Recently, I posted a series of photos and a recap of the St. Louis Cardinals Legends Camp, held in Jupiter, Fla. two weeks ago. One of the 21 former Cardinals who came back together for fun with each other and with the fans who paid for the opportunity to take the field with them was LaPoint.

The now-52-year-old pitched for the Cards from 1981-1984 and again for a half-season in 1987. LaPoint first arrived from Milwaukee in the Ted Simmons deal and departed for San Francisco as part of the cost of acquiring Jack Clark, both mega-trades engineered by Whitey Herzog.

In between, at the age of 22, the left-hander threw 8 1/3 innings in the 1982 World Series, allowing just three runs. Overall, LaPoint went 35-23 with a 3.90 ERA in his five years with St. Louis and pitched a dozen seasons in the majors with nine different clubs.

Back in 2006-2007, Rodriguez, a mysterious Cuban, passed through Argentina, Nicaragua and then the Dominican Republic before signing with the Cardinals. His bonus of $460,000 was the highest paid by the organization for an international signing to that date and is still the fifth-largest in team history (link to subscriber-only article with details).

At 6-foot-3 and 232 pounds, the outfielder has the chiseled look of an athlete, but could not put it together on the diamond. Rodriguez advanced only as far as A-Advanced Palm Beach before his release last May. He played in 259 games over four seasons as a Cardinal with a line of .276/.317/.374/.691. His long awaited power never developed.

Last July, Rodriguez signed a contract and joined LaPoint, manager of the Rockland (County NY) Boulders of the independent CanAm League. The right-handed hitter, now 24 years of age, batted .267 in 56 games and slugged .393. Rodriguez is on the club’s 2012 roster as well.

LaPoint, a native of Glens Falls, NY, is entering his 11^th season coaching or managing in independent ball. From 2002-2005, he served the pitching coach for the Long Island Ducks, and then went on to manage the Bridgeport Bluefish, both in the Atlantic League. LaPoint returned to Long Island in 2007 as manager and also served in that role in 2009-2010. In between, he was the club’s pitching coach in 2008.

Last season, LaPoint became the Boulders’ first manager, leading them to a 40-52 seventh-place finish in their inaugural campaign. The club recently announced he is coming back for 2012.

Here is hoping both LaPoint and Rodriguez find what they are looking for while in a place far from St. Louis and Cuba.

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That led to a discussion among some of the readers here as to the best Cardinal ever born in the land up North. Though the players competed in many different eras and of course played different positions, the Wins Above Replacement (WAR) stat gives us a comparison point to identify the best Canadian Cardinal of all time.

While many past and present members of the Cardinals system have played (and coached) in Canada – the Cardinals once had a minor league team in Hamilton, Ontario in fact – they will not be included here since they were not born in Canada. That group includes such luminaries as Tony La Russa and Dave Duncan (teammates with the Triple-A Vancouver Mounties in the Oakland system in 1968) , Chris Carpenter and Kyle Lohse.

New Cardinals bullpen catcher Jamie Pogue is a Canadian by birth (Guelph, Ontario), but not having reached the majors, he and his peers are also eliminated from consideration. (Interestingly, no Canadian has been a full-time manager in the majors since George Gibson of the 1934 Pittsburgh Pirates. Pogue has something to shoot for.)

In the table below, I listed all the native-born Canadian Hall of Famers that played for the Cardinals as well as all other Canadians to appear in the majors for the organization since 1925. The tables are sorted by the highest single-season WAR as a Cardinal.

As the data indicates, an old-time player, outfielder Tip O’Neill, had both the best single-season and total stint with St. Louis of any of the Canadians. With the Browns of the American Association in 1884-1889 and again in 1891, the Ontario native amassed 28.9 WAR, including 8.1 in 1887. However, since the Cardinals sadly disavow records set prior to the National League years beginning in 1892, we will place an asterisk next to O’Neill’s name and move down the list.

Pitcher Reggie Cleveland is hereby proclaimed the Cardinals MVCP, or Most Valuable Canadian Player of the modern era, though his total was just 4.7 WAR over five seasons with St. Louis. The right-hander’s best season was a 3.6 WAR 1973, his last with the club, also the best single year by a Canadian Cardinal in the modern era. (As a point of comparison, non-Canadian Carpenter’s best individual season was 5.9 WAR in 2009.)

As Cleveland’s excellent and in-depth SABR biography relates, Cardinals manager Red Schoendienst was unhappy to see the pitcher go. Red said the following when Cleveland was dealt to the Red Sox following the 1973 season, “He’s the best I have.”

Of course, Larry Walker was the finest player of this group, hands down, but was slowed by chronic injuries by the time he joined St. Louis at the end of a fine career. Walker’s best year with St. Louis was his only full season with the club and his last as a player, as he produced 2.9 WAR in 2005.

Alas, Cormier’s best St. Louis season is only fifth on the list, fourth among modern players, behind O’Neill, Cleveland, Walker and Ron Taylor.

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Making his St. Louis debut in 1945, the switch-hitting second baseman played 15 seasons with the Cardinals, including in the 1946 World Series. The 10-time National League All-Star also appeared in two more Series while with Milwaukee.

Red coached in St. Louis from 1961-64 and in 1965 began a 12-year run as Cardinals manager, exceeded in duration by only Tony La Russa. His clubs won the 1967 World Series and the NL pennant the following season. Red also served as interim manager in 1980 and 1990.

He was elected to the National Baseball Hall of Fame in 1989 and his uniform was retired by the Cardinals in 1996. Red remains a special assistant to the general manager. When reporting to spring training next month, I am expecting to see number 2 in uniform with fungo bat in hand or heading between fields in a golf cart.

Today, February 2, Schoendienst celebrates his 89^th birthday. In recognition of a great Cardinals hero, I am sharing a dozen photographs of Red provided by the Cardinals Media Relations department. If you are interested, join in the discussion below to help identify and date some of the photos.

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One was the subject of the expansion of post-season play. For the first time since 1995, a change will be made to the playoff format. Starting no later than 2013, a second Wild Card will be added in each league, increasing the post-season pool to 10 of the 30 clubs.

The new format does not appreciably increase the length of the post-season since it consists of a simple one-game playoff between the two Wild Cards in each league. The winner of that game will advance to the regular Division Series.

Though this seems like a no-brainer in terms of implementation, the November announcement stated the question of whether it will go into effect in 2012 would be decided no later than March 1. With one month to go before the self-imposed deadline, the two sides have yet to concur.

