Albert Pujols was not the only important member of the St. Louis Cardinals organization who left after the team won their 11th World Series in club history. Future Hall of Fame manager Tony La Russa retired after the season as well.
So after Pujols decided to leave St. Louis for a lucrative 10 year, $254 million contract with the Los Angeles Angels of Anaheim, many wondered if La Russa retiring had any impact on Albert's decision.
La Russa did not mention anything about his departure and its impact on Pujols's decision to leave, but La Russa did not hesitate to say that neither side was at fault in an interview with Mike and Mike in the Morning on ESPN Radio on Friday morning.
La Russa felt that neither the Cardinals or Pujols is to blame for the departure, citing that the Cardinals did everything they could and that Pujols just got offered a contract that was too good to pass up.
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So after Pujols decided to leave St. Louis for a lucrative 10 year, $254 million contract with the Los Angeles Angels of Anaheim, many wondered if La Russa retiring had any impact on Albert's decision.
La Russa did not mention anything about his departure and its impact on Pujols's decision to leave, but La Russa did not hesitate to say that neither side was at fault in an interview with Mike and Mike in the Morning on ESPN Radio on Friday morning.
La Russa felt that neither the Cardinals or Pujols is to blame for the departure, citing that the Cardinals did everything they could and that Pujols just got offered a contract that was too good to pass up.
"To Albert's credit, probably the most important message that I'd like to leave this morning is -- because I heard last night when I was driving around, a couple of commentators are saying, 'Well, no loyalty just for a couple million dollars' -- that's not true. He was ready to give a significant edge to the Cardinals, but the difference to where the Cardinals could go -- and I don't blame the Cardinals at all -- was just too great."La Russa did not stop there. He understands the economic differences between St. Louis and Southern California was too much for Cardinals owner Bill DeWitt Jr. to handle. La Russa said that he believes that economic differences coupled with free agency makes it very difficult for star players to play for one team for their entire career.
"It's been going on for a while, that's why so few guys can spend one career in a place. No matter how great you are, just the reality is that the Cardinals -- you know, they have an economic thing that they have to watch very closely, and there's a reasonable spot that they can get to, and they're not smart to go beyond that. And you got Albert, who I know was willing to give them a significant discount, but it was just unreasonable compared to what might happen and did happen. If somebody comes out there and overwhelms him, that's just the process."You can listen to the entire La Russa interview with Mike and Mike in the Morning on ESPN Radio by clicking here.
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ReplyDeleteBlah, blah, blah..., agreed! Albert was destin to be a Baseball God, now his real self is revealed, he is just another overpaid athlete for hire to the highest bidder.
ReplyDeleteThis is the system...don't any of you whiners ever take a job for almost double the money! You'd all do it so get your panties out of a bunch. Albert is the MAN!
ReplyDeleteDefinitely. It's the crybaby St Louis fans who think they are so good. They'd rather their players play for a lot less just so they can say "ooohh, we're such good fans" when everybody knows they aren't. The fans got what they deserved, now let's see how much they win without the best baseball player in the game.
ReplyDeletePujols is a baseball god you dumbazz. If you are claiming you would say no to 30 million bucks then you are a liar. MLB is a business and Pujols' only commodity is himself. The crazy saleries are the owners doing. Don't expect players to say no to the money.
ReplyDeleteYou got your feelings hurt and you're crying....well....there's no crying in baseball dumbazz. We Cards fans watched the greatest player of this generation for 11 yrs. I am glad for that.
Good luck AP I hope you keep hitting them out and in the AL you'll be able to do it longer. Hope AP hits 763 and replaces Bonds with a man of integrity.
ALL professional athletes play for the money. That's why they call them PROFESSIONALS. Its how its always been and will always be. Fans that bitch and moan about their star player leaving for money are pathetic.
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