It is not Albert for 6 prospects. it would be Albert for 6 prospects and immediately freeing up $16 million a year for other player acquisition as well as freeing up $25 million + in the out years. The same goes for analyzing the Griffey trade, the Seaver trade, the Cabrera trade or any of them.

There is also the question of winning. Jumbo has implied the Cards would be non competitive w/o Albert. Looking at the Cabrera trade you see that the Marlins actually improved in each of the first 2 years after trading Cabrera and some of the prospects they received are still developing.

Seattle improved after trading Griffey.

I believe Cardinal fans like tradition. They also like winning. They also like loyalty. If Pujols rebuffs the Cards attempt to sign him to an extension I give Cardinal fans enough credit to understand if he was traded.

I also don’t believe the Card fans would be anymore forgiving if the Cards let Pujols walk than if they traded him.

Emotionally, he is being represented by professionals that know marketing and celebrity very well. The Tony/Albert tag team has got BD pinned down now. Everyones happy and ready to compete, so lets let the financial planners deal with those vulgar money concerns. Right!……………..For these guys, like any celebrity, the measure of fame would appear to be, how hard the fans pummel there chests as they weep at the thought of you leaving. Its about what price is the ticket on your next appearance. Its about playing the role. Elvis stood up in front of everyones girl friends and wives in tight leather pants, and gyrated his hips and flexed his pelvis to good effect. The women screamed and swooned. Lets face it, if Elvis is the milkman, your wife is likely to have some sort of white mustache at least two times a week. All this a by product of his personal search for self esteem following a difficult childhood. He had an insatiable appetite for posturing as the alpha male……… but needed to marry a 15yr old so he didn’t have to live up to his own personal hype.

With that in mind, I’m not so sure this attitude is going to be healthy and productive for Albert as a ball player. In a sense, his confusion this year was caused by the absents of normal self esteem criteria. He extended him self so far into the realm of the chosen or select individual, when his privacy issues were compromised with that All Star home tour prank, he was never quite the same. His All Star game interview include such memorable statements as ” God will tell me where to play” amongst others surprising statements. Like it or not, the self doubt that started showing at that time in his playing skills could easily be characterized as a breech or interruption in his inner dialog with his spiritual guide. That is a spiritual crisis common to Christian progressives and intellectuals who find that their charismatic appeals to church followers to follow another leaders teaching (Jesus), places them in an awkward and confusing state concerning their own personal aspirations and longings to seek divinity within themselves.

The tell…….if you see it announced that Albert is holding fast to his accustomed workouts and hitting drills…………heads up……….. that signifies that he is searching for something he thinks he might have lost………not a good thing. Lets hope he excepts change and finds grace in his search for a continued self confidence.

Which is why the cardinals will most likely do what Albert wants in terms of the money Albert wants as well as the manager Albert wants, once TLR leaves. Albert has more power, I bet, than any other player for any other team.

Why? you ask. Because most of the fans feel the same way you do about Albert and this gives him the phenomenal cosmic power I spoke of earlier.

I have made some comments about BD’s smart moves lately. His decision to change course with Pujols was born of fear and concern about the gold mine he is sitting upon caving in. The cash flow dynamics of this business are very important to him in the world at large at this point in time. He knows Albert will differ heavily on a long term contract. He will pursue it. And Cardinal village leverage that comes with the territory. This goes beyond the scope of this group, but the up coming trials in NY have a big influence on our current situation. I will watch that for everyone and report as necessary.

Albert is just where he wants to be. Playing hardball. The Cardinal offers and negotiations will be the foundation for the bidding when its time……..its best to be healthy and loved.

If the Cards could land players of that magnitude it would be a nice tactical move IMO. If Albert does decide to leave and the Cards get two late picks the Cards will appear to have lost out in a huge way.

Of the players Atlanta gave up for Tex, Andrus and Feliz look like keepers. Saltalamacchia less so. The other two, I don’t know. A year later, all Atlanta got for Tex was Kotchman and a low-level prospect (40th round pick in 2004). The Angels picked up the two comp picks when Tex signed with the Yankees.

How about Junior Griffey for Brett Tomko, Mike Cameron, Antonio Perez and Jake Meyer?
Here’s one of my all-time favorites: Tom Seaver for Pat Zachry, Steve Henderson, Doug Flynn and Dan Norman.