Not surprisingly, MLB commissioner Bud Selig wants to get it done immediately.

“It’s pretty definite in my mind,” Selig told USA TODAY. “Teams are anxious. Clubs really want it.”

Michael Weiner, executive director of the Major League Players Association, is unsure it is feasible this year.

“The 2012 season was not designed to accommodate an extra round of playoffs,” Weiner told USA TODAY. “We’re having discussions to see if it can work. We’ll decide in the next month or so if we’re able to do it.”

Though Weiner was not specific, the concern seems to be the travel involved in the expanded post-season schedule. In addition to this one-game Wild Card play-in game, any division ties will reportedly also be decided on the field going forward. The potential scheduling impact of this change also has to be considered. Though not stated, revenue-sharing issues could also be present.

Given the considerable regular-season benefit of an additional team in the playoff hunt in each league, having fewer off-days during the post-season to fit in an extra game or two should not present a significant challenge. Nor should money be an insurmountable problem.

Here’s hoping the two sides resolve their differences, whatever they may be, and MLB begins the new playoff format this coming fall.

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The new website, www.cardinals.com/museum, has been launched today, January 30, with the goal of highlighting some of the team’s extensive collection of baseball memorabilia. The full collection includes 15,000 items and 80,000 photographs, which makes it the largest team-held collection in baseball and second in the game, only behind the National Baseball Hall of Fame in Cooperstown.

The new online exposition includes hundreds of historical photographs, virtual exhibits and educational videos that highlight great individuals and events in Cardinals history.

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If rumors that the 36-year-old is on the verge of signing with the St. Louis Cardinals for 2012 come to reality, the question will arise as to whether his favored uniform jersey number is available.

Fortunately, the answer appears to be “yes.”

New Cardinals and former Oswalt teammates Carlos Beltran (#3) and J.C. Romero (#16) have settled on different digits. And frankly, having Oswalt, a three-time All-Star and winner of 159 career games sporting those number 44 threads would represent a considerable upgrade from its deployment in recent years.

Last season, the Cardinals broke spring camp with non-roster invitee Miguel Batista donning the number 44. After the 40-year-old pitched himself off the team, the uni was passed on to another high-mileage veteran, outfielder Corey Patterson, one of the throw-ins in the Colby Rasmus deal. Patterson was so unimpressive that he was left off the post-season roster and is unsigned for 2012.

The year before, another outfielder in the twilight days of his playing career, Randy Winn, was assigned 44.

The most famous Cardinal to wear number 44 in recent years is also looking for a place to play in 2012. Of course, that is former closer Jason Isringhausen. The 39-year-old returned to MLB last season with the New York Mets after a year away but is again a free agent. Izzy pitched for St. Louis from 2002-2008 and is the club’s all-time leader in saves with 217.

When I think of number 44, however, my mind goes to “The Zamboni Machine,” Ken Reitz. The defensive specialist manned third base for the Cards while wearing the digits for two stints totaling eight years from 1972 through 1980.

For nine years during the 1960’s, pitcher Ray Washburn, winner of 68 games with St. Louis, donned number 44. Even current manager Mike Matheny wore 44 for a brief time in 2000 (see photo) before returning to his familiar 22.

Of course, until Oswalt’s deal is done, it isn’t, but it appears one minor potential problem will not occur.

Then, there is that issue of six starters for five jobs. That may become a job for number 22 to sort out in Jupiter, Fla. starting in just three weeks…

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To keep that survey manageable, the dollar amounts and years were split into separate questions. That made it difficult to bring the two together into one clear conclusion, so that is the purpose of this post.

Almost 70 percent of the earlier voters selected either a four- or five-year deal. Over 60 percent of those voting would offer Molina a contract with an average annual value (AAV) somewhere between $9 million and $13 million per year.

Assuming we round to the nearest million, that creates a possible ten answers. From them, you can choose your definitive best offer to the catcher for his four or five seasons starting in 2013 at age 30-31.

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Now we hear it from the angle of the Angels, primarily general manager Jerry Dipoto. That story is entitled “How to Land the Big One, the Inside Story of Signing Albert Pujols.” It will appear in print in the Feb. 6, 2012 “Recruiting Issue” of ESPN The Magazine, but is already posted online for ESPN subscribers. (Cover photo shoot video is also included.)

Written by Sam Miller, who covers the Angels for the Orange County Register, the piece describes the interrelation of the club’s successful quest to sign left-handed pitcher C.J. Wilson with their pursuit of Pujols.

The article includes many already-known details about the telephone bonding between Halos owner Arte Moreno and Pujols along with a few mild surprises.

Pujols defended the short courtship.

“I only spend five minutes talking to or meeting a guy and I know pretty much,” Pujols said after he signed. “God has given me that wisdom. I don’t even know [Moreno], and he called me one of his partners. That means a lot.”

Very little was written about the Cardinals position but what was said, I found most interesting.

“The Cardinals had made Pujols and his wife, Deidre, feel almost unwanted with their offers, the first of which was for just five years… It was as though the Cardinals could see only the downside to signing a 31-year-old Albert Pujols while the Angels saw opportunity,” Miller states.

I guess St. Louis’ rumored first offer this past fall is what was meant, which was reportedly for just five years. Though it was not mentioned that proposal was for a salary of $26 million per year, a higher average annual value than the 10-year, $240 million deal Pujols and the Angels later agreed upon. Also not referenced were earlier or later bids made by the Cardinals, which reportedly went up to as much as ten years, though at a lower AAV and with deferred money. Since the ESPN story was admittedly written from the Angels’ perspective, it should not be too surprising those details are missing.

Last week, Cardinals president Bill DeWitt III had the following to say about the Pujols situation.

“Our fan base is so knowledgeable that there were some things that we were tempted to say about how things went down. Not so much negative against Pujols or anything like that, but just defending the way we approached it, going back over time – having given it a good shot two years ago, one year ago, then in this off-season.  I think there were some accusations about if we should have done it earlier and things of that nature.

“You can go back in time and I think the instinct we had was to lay it all out there. But then, we saw the reaction. And the reaction was overwhelmingly, I think, sympathetic to the way we handled it. And given that reaction, we just decided to let it go. Let the last word be theirs. I think that was probably a good move because any time you just get into a ‘he said, she said’ pissing match, it doesn’t leave a good taste,” DeWitt III said.

It will be interesting to see how this story evolves over time as to which offers are remembered and in what sequence. The ESPN-Angels version clearly hits hard the damage caused by the perceived lack of respect shown Pujols by the Cardinals.

