {walk|stroll} 9 years {ago|back|earlier}? – KSDK.com

Pujols was {unanimously|all} {the greatest|the best} Cardinal {since|because|considering that|given that} Stan Musial, {cementing|sealing} that legend with an 11-year stretch that {few|couple of} if any {hitters|players} will ever {rival|match|equal|measure up to}. He {hit|struck} all the {mistakes|errors} and {plenty of|lots of|a lot of} {good|great|excellent} pitches out of the park. He had a bat that not {only|just} {found|discovered} {a nicely|a well|a perfectly} {disguised|camouflaged} sinking fastball, {but|however} {managed|handled} to wallop it into the stands 400 feet from the plate. He won {three|3} MVP awards and a batting title here, {helping|assisting} the Cardinals win {a pair|a set} of World Series titles.

Here’s {the thing|the important things}. {If he {had|had actually} {stayed|remained}, I {think|believe} the Cardinals would have a shot at winning another World Series.|I {think|believe} the Cardinals would have a shot at winning another World Series if he {had|had actually} {stayed|remained}.} {{But|However} at the {same|exact same|very same} token, they did {avoid|prevent} {a career|a profession} slide that {has|has actually} seen Pujols {become|end up being} a much {different|various}, and weaker, {hitter|player} in Los Angeles.|At the {same|exact same|very same} token, they did {avoid|prevent} {a career|a profession} slide that {has|has actually} seen Pujols {become|end up being} a much {different|various}, and weaker, {hitter|player} in Los Angeles.} A pale {imitation|replica} of {one of|among} the {game|video game}’s {greatest|biggest} right-handed {hitters|players} of {all time|perpetuity}. That’s the two-headed {monster|beast} of this argument, {wondering|questioning} which {scenario|situation|circumstance} a fan would take. It’s an argument I {revisit|review} {annually|yearly|every year|each year}, {sometimes|in some cases|often} even {twice|two times} to the hot stove-heated {chagrin|irritation|annoyance|shame} of Cardinals {Nation|Country}.

One {could|might} {say|state} the {team|group} got Michael Wacha with that {compensation|payment|settlement} {pick|choice} from Los Angeles, {but|however} he {never|never ever} {became|ended up being} the {big|huge} time pitcher that his {first|very first} {couple of|number of}

years {hinted at|meant}. { {But|However} they {saved|conserved} all that {money|cash}, right?| {But|However} they {saved|conserved} all that {money|cash}?} Well, they {gave|provided|offered} Dexter Fowler a rather juicy five-year {deal|offer} that hasn’t {exactly|precisely} {panned out|worked out|turned out}. Brett Cecil {received|got} an at-the-time {large|big} {amount|quantity} of {money|cash} over {four|4} years. Matt Carpenter will {go down|decrease} as one of the most underrated and {slightly|somewhat|a little} polarizing Cardinals of {all time|perpetuity}, {but|however} that two-year extension looks {feeble|weak} today. Carpenter’s back injury {should|ought to|must|need to} have {told|informed} them {a downturn|a recession|a slump|a decline} was coming. {Just because|Even if} there is {money|cash} in the vault {doesn’t|does not} {mean|imply|indicate|suggest} it will be {spent|invested} {wisely|carefully|sensibly}.

Pujols {departed|left} St. Louis after a rough {few|couple of} weeks that {involved|included} {supposed|expected} betrayal, light name-calling, and even a third-party interest play by the Miami Marlins that {almost|practically|nearly} blew my mind into a thousand pieces. Side Note: Can you {imagine|picture|think of|envision} Pujols and Giancarlo Stanton sitting back-to-back {in that|because} lineup while playing {in that|because} {theme park|amusement park}? {Only|Just} if Christopher Nolan directed it.

Here’s another argument. Did the Cardinals make a bad play when they low-balled Pujols with that {initial|preliminary} five-year {offer|deal}. It was {a lot of|a great deal of} {money|cash}, {but|however} not the {right|best|ideal} {deal|offer} for {a guy|a man|a person} {looking to|wanting to|seeking to|aiming to} {cash in|money in}. The last {contract|agreement} with the Cardinals and Pujols {could|might} {easily|quickly} be {labeled|identified} as team-friendly, so I {don’t|do not} blame the {guy|man|person} for {wanting|desiring} the security and {insurance|insurance coverage} of a longer term. And St. Louis, echoing the words of Deidre Pujols, you {don’t|do not} {tell|inform} the fans this {guy|man|person} {needs|requires} to be a Cardinal for life, and {proceed|continue} to {offer|provide|use} him {five|5} years.

