Albert Pujols has shared with local reporters and USA Today that he's filing for divorce. A statement is forthcoming. The Cardinals' designated hitter may speak here with the media, so please give me a minute as I have to be sure I'm present if he does. The chat will continue, but please give me a moment.
Alright. Sorry for that. There was a handful of things happening at once and I had to skedaddle to track down some interviews. Also, had a chance to talk with Pujols. Appreciate your patience. Let's hit the lightning round for a good 17 minutes.
High. Could leave this season as a top 10 prospect in all of baseball, and the future middle-order hitter the Cardinals hope to develop alongside Nolan Gorman. A right-left combo to hit 2-3, 3-4 for years together. High upside. Will draw comparisons to Kris Bryant, just you watch.
He would be an excellent addition to any team. He's an MVP caliber player. But the lack of an extension does not a trade mean. There's still time for Cleveland to sort something out -- or make a move at the deadline, or not one at all.
Marmol has never said that Pujols would only face lefties. Quite the opposite. He has said over and over and over and over again -- and I've attempted to explain in print -- how the decisions for the lineup will be matchup based, not handedness.
I saw them last summer at Red Rocks. It was great. I slipped away and you didn't even notice.
I appreciate your question, and please don't take the brevity of my answer for anything more than it's just a brief answer. I respect the point your point. Please allow me to respond: Every team thinks they have prospects at that level. They want to add players think will make an impact or they can get to make an impact. Every team thinks they have the fourth outfielder that could be a starter, the sixth starter who could be in the rotation if everything breaks right, the utility infielder who could hit .280 with a .320 OBP as the scrappy can-do glove. Take a look at all of the minor-league rosters and know that teams dream on their own players too, just like critics like to suggest the Cardinals do.
Get to your seats early. Enjoy the pregame show. It's unlike any in baseball.
Thank you for spelling my name right. I am only offering you context that comes from almost 20 years of covering the team and talking to teams on the other side of trades, what they look for, and how comparisons like the one you're making just aren't how the deals go down. Again, if your experience talking with people who make trades in baseball is different, that's fine. I can only offer you what I can get from reporting, from talking to front offices, from pulling apart trades that never were, and from piecing together trades that did happen. That's all I've got to offer you. Perhaps you could offer insight from your experience.
Andrew Knizner and Ivan Herrera, with Knizner getting the slightly higher percentage. But a real time-share type position.
The Cardinals believe that if they kept Pujols they would have had to choose between Wainwright and Molina. The likely move would have to keep Molina, and they would not have gone and kept Wainwright through the years. They also would not have been in position to make a move for Paul Goldschmidt. Those are the ones that stand out that we can draw direct lines between and not tumble into a bunch of guesses.
Closer to deadline makes sense. But we've talked about the deadline ...
Sure. Or that wins go away entirely, like game-winning RBIs, or something.
Fair point. It's an outlier how many they won in a row. It's not an outlier that they won often with the way that they played. They learned something about what makes them good in that time.
I think that's a fair sense. An injury or a complete crater from a key member of the core and they do not have the depth to scramble for wins. They deeper than they get credit, but they aren't going to replace an impact bat with another impact bat, or else that impact bat would already be in the lineup. Every team is based on best-case scenarios. The Cardinals have a lot invested in a core of exceptional players and if that falters, just like the Brewers, then it could be a fall.
I can empathize. Angst loves a megaphone. Contentment doesn't need the noise.
Sees some extended playing time at a full-season affiliate. That would be strong.
Over. The Pirates are real and play 19 games against the Cardinals. And the Reds, too.
Well, 1) They didn't. 2) That can be debated, and you've stated your opinion here. Might depend on the team. He wasn't for the Blue Jays. If he is for the Cardinals then they're doing OK. 3) OK. Odd move to rave about like that given your cynicism for everything else. 4) They are going to monetize the signing of Pujols for sure. What do you expect? They're a business.
Thank you for adding this.
Yep. That's how the trade works when one player is major-league ready and the other is 22 and still rising toward the majors. Don't forget they also got Jose Martinez in the deal. I mean, the Rays did.
I don't think they are, no. I rarely hear them speak in expected homers and RBIs.
They aren't going to name a fifth starter. They might go with an opener.
Uniforms have had the Nike swoosh on them now for a few years, and no one seems to notice anymore. Going to be the same thing with the ads. This is the 100th anniversary of the birds on the bat. The jerseys are going to feature them until MLB gets the ad space policies lined up. But yes, as part of the new CBA there can be advertising on the jerseys.
Good chance you see Albert Pujols play for the Cardinals this weekend, yes.
Albert Pujols has shared with local reporters and USA Today that he's filing for divorce. A statement is forthcoming. The Cardinals' designated hitter may speak here with the media, so please give me a minute as I have to be sure I'm present if he does. The chat will continue, but please give me a moment.