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If you are new to the blog and not familiar with the Cardinals organization roster matrix, here is quick summary:

At the time of this posting, the St. Louis Cardinals had 266 players under contract from top to bottom, including 39 players on the 40-man roster. The matrix places each one at his assigned level in the system at the conclusion of 2011 and by position. Spring training camp invitees are shown separately. This matrix is updated daily or whenever transactions occur.

Nowhere else will you find this current and comprehensive single-page view of the entire Cardinals organization.

Don’t be concerned about the order of the players’ names within a team. It doesn’t signify anything.

The players on the 40-man roster are called out in bold.

The short-season pitchers are broken out into returnees and summer 2011 signees.

Full team rosters and player profiles at The Cardinal Nation

Remember that to get detailed profile information on every single one of these 266 Cardinals players, simply check out their free player profiles updated at The Cardinal Nation.com / Scout.com. You can see bios, photos, videos, articles, news items, links to current season and career stats and much more – everything you need to know about a player in one place.

Click on the following links to be taken to one of the nine team pages at The Cardinal Nation. You can also see rosters and player profiles back to 2004:

Full-season clubs
St. Louis Cardinals
Memphis Redbirds
Springfield Cardinals
Palm Beach Cardinals
Quad Cities River Bandits

Short-season clubs
Batavia Muckdogs
Johnson City Cardinals
Gulf Coast League Cardinals
Dominican Summer League Cardinals

Once on a team page, just click on a player’s name to be taken to his individual profile page for that year. For example, here is Shelby Miller’s 2012 profile.

Looking ahead and back

Now that you’ve found this page once, remember one of three ways to get back here. Bookmark the page, type “Roster Matrix” in the dark blue search box at the upper right or use the dropdown menu at the top of the page: “Players/Staff” > “Depth Charts/Roster Matrix”.

For details behind past rosters and transactions, check out the earlier versions of the Cardinals organization roster matrix as follows.

Link to previous matrices: Jan–March 2009, April 2009, May 2009, June 2009, July 2009-February 2010, Spring camp 2010, Opening season 2010, First half 2010, Short-season 2010, 2010-11 Off-season, 2011 spring training, 2011 regular season, 2011 short-season, 2011-2012 off-season

Related resources

St. Louis Cardinals 2012 major league spring training schedule
St. Louis Cardinals 2012 minor league spring training schedule (subscriber article)

Transactions

01/24: New matrix. Organization total: 266 players.

02/06: SS Alex Cora signed to a minors deal with MLB spring camp invite. New total: 267 players.

02/08: Dominican RHP Andres Serrano signed (in October). New total: 268 players.

02/10: RHR Scott Linebrink signed to a minors deal with MLB spring camp invite. New total: 269 players.

The St. Louis Cardinals Organization Roster Matrix (effective 02/10/12)

Codes
(I): injured
(TI): temporary inactive list
(SL): suspended list
(RL): restricted list
(MIL): military list
(TO): tryout player not under contract
(L) left-handed pitcher
bold: on the Cardinals’ 40-man roster
(#+#) number of active players on the roster plus number of inactive/not under contract (DL+TI+SL+RL+MIL+TO) players

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The New York chapter of the Baseball Writers Association of America (BBWAA) bestowed The Babe Ruth Award upon Freese. The award is given annually to the Major League Baseball player with the best performance in the postseason. It was created in honor of New York Yankees Hall of Famer Babe Ruth in 1949.

In the following clip, posted by MLB.com, Freese accepts his newest award after having been introduced by Yankees general manager Brian Cashman.

(Some of Freese’s television appearances earlier this off-season can be viewed here.)

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Here is the link to the full spring schedule. The Cardinals will play a total of 17 of their 29 Florida games at Roger Dean this spring, including three games as the “visiting” team against their co-habitants, the Miami Marlins. The first game and home game of 2012 will be held between the two clubs on Monday, March 5.

There is nothing like seeing the major leaguers under the Florida sun and in the more intimate setting in Jupiter, Florida. While you are there, catch morning workouts and the minor leaguers on the back quad, too.

I go every spring and hope to see you there.

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The logical follow-on question to those voters is to ask where they would draw the line in terms of dollars and years. That is the purpose of this post.

Here are a few data points to consider.

Molina currently makes $7 million in the fifth and final year of his contract signed with the Cardinals prior to the 2008 season. He will celebrate his 30^th birthday in July.

Minnesota’s Joe Mauer has the largest contract in MLB history for a catcher, eight years, $184 million. It started in 2011, his age 28 year, and pays him an even $23 million per season.

Detroit’s Victor Martinez, who recently suffered a season-ending injury, signed a four-year, $50 million free agent deal one year ago. The average annual value (AAV) of his deal, covering his age 32-35 seasons, works out to $12.5 million, just over half of Mauer’s annual take.

A number of front-line catchers could hit the market next fall, including Russell Martin, Miguel Montero and Mike Napoli. Others with 2013 club options include Brian McCann ($12 million) and Carlos Ruiz ($5 million).

Against that backdrop, what are your limits? Please vote and explain below.

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Articles are popping up, in which the merits of trading away the catcher before he “does a Pujols” to the Gateway City are being weighed. Speculation about what was behind his decision to skip the Cardinals Winter Warm-Up for the second consecutive year continues.

In terms of value, Molina seems to be a player at the peak of his game. He is coming off his best offensive year in addition to already being the game’s best defensive backstop. As he moves into his age 29-30 season, the time to act would seem to be now. But, what should the act be?

Re-signing Molina would please many, but is that likely? Is it the best business decision for the franchise? Is a trade any more feasible? Would any other club be willing to acquire the four-time Gold Glover without first securing a commitment to an extension?

Waiting until mid-season to trade Molina no longer seems an attractive option. The new collective bargaining agreement specifies that a club acquiring an impending free agent during his final season will not receive draft pick compensation if the player signs elsewhere.

More importantly, knowing what he could potentially make in the open market next fall, at this time why would Molina commit long-term to a new team, let alone the Cardinals?

Just like Pujols and Matt Holliday before him, Molina has earned the right to gauge his worth across the game. He gave the Cardinals two of his potential free agent years when signing his last contract, but no longer has that motivation. With financial security and being at his optimal age, this is his time.

I would not fault Molina one bit for taking that path. Free agency is the model defined by the game.

Still, just as in the case of Pujols, I suspect the Cardinals will not trade Molina in the interim. He is a very popular player and a crucial one, called “our captain on the field” by Skip Schumaker this past weekend. Via trade, Molina would not fetch a replacement of the same level of skill. There would be quantity and potential quality, but likely no single player currently as good as him.