The {final|last} {offer|deal} was for {10 years|ten years} and$210 million {reportedly|apparently|supposedly}, with$30 million {deferred|delayed|postponed}, {but|however} that was {too late|far too late} for Pujols’camp. That was the {offer|deal} they {should|ought to|must|need to} have {started|begun} with, or made much earlier than December. When you have {the greatest|the best} {player|gamer} of {all time|perpetuity} still {performing|carrying out} at a high level, you make him {an offer|a deal} that {doesn’t|does not} {expand|broaden}.

{But|However} the Cardinals {always|constantly} {seem|appear} to set a number and {stick to|stay with|adhere to} it, losing {talent|skill} if the {offer|deal} reaches {too high|too expensive|expensive} of a level. We saw it with David {Price|Cost|Rate} ({too bad|regrettable}), where the Cardinals {made a competitive {offer|deal} {but|however} were|were {but|however} made a competitive {offer|deal}} outbid by Boston. Jason Heyward (thank goodness!) didn’t accept St. Louis’ {deal|offer} {because|since|due to the fact that} there was no opt-out {clause|provision|stipulation}. Pujols is {twice|two times} the {player|gamer} those {two|2} are, {but|however} the front {office|workplace} {simply|just|merely} made {a risky|a dangerous} {move|relocation} in their {negotiations|settlements}. The {initial|preliminary} years did not {elicit|generate} a smooth {transition|shift} at the position.

{For years|For many years|For several years} after the {fact|truth|reality}, the Cardinals {tried|attempted} to fill Pujols ‘shoes {at first|initially|in the beginning} base with little success. Paul Goldschmidt came aboard in 2019, {but|however} {arrived|showed up|got here} around the {same|exact same|very same} age as Pujols was when he left. They {acquired|obtained|got} {a player|a gamer} who {came into|entered|entered into} prominence right as the Pujols {era|age|period} ended in St. Louis, {but|however} not {until|up until|till} he was {past|previous} his {best|finest} years. It {was like|resembled} they were {trying|attempting} to make it {right|best|ideal} or something.

The other {big|huge} {question|concern} is could the {team|group} have kept both Pujols and star catcher, Yadier Molina? It would have been {tricky|challenging|difficult}, {but|however} I can {easily|quickly} see the latter taking a team-friendly {discount|discount rate}, {especially|particularly|specifically} at that {period|duration} of his {career|profession}, to keep {playing with|having fun with} his {best friend|buddy|friend}. A trade {or two|or more|or 2} would have {sufficed|been enough|been sufficient|been adequate}, {but|however} it wasn’t {impossible|difficult}. I {don’t|do not} see this as being such {a huge|a big|a substantial} {factor|element|aspect}.

So, did the Cardinals make the {right|best|ideal} {move|relocation} in letting Pujols {walk|stroll}? The {debate|argument|dispute} is {endless|unlimited|limitless}, {but|however} I {always|constantly} {find|discover} myself sleeping on each side of the argument for {a period of time|a time period|an amount of time} without ever getting {comfortable|comfy}.

Yes, {because|since|due to the fact that} he wasn’t the {same|exact same|very same} {player|gamer} after he left St. Louis. Not close. He hasn’t {put up|set up|install} a WAR {higher|greater} than 4.0 {since|because|considering that|given that}

leaving, and the designated {hitter|player} {has|has actually} {helped|assisted} him. No, {because|since|due to the fact that} Pujols ‘still {very|extremely|really} {potent|powerful} bat in 2012 and 2014, {as well as|in addition to|along with} the {home run|crowning achievement} {totals|amounts to} in 2015-16, {could|might} still do {damage|harm} well into that {contract|agreement}. You can {also|likewise} {look at|take a look at} the {milestones|turning points} that he {has|has actually} {hit|struck} and the {lack|absence} of postseason success the {team|group} {had over|had more than} the {past|previous} 6 seasons. After that heartbreaking 2013 World Series loss (Pujols had season-ending {surgery|surgical treatment} that season), St. Louis hasn’t {cracked|broken|split} too {close to|near to|near} the {final|last} {destination|location}. While they were within {four|4} wins in 2019 of a World Series berth, they were run over by Washington. The Cardinals {haven’t|have not} won an NLCS {game|video game} {since|because|considering that|given that} 2014, {and that|which}’s getting more {depressing|dismaying|dismal} by the year.