More recently, two years ago, the Marlins got six prospects from Detroit for Miguel Cabrera and Dontrelle Willis. One, Cameron Maybin, seems to have a chance. Andrew Miller is in Arizona trying to revamp his motion and the others are MIA.

It would all get down to what Pujols would fetch and what would become of them. Once the Cards would start down that path, I don’t know how they could back up and repair the damage. Look at Halliday’s results after Ricciardi left him hanging. We would have to ask Dr. WestCoast about the damage to Albert’s psyche if he had to remain with St. Louis for a year or two after having been unsuccessfully offered up as trade bait.

I am curious about your comment regarding the non-trade environment of Cardinals with Albert plus some over the hill veterans. That seems to sell short the players that have come up through the system. In this world of wild card parity, isn’t being competitive good enough with the hope one can get hot in October? Being the favorites surely did not work for the Cards in 2004, 2005 or 2009.

Someone made a reference to the Herschel Walker trade propelling the Cowboys to a couple of championships and I believe this is the best way to stay competitive as I believe the Cubbies will start to appear more like the Yankess, in terms of payroll, in the not too distant future. And this will put the Cardinals in a pickle in terms of making the playoffs.

Now the drawback could be that many fans would not buy tickets right away if Albert was traded and we all know money runs these things so the Cards may have to just let Albert do what he wants so as to make it appear that they wanted Albert but that Albert didn’t want to be here.(I believe Beau already made a reference to this). Keeping Albert on the Cards will most likely keep people in the seats even if the cards finish second to the cubbies for years to come. But I still believe that Albert likes the way things are with TLR at the helm, and I still believe Albert may not want to be in St. Louis not knowing who will follow TLR as manager of the Cardinals.

My best guess is that the cards can’t find a way to sign any of the top line free agents and that they may look to trade a few more prospects in order to get Albert a little help for this year. Then try to get a feel for what Albert wants after this year, and decide how to approach their future depending on what direction Albert decides to go. But if the cards wait this long I don’t think they will be able to get the total rebuild package that they could get if they traded Albert this year.

If Albert and the Cards cannot reach an agreement by next November, the Santana model could apply.

Boras will find a way to pay the friendlies somehow, the Trib will get the scoop on a deal or something, just wait.

http://www.fannation.com/truth_and_rumors/view/128310-boras-takes-jab-at-mcgwire?eref=fromSI
http://www.chicagotribune.com/sports/baseball/cubs/chi-15-share-rogers-on-baseball-nov15,0,7333355.story

Everyone assumes Albert will be good as new, including Albert. If he believes in his own immortality, or idestructability, he will be very hard to deal with until his bargaining power goes up when he’s a 5/10. He has, right now, the ability to secure great riches for his family for generations to come, and fund his foundation. If he passes on it, who knows.

Playing with great starting pitching and one of the worst offensive teams I’ve every seen, Albert was a rare and precious stone set in a pile you know what. Tactically, the league had to openly pitch around him for the obvious competitive advantage. That massive ego recognition highlighted by his Ruthian trot to first after intensional passes both at home and in all stadiums in the division is difficult to quantify. Thirty plus Hr’s , 5 grand slams, talk of triple crowns, a commercial advertising you as one of the immortals that should be witnessed before he vanishes into the cornfield. The rhythm and pitch selection dictated by this scenario had to be more predictable, game situations always pressuring pitch location that fell on opposing teams to his advantage. All Star game approaching, almost a celebration of his dominance and fan adulation. A first half performance so strong that it forced BD to change his transition plan, that perhaps being the ultimate representation of his influence. We all know the story of his collapse one way or another. Consider this.

If you’re Albert, or his representation, and you saw fit to resolve all possible conflicts of interest concerning Albert’s health and future viability on your own initiative, and had it turn out as it did, which Albert do you want to negotiate future contracts with or for? First half Albert? Or second half Albert/ Holiday dominating the division but suffering the hazards that confront all mortals.?
Would you be out campaigning for better player support, or staying quietly at home knowing that first half Albert is your worst case and most likely playing scenario in 2010, all leading toward optimum leverage in your option year? Even if money isn’t his sole purpose for living, it is still the excepted recognition of player status in this day and age. Ask BD.