Nor is there an heir apparent in the minor league system ready to step in. I think the Cardinals will be focused on keeping the best possible team together in hopes of a repeat title in 2012. That would seem to include Molina wearing the Birds on the Bat.

Though I did not deeply consider the Pujols situation in this context earlier on, I do now. With the benefit of hindsight, winning the 2011 World Championship made the gamble of keeping Pujols until the end pay off, in my opinion.

That was a very long opening for the real motivation I had for writing this post.

This winter, I have been reading/re-reading various Stan Musial-related books, having started with the recent George Vescey-authored, “Stan Musial: An American Life.”

Next up will be The Man’s own biography, written with/by legendary sportswriter Bob Broeg back in 1964, “Stan Musial: The Man’s Own Story.”

In between is my current subject, James Giglio’s 2001 book, “Musial: From Stash to Stan the Man.”

In the latter, just last night, I read a passage that, while from another era, reminded me of what the loss of a true game-changing catcher could mean to the franchise.

On page 124, as he discussed the post-World War II make up of the Cardinals, Giglio wrote this.

“The greatest Cardinal loss remained Walker Cooper, however, who went to the New York Giants in January 1946 for $175,000. The right-handed Cooper, the best catcher in the National League, had excellent seasons with the Giants and the Cincinnati Reds in the late 1940’s. Both Musial and (Enos) Slaughter contended than the loss of Cooper cost the Redbirds several pennants, for neither (Joe) Garagiola, Ken O’Dea or Del Rice came close to equaling Cooper’s offensive production or matching his leadership on the field. Cooper’s departure cost the Cardinals not only a long-ball threat but also balance at the plate, enabling opponents to challenge Musial’s and Slaughter’s left-handed power with southpaw pitching.

“(Owner Sam) Breadon used Cooper’s dislike of (new manager Eddie) Dyer, who managed him in the minors, as a pretext for selling him despite Dyer’s plea that he would work things out. Money remained the main motive; Breadon, tired of Cooper’s constant haggling over salary, also wanted to ensure that he came out financially ahead in 1946 in the face of higher salaries.”

The Cardinals did win the Series in 1946, but clearly hurt themselves in the long haul by disposing of Cooper. Though there were certainly other contributing factors, it would be the club’s last pennant for 18 long years, including Musial’s final 17 seasons.

Cooper was sent away three days before his 30^th birthday, the same age as Molina will be this coming winter. Just like Molina, he played in three World Series with St. Louis, with his club winning twice. At the time, Cooper was a three-time NL All-Star, same as Molina today. After leaving St. Louis, Cooper went on to play another dozen years, including his final two back with the Cardinals as a reserve in 1956 and 1957. He added five more All-Star selections for a career total of eight.

Yes, this is a different time; yet the issue, then and now, is money. There is no way of knowing if the Cardinals will offer enough of it to Molina to satisfy him. Without Pujols, they may have the budget, but do they want to pay? If not, Molina will leave, perhaps of his own volition. All things considered, is trying for another title in 2012 better than the alternative?

At this point, I can only wonder how the books of the future will treat this time in Cardinals history and in Yadier Molina’s career.

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Currently, the St. Louis Cardinals have 39 players in the latter group and according to a report from Joe Strauss of the Post-Dispatch, there will be 19 players in the former group. While the 19 have been informed of their selection, the club has not yet released their names. That could come as soon as this weekend, during Winter Warm-Up.

We already are pretty sure about 10 of the 19. They include prospects Shelby Miller, Tyrell Jenkins, Kolten Wong, Matt Adams, Jordan Swagerty, Joe Kelly and Nick Greenwood. Then, there are three veteran NRIs in Koyie Hill, R.J. Swindle and Eugenio Velez.

Your mission, should you decide to accept it, is to guess the identities of the other nine players. Post your guess below, but only one guess per person, please. If someone ends up on the target or very close, I may come up with a prize in recognition.

For quick assistance, refer to the Roster Matrix, always kept up to date here at The Cardinal Nation Blog. There, you can see all players in the system by level and position, including the 39 players currently on the roster. Click here or you can always access current as well as past matrices from the “Players/Staff” > “Depth Charts/Roster Matrix” dropdown on the menu bar at the top of this page.

Cardinals pitchers and catchers are scheduled to report to Jupiter, FL on February 18 and conduct their first workout on February 19. The remainder of the Cardinals’ players will be scheduled to report February 23 with their first workout on February 24.

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Plans are being made for the 2011 Cardinals to head to Washington, D.C. following the conclusion of the weekend’s festivities one week from today, on Monday, January 16. The winner of the World Series is traditionally invited to the White House to meet The President of the United States. So it will be this year as Barack Obama will reportedly entertain the Cardinals the next day, Tuesday, January 17. (The date should be considered tentative until officially announced by the White House.)

Seven members of the club have already departed as free agents, including superstar Albert Pujols, along with since-retired manager Tony La Russa and three members of the Cardinals coaching staff who were not retained for 2012. La Russa is among those scheduled to return to St. Louis for the weekend.

Following the Cardinals’ exciting World Series victory over the Texas Rangers on October 28, Obama did not immediately make a celebratory phone call to the new champions. La Russa was the one to share that news with the media, a week later, on November 4. Much was made of that perceived snub by some.

The call eventually did come. It was on November 7, 10 days after the conclusion of the Series. At that time, The President extended his invitation to the team to visit 1600 Pennsylvania Avenue.

Though the first-term Chief Executive reportedly did not call the 2009 champion New York Yankees, his call to the previous winner, the 2010 San Francisco Giants, was apparently made in a timely manner.

Former President George W. Bush, once a business partner of Cardinals Chairman and CEO Bill DeWitt Jr., welcomed the 2006 World Champion Cardinals to the White House on January 16, 2007. It is worth noting that was also the Tuesday following Winter Warm-Up.

Obama visited St. Louis on July 14, 2009, when he threw out the ceremonial first pitch for Major League Baseball’s 80th All-Star Game. He wore the jacket of his home-town favorite Chicago White Sox. (In the above photo, The President met Cardinals Hall of Famer Stan Musial, who 11 months ago, made his own trip to the White House to receive the Presidential Medal of Freedom.)

Update: Late Monday afternoon, the White House issued their official release. The Cardinals will be honored at 3:05 P.M. ET on Tuesday, January 17. Before the event, the Cardinals will visit Walter Reed National Military Medical Center to thank wounded service members for their service.