{But|However} could Pujols have {helped|assisted} move the needle in those {troubling|bothering} {six|6} years? I {always|constantly} {look to|want to|seek to|aim to} 2014, when the Cardinals were {dropped by|visited|stopped by|come by} the Giants in the NLCS. Pujols’ bat {may|might} have won {a few|a couple of} {playoff games|championship game}, so the bullpen {mishaps|accidents|incidents} {may|might} have gotten {a suture|a stitch} with his {presence|existence}. {{But|However} with Mike Matheny {managing|handling}, Pujols and his stunt double {couldn’t|could not} {have|have actually} {helped|assisted} the Birds advance.

| With Mike Matheny {managing|handling}, Pujols and his stunt double {couldn’t|could not} {have|have actually} {helped|assisted} the Birds advance.

} That’s the hangup for me. If Pujols AND Tony La Russa return in 2012, the 12th banner is {hung in|awaited} a

second-straight October. Matheny was woefully overmatched, and he pulled all those juicy strings {back then|at that time}. He {single-handedly|solitarily} lost {games|video games} with {a pivotal|a critical|an essential} late bullpen {decision|choice}. I am not 100 % sure Pujols {could|might} {push|press} the Cardinals {across|throughout} the {finish line|goal}. So, was it a bad {idea|concept} to let him {walk|stroll}? The {nostalgia|fond memories} in me {says|states} no, {but|however} my brain is {starting|beginning} to call its bluff. Pujols leaned on the designated {hitter|player} {spot|area} {heavily|greatly} in 2015-16, and his OPS {never|never ever} {rose|increased} over.790 after 2012. Pujols ‘power played well in Busch {Stadium|Arena} over the {first|very first} {decade|years}, {but|however} would that {be enough|suffice} for $ 24 million and sure {disabled|handicapped} list stints? It’s the {ultimate|supreme} test of {a journalist|a reporter} to dry a thick line {between|in between} what his heart and brain were {working on|dealing with} and what his brain {already|currently} downloaded.

While the Cardinals {could|might} have {handled|dealt with|managed} {negotiations|settlements}, {refusing|declining} to make the”Cardinal for Life”{comment|remark}, they didn’t make {a shrewd|a wise} {business|company|service|organization} in letting Pujols {walk|stroll}. Cardinal {Nation|Country} would be {screaming|shouting|yelling|shrieking} at the top of their lungs after the 2016 season. This {past|previous} season, Pujols {couldn’t|could not} even {put together|assembled|created} an OPS over.700. {That {happened|occurred|took place} in 2017 {as well|also|too}.|That {happened|occurred|took place} in 2017.} How do you {think|believe} Cardinals Twitter would be {reacting|responding} to that? Fire and brimstone is the {answer|response}.

I{‘ve| have actually} long {wanted|desired} the Cardinals to {retain|keep|maintain} Pujols {at some point|eventually|at some time}– even {presenting|providing} it {earlier|previously} this season as a wild {fantasy|dream} {idea|concept}– {but|however} it’s an argument that {wouldn’t|would not} hold up in court. Molina and Wainwright {serve up|dish out|provide} some {value|worth} at the {moment|minute}, even in their {ripened|mature} {old age|aging}. {{But|However} Pujols {doesn’t|does not} {give|provide|offer} the {team|group} much {at this point|at this moment} beyond a token DH {option|choice|alternative}, and there’s no certainty that’ll {come back|return} in 2021, or if the league can {work out|exercise} {a new|a brand-new} CBA and {avoid|prevent} a lockout.|Pujols {doesn’t|does not} {give|provide|offer} the {team|group} much at this point beyond a token DH {option|choice|alternative}, and there’s no certainty that’ll come back in 2021, or if the league can work out {a new|a brand-new} CBA and {avoid|prevent} a lockout.} When it’s all {said|stated} and done, Pujols {arguably|probably|perhaps} {could|might} have {helped|assisted} the {team|group} win a World Series in 2012 and 2014, {but|however} the Matheny {factor|element|aspect} {just|simply} looms {so {large|big} and {ugly|unsightly|awful}|{ugly|unsightly|awful} and so {large|big}} {these days|nowadays}. I can no longer process it.

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