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The actual margin of difference between the two clubs proved to be razor-thin. When all seven games had been played, it was the Cardinals who finished on top, winning their 11^th World Championship in team history and their second in six years.

There were many heroes.

In the sixth inning of Game 1, pinch-hitter Allen Craig broke a 2-2 tie with a two-out, run-scoring single that made Chris Carpenter a winner. Carp allowed two runs over six innings and Jason Motte picked up the save.

St. Louis yielded the home field advantage upon losing Game 2 when the Rangers scored two in the ninth to erase a 1-0 Cardinals lead. The runs were charged against Motte with the key play an Ian Kinsler stolen base. Jaime Garcia threw seven shutout innings in what became a no-decision.

Moving to Texas for Game 3, Kyle Lohse was pulled after three-plus innings, but Albert Pujols had a game for the ages in the 16-7 St. Louis win. The first baseman had five hits, including three home runs, hits in four consecutive innings, 14 total bases and six RBI, all of which set or tied World Series records.

Though he walked seven, starter Edwin Jackson held on for 6 1/3 innings in Game 4, allowing just one run. However, he departed with two on base. Both scored as Mike Napoli launched Mitchell Boggs’ first pitch deep into left field for a 4-0 lead that the Rangers held.

In the pivotal Game 5, the Cardinals stranded baserunner after baserunner, 12 in total, and ultimately fell by a 4-2 score when Marc Rzepczynski allowed a two-run double by Napoli in the eighth inning. Several key mix-ups on Craig-Pujols hit and runs and wrong pitchers warming up due to bizarre phone miscommunications between La Russa and the bullpen contributed to the painful and strange defeat.

It seemed the Series was on the verge of being lost and set up to be the subject of second-guessing forever, but once again, the 2011 Cardinals were not done.

Returning home for the must-win Game 6, the Cardinals showed amazing resiliency despite uneven play. The defense committed three early errors with the result being two unearned runs for Texas. Still, despite having just three hits through seven innings, the Cardinals had pulled even three times before giving up the lead run in the top of the next inning each time. Back-to-back home runs off Lance Lynn in the seventh moved Texas ahead once again.

With the Cards down to their final strike in the ninth, David Freese’s two-run triple sent the game into extra innings. The elation did not last long as Josh Hamilton’s two-run home run off Motte in the 10th powered the Rangers to a 9-7 lead.

When things looked bleakest, the Cards found a way once again, however. RBI from Ryan Theriot and Lance Berkman knotted the score, moving the game into the 11th. Berkman’s hit again occurred with two strikes and two out. It was the first time in World Series history that a team came back twice from a two-or-more run deficit in the ninth inning and later.

Freese’s home run to dead center in the bottom of the 11th ended one of the most exciting World Series games ever. The final score was 10-9.

One of the most pivotal aspects of the 2011 World Series did not occur on the field. A one-day rain delay prior to Game 6 proved a crucial break for the Cardinals as it enabled them to bring Carpenter back for Game 7 on three days rest.

The ace allowed two first-inning runs before tossing five scoreless frames. Freese tied the game in the bottom of the first before Craig’s third-inning solo home run gave the Cards the lead to stay. St. Louis won the World Series title by taking Game 7 by a 6-2 score.

Freese was named Series Most Valuable Player after batting .348 (8-for-23) with three doubles, a triple, home run, seven RBI and four runs scored. Yadier Molina set a Cardinals World Series record with nine RBI. Though he had only one hit outside of Game 3 and batted .240 in the Series, Pujols had six RBI and joined Craig with three home runs. Berkman batted .423 in the Series, drove in five and scored a team-high nine times.

Carpenter made three World Series starts, pitching 19 innings. He won two games, including Game 7, and logged a 2.84 ERA. Garcia did not pick up a win, but allowed just two runs in 10 innings for a 1.80 ERA. The Cardinals pitchers held the Rangers to a collective .243 batting average.

Taking everything into account, including the team being 10 ½ games out in late August, then marching through all three rounds of the playoffs, this most unexpected championship is the top Cardinals story of 2011, hands down.

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Few, if anyone, thought St. Louis had a chance against the 102-win Phils. In fact, they were seeded eighth of the eight playoff teams by every source I recall reading. At ESPN, for example, the Phillies were predicted to defeat the Cardinals by all two dozen of their personalities.

As the old line goes, “That is why they play the games.” In the hard-fought five-game series, St. Louis prevailed. Faced with two consecutive elimination games, the Cards took both, including the deciding match at Philadelphia’s Citizens Bank Park.

The best-of-five series began with a pair in Philly. The Cards got out on top in Game 1, but gave back a three-run lead behind Kyle Lohse and fell 11-6. Some of the writers were probably already starting their “Phillies Sweep Cards in Three” articles.

It was the home club that squandered a four-run edge in Game 2, however, as the Cards came back for a 5-4 win despite Chris Carpenter pitching ineffectively on three days rest. Albert Pujols drove in the lead run in the top of the seventh and the pen held the rest of the way.

Having taken away the home field advantage, St. Louis returned home for Game 3. The Phils quickly took back the high ground as Ben Francisco’s three-run home run off an obviously-spent Jaime Garcia in the seventh inning powered them to a 3-2 win.

The Cardinals held off elimination in Game 4 as David Freese plated four in the 5-3 St. Louis victory. Edwin Jackson pitched very well, allowing only two runs over six innings for the victory in the first of two must-win games for St. Louis.

In the deciding Game 5 in Philadelphia, Carpenter pitched perhaps the most clutch elimination game in Cardinals playoff history. He bested another former Cy Young Award winner, Roy Halladay, in a three-hit complete-game shutout, walking none. The tense 1-0 win propelled the Cardinals into the Championship Series. Carpenter, who induced 17 ground ball outs, became just the third pitcher in MLB post-season history to throw a shutout and allow three-or-fewer hits in a winner-take-all game.

Oddly, MLB does not select a MVP for any of their opening round series. I helped fill the gap, naming Carpenter The Cardinal Nation/Scout.com 2011 National League Division Series Most Valuable Player.

The Cards had been at full strength in the NLDS with one notable exception. Matt Holliday was active, but a non-factor in the first three games, reduced to pinch hitting because of a finger injury.

Pujols batted .350 (7-for-20) while Ryan Theriot and Skip Schumaker both went 6-for-10 (.600) with two doubles, but the latter suffered an oblique injury that kept him out of the upcoming League Championship Series. Freese led the team with five RBI.

Even those whose numbers did not stand out on the stat sheet found ways to contribute. For example, Lance Berkman scored four times and drove in four despite batting just .167. Allen Craig, subbing for Holliday in Games 1-3, went just 1-for-10 at the plate, but also drew a club-best four walks and crossed home plate three times.

Rafael Furcal handled two dozen chances flawlessly, including six putouts and 18 assists. He was involved in two double plays and was especially sharp behind Carpenter in Game 5. Furcal led off three of the games with a hit, including two triples.

Setting a pattern for the rest of the post-season, the bullpen was as dependable as it was busy. Jason Motte saved two games, throwing one-hit ball over 3 1/3 innings. Octavio Dotel added 2 2/3 shutout innings. Fernando Salas allowed one run in 3 2/3 innings and deserves special note for stabilizing pivotal Game 2 with two important shutout innings after Carpenter’s early departure.

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The series offered plenty of intrigue and concern for the Cardinals as their opponent had several advantages – on paper at least. The two clubs split their regular-season series at nine wins each, with both clubs holding a slight 5-4 edge at home. Milwaukee held the home field advantage. It seemed a major benefit as the Brewers had gone 57-24 (.704) at Miller Park during the regular season, the best home record in the Major Leagues in 2011.

Milwaukee was a perfect 15-0 in Game 1 and 5 pitcher Zack Greinke’s home starts. Their powerful lineup featured the man who would be named the league’s Most Valuable Player in Ryan Braun. Further, the Brewers would not see Cardinals ace Chris Carpenter until NLCS Game 3 because of his NL Division Series Game 5 start.

As it turned out, the Brewers did not leverage their home field advantage. They fell in six games, including losing two of three in Milwaukee, despite having to face Carpenter just once.

Games 1 and 2 were held at Miller Park. Jamie Garcia allowed five runs in the fifth which became too much to overcome as the Brewers won the opener, 9-6. Albert Pujols took over in Game 2 with three doubles, a home run and five RBI as St. Louis seized a decisive 12-3 victory. It was one of Pujols’ two signature games in the post-season. The five doubles are second-most in team post-season history and LCS history as were his three runs scored.

Returning home to St. Louis, the Cardinals’ bullpen was the star in Game 3, as Fernando Salas, Lance Lynn, Marc Rzepczynski and Jason Motte handled the final 12 outs flawlessly in a 4-3 Cardinals win. Veteran lefty Randy Wolf won Game 4 for Milwaukee as he worked seven innings, allowing only solo home runs to Matt Holliday and Allen Craig. St. Louis took pivotal Game 5 by a 7-1 score as the Brewers’ defense committed four of their 10 CS errors. Holliday and Yadier Molina had three hits each.

What became the final contest, Game 6, was held back in Milwaukee. David Freese launched a three-run home run in the first and the bullpen allowed just two runs over the final seven innings as the Cardinals breezed to the 12-6 clincher. It was the organization’s 18th NL pennant in team history.

The Cardinals scored first in each of the six games. Series Most Valuable Player Freese hit safely in all six games, batting .545, including three doubles, three home runs, nine RBI and six runs scored. Holliday hit .435 (10-for-23) with two doubles, one home run, five RBI and six runs scored.

With the team’s longest starting appearance just five innings in duration, the Cardinals bullpen carried a heavy load. They responded superbly, with a 1.88 ERA (six runs in 28 1/3 innings) while holding Brewers hitters to a collective .155 batting average.

In fact, the Cardinals set a new NLCS record with 28 pitching changes in the series. Not surprisingly, the Cardinals also held the old record of 26 in 1996 (a seven-game series versus Atlanta).

The Brewers may have played their last game with their star first baseman Prince Fielder, as on the Cardinals’ side, it turned out that Pujols had just seven games remaining in his St. Louis career. They turned out to be most important.

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Ankle problems that were feared to be chronic shorted Freese’s 2009 and ruined his 2010 campaign. His primary injury this past season was a May 1 hit-by-pitch broken hand that could have happened to anyone. Still, despite the reason, Freese played in barely half his team’s games over the last two seasons – just 97 regular-season games this season after 70 the year before.

As the 2011 Cardinals unexpectedly entered the playoffs, Freese became a big contributor, arguably their very biggest.

The best-of-five National League Division Series began with the Cardinals down one game to two to the team with the best regular-season record in baseball, the Philadelphia Phillies. St. Louis held off elimination in Game 4 as Freese plated four in St. Louis’ 5-3 victory. The Cards then won Game 5 to advance.

Moving into the League Championship Series against the NL Central champion Brewers, Freese heated up against his familiar opponent. Freese hit safely in all six CS games, batting .545, including three doubles, three home runs, nine RBI and six runs scored.

In what became the final CS contest, Game 6, held in Milwaukee, Freese set the pace. He launched a three-run home run in the first inning and the Cardinals breezed to the 12-6 clincher. After the game, Freese was named LCS Most Valuable Player.

Game 6 was once again Freese’s pivotal contest, this time in the World Series. With the Cards down to their final strike in the ninth against Texas, Freese’s two-run triple sent the game into extra innings. After a pair of lead changes, he came through again. In the bottom of the 11^th, Freese’s home run to dead center ended one of the most exciting World Series games ever by a 10-9 score.

Following the Cardinals’ Game 7 victory over the Rangers, Freese was voted MVP for the second consecutive series. It was certainly justified as he batted .348 (8-for-23) with three doubles, a triple, home run, seven RBI and four runs scored.

Putting it all together, over the entire post-season, Freese was 9-for-19 (.474) with runners in scoring position, including seven extra-base hits. He set all-time MLB post-season marks in RBI with 21, extra-base hits with 14 and total bases with 50 and tied for the most post-season doubles ever with eight and hits with 25.

It was clearly a post-season to remember for the St. Louis native. He was then given the rock star treatment, making television appearances on The Tonight Show with Jay Leno, The Ellen DeGeneres Show, the Country Music Association Awards, a spot on a network sitcom and more.

Now that Freese’s relatively lower profile has been shattered, the pressure will be on for him to deliver more of the same kind of results in 2012. A regular turn in the fifth spot of new manager Mike Matheny’s lineup would mean an expectation of regular run production from the 2011 playoff hero.

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One factor has been the inability to show a profit in running the Muckdogs. Since assuming control of the Batavia franchise in 2008, RCB has lost around $600,000 in total on the Muckdogs, according to an article in the Rochester Democrat and Chronicle.

Though not rendered explicit in the article, based on past disclosures, this would signal the Muckdogs lost in the area of $110,000 in 2011, up from their $92,000 deficit logged in 2010. That would represent the majority of the Rochester loss in 2011.

Comments from RCB officials no longer hold out hope for a turnaround in Batavia, but instead reflect a realization that sale of the team is inevitable.

“We plan to continue operating the Batavia franchise until it is sold,” RCB President/CEO/COO Naomi Silver told the paper. “Making money any season in Batavia is a tall order. We know that now. Batavia has an extremely loyal fan base but it isn’t large enough. But when the team is sold, we expect to make a considerable profit.”

Despite fielding competitive baseball teams, the Muckdogs have consistently remained among the bottom-dwellers of the New York-Penn League in attendance, drawing on average around 1,000 per game.

RCB’s operating agreement with the Batavia ownership includes five percent take of the eventual sale price of the team. This will be the fifth year of the arrangement, so RCB would receive 25 percent of the sale proceeds from the Muckdogs franchise. That should be over a million dollars and could be as much as $1.5 million.

“The going price for a team in the NY-P League is $5 to $6 million,” Silver said. “I believe it is inevitable that the Muckdogs will be sold. I get a call or two a week from potential buyers.”

The team has been on the market since at least the third quarter of 2010, but no timetable for a sale has been disclosed. The St. Louis Cardinals Player Development Contract with the Muckdogs runs through the 2012 season and at this point, it seems the team will play at least one more year in Batavia.

What happens after that is entirely up in the air.

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Since then, I learned the entry deadline has been extended through the end of the year. Better yet, I have been given a total of 12 raffle entries to be awarded free to one lucky reader of this blog.*

The winner of the raffle will receive four tickets to a pair of St. Louis Cardinals spring training games in Florida, two nights of hotel accommodations, a rental car with unlimited mileage and a Cardinals merchandise package. Included is an exclusive reception and dinner featuring a 2012 season preview with new manager Mike Matheny. The two spring games to attend will be of the winner’s choice.

Other STLMGAC raffles include a St. Louis Rams package, a new Cadillac SRX, a trip to New York and more as they work toward achieving their $75,000 goal. Best of all, STLMGAC pledges 100 percent of raffle proceeds will be used to support their cancer-fighting programs.

Learn more details and purchase your raffle tickets here. A bonus of two free tickets for every ten purchased is offered and tickets are only $1 each.

* Free raffle tickets rules: Post your interest below to be entered in my drawing. All entries must be posted by midnight Central time Friday night, December 23. I will then select one random name from the entrants as the winner of the 12 raffle tickets. Any winners of The Cardinal Nation Blog contests/drawings in the last 60 days are not eligible.

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In my annual just-for-fun endeavor, I look at rising and falling autograph prices from year to year. These are set by someone within the Cardinals hierarchy, and offer at least some estimation of the expected supply and demand for the autographs.

In addition, the list of those signing for free includes over 40 names of former, current and aspiring Cardinals. Also included for the second consecutive year are a trio of former Negro Leagues players, DeMorris Smith, Jesse Rogers and Sam Taylor.

As always, the proceeds go to charity, Cardinals Care, so the needy are the true winners. Autograph tickets will go on sale online at cardinals.com at 9 A.M. on Wednesday, December 21. There is a limit of three tickets per player except for Lance Berkman and David Freese at one each.

Those two vaulted up to the top prices, replacing Albert Pujols. Also at the top of the pecking order are Matt Holliday at $75, down from last year and Yadier Molina, returned to his $75 from two years ago.

The signatures of Chris Carpenter and Adam Wainwright are considered equals as Tony La Russa’s price is up following his retirement. His replacement, Mike Matheny, sees an expected increase, but still seems a good bargain. Allen Craig and Jason Motte move right on up.

Shelby Miller and Matt Adams make their first for-fee appearances, with the prospects being shown as much love as several long-time starting pitchers.

The ranks of the Cardinals Hall of Famers are halved, down two this year, with  Bruce Sutter and Lou Brock apparently not signing. Bob Gibson is again staying away and those hoping for an Ozzie Smith return look to be disappointed.

The roster of past Cardinals heroes signing for a small fee is down quite a bit, though Mike Shannon is a nice addition.

The article would not be complete without noting those former Cardinals who signed in past years, but are not a part of the 2012 event – for a couple of different reasons, no doubt.

Finally, here are those who will be signing for free. There are some nice names, so don’t think you have to drop big money to snare good autographs. For example, signatures of past stars like John Tudor, the Benes brothers and Wally Moon plus future Cardinals like Zack Cox can be had at no charge.

The 16th Annual Winter Warm-Up, a three-day event, will take place on Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. weekend; Saturday, Sunday and Monday, January 14-16, 2012. Three-day event passes are $40 for adults and $10 for children 5-15 years of age, same prices as last year.

For full WWU information, including signing schedules and ticket ordering, follow this link.

January 5 update: Three late additions have been made to the autograph group – Lou Brock and Carlos Beltran at $75 each and Brian Jordan at $5.

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Some of the most extreme reactions at either end of the spectrum almost seem unexplainable to the others. To me, it appears that different people are at vastly different phases of dealing with the reality that Pujols has left the Cardinals.

A Swiss doctor named Elisabeth Kübler-Ross, in her 1969 book, On Death and Dying, introduced the Kübler-Ross Grief Model. It is a cycle of emotional states that describe how people react to a significant negative event in their lives.

The five stages:

Denial stage: Trying to avoid the inevitable.
Anger stage: Frustrated outpouring of bottled-up emotion.
Bargaining stage: Seeking in vain for a way out.
Depression stage: Final realization of the inevitable.
Acceptance stage: Finally finding the way forward.

In the Pujols case, it seems few remained in the denial stage very long. At its essence, this was a very black-and-white situation. There could be no mis-diagnosis. Once Pujols’ decision was communicated, it was done. There could be no turning back or major change of course to be re-plotted.

As one might expect, the anger stage has been just the opposite. Many remain there still, however with different targets for their anger. The team took the player for granted; they lowballed and insulted him. The player said it wasn’t about the money, but lied to the fans. He put a greater value on a relationship with a man he had never met than with the countless admirers from his home of the last 11 years. The agent cited competitive bids that apparently did not exist. The wife suggested God set the course and the devil was behind negative reaction, etc…

The targets of the anger are varied, but the feelings strong. Fans threw away Pujols memorabilia while stores gave away Pujols-related stock. Others took to websites, talk radio and message boards to vent.

As some moved into the bargaining stage, they began to think about a future way out. How long might the hastily-arranged Pujols-Angels marriage last? Would Pujols flop on the field long before the decade was over? Would he eventually return to St. Louis before or after his playing days are done?

The 10-year personal services agreement that will follow the 10-year playing contract has caused considerable angst for some. These folks have such a clear vision of the future that they have convinced themselves that when Pujols becomes Hall of Fame-eligible, likely in 15 years, that he will be prohibited from entering the Hall as a Cardinal and that he will never be allowed back to Busch Stadium to be celebrated for his Cardinals success.

The Stan Musial comparisons have been worn to the bone and in some cases twisted beyond recognition. One poster actually said he would rather the Cardinals be a third-place team in return for protecting Pujols’ career-long legacy in St. Louis. That way, Pujols could truly become this generation’s Musial, even if at the expense of fielding a competitive team.

Depression set in when some learned that the deck had been stacked against the Cardinals. The Angels had a new, untapped  revenue source of $150 million per year. Their new television contract created a ready source of funds to satisfy Albert’s every desire – something the Cardinals had no realistic hope of matching.

Another source of depression for some was Pujols’ full-page farewell ad in the Post-Dispatch, driving home the finality of the divorce. Some saw it as a classy move while others characterized it as simply another item to be checked off the Pujols public relations team’s action list.

Pujols’ awkward Angels press conference/pep rally, televised nationally this past weekend, helped hammer home to some the realization that Pujols isn’t coming back. In other cases, it cycled fans back through the anger stage when the player did not seem to give his past the proper due.

Same with Dee Dee Pujols’ Monday radio appearance. It seemed to do little to move anyone toward acceptance, while sending many back into fits of anger, whether directed at the team or the Pujolses themselves. The whole thing began to feel like a “he-said, she-said” episode as claims of who offered what and when were raised and disputed.

Still others, like me, quickly moved ahead to the acceptance phase. Having followed the Cardinals for over four decades, I have seen many highs and lows over the years. This is but another bump in a long road.

The sooner everyone can reach acceptance, the sooner we can all put the loss behind and move ahead.

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Before this gets underway, clubs have a decision to make. Teams must specifically decide if they want enter the process by an annual deadline. The alternative is that the player will be granted free agency. This year’s cutoff is midnight Eastern time tonight, Monday, December 12.

The St. Louis Cardinals have four eligible players, pitchers Kyle McClellan and Jason Motte and infielders Skip Schumaker and Ryan Theriot. Each of them might make in the $2-$4 million range next season.

In the polls below, please specify what you think the Cardinals should do. Should they offer contracts to none, all four or something in between?

Further, should the money not spent on Albert Pujols affect the Cardinals’ arbitration decisions on these four? In other words, should the Cardinals be willing to risk spending more on these players because they no longer have Pujols, or do you consider the two to be separate?

What happens next?

If the club agrees by “tendering a contract” by the deadline, the player and team are bound together for the upcoming season. They can either negotiate a contract at any time or participate in an arbitration hearing to be scheduled in February. Each side submits in advance the salary level it believes is fair. If it reaches the hearing stage, one of the two submitted contract amounts will be decided upon by the arbitrators after hearing each side’s case.

If the player is “non-tendered,” he becomes a free agent, eligible to sell his services on the open market to any club, including the Cardinals.

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The external owners of two of the three others are or will soon be actively shopping their clubs. The highest level team, the Triple-A Memphis Redbirds, is being prepared for sale. The short-season Class-A Batavia Muckdogs club has been on the market for about 18 months. The third externally-owned affiliate is the Class-A Quad Cities River Bandits.

The not-for-profit Memphis Redbirds Baseball Foundation is preparing a plan to place the team and its home, AutoZone Park, on the market, reports the Memphis Commercial Appeal. The Redbirds have been mired in a complex financial mess for several years that made it almost impossible to sell the team.

Considered one of, if not the best facility in minor league baseball, AutoZone opened in 2000. It came with a resulting heavy load, as its $80.5 million cost set a new record high for a minor league stadium. The combination of the high stadium debt, back tax liabilities and operating expenses out of line with declining revenues led to the deteriorating financial situation.

Fundamental Advisors LP, a private-equity firm, is owned more than $50 million in bond payments by the Foundation. The firm had purchased $25 million of tax-exempt bonds used to finance the ballpark after they went into default. The bonds are backed by the franchise and the stadium.

The current focus of the Foundation appears to be establishing sale parameters that would be acceptable to Fundamental Advisors, since the latter essentially has control of the team and stadium. This would provide a yardstick against which to measure prospective bids.

From the external view at least, the situation in Memphis appears to be improving somewhat. The club’s increase in attendance in 2011 of 31,000 was its first after nine straight years of decline. The business side of the team and the park have been facility-managed since 2009 by Global Spectrum, a unit of media giant Comcast.

When the Redbirds formally reach the market, it is not known if the St. Louis Cardinals will again show interest in acquiring the club. Back in September 2008, the Cardinals signed a letter of intent to purchase the team and rent AutoZone Park, but withdrew four months later due to the muddled finances.

Regarding the on-field product, the Cardinals’ current Player Development Contract with the Redbirds expires at the end of the 2012 season. The two began their relationship in the Pacific Coast League team’s first year, 1998. Agreements are typically executed in two- or four-year increments.

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As a result, this site has seen an explosion in traffic over the last three days. Apparently others are searching for past information about Pujols’ tenure with the St. Louis Cardinals. Popular subjects include contract-related posts as well as looks into the claims that the 31-year-old may be older than reported.

In any case like this, revisionist history can inadvertently set in over time. So rather than recap what happened, instead I selected 19 of my previous articles which directly represent the Pujols news of the day from my vantage point at various times over the last two years.

In tying a bow around my Pujols coverage, this post serves as a directory of some of the key Pujols articles previously posted here. A number of them also include polls which sampled reader opinions about Pujols-related issues at the time as well as countless reader comments that accompany each post.

The articles below are presented in chronological order.

January 2010
“Time to act on the Holliday-Pujols contract FUD” – After the Cardinals signed Matt Holliday, I explained the merits of trying to extend Pujols at that time as well.
“What if Albert Pujols becomes Mark Teixeira?” – I looked at a comparable situation to see what the Cardinals might land in trade before and during the 2010 season if they felt Pujols could not be signed.

February 2010
“Albert Pujols: On his contract” – Pujols took his story directly to the people in a long television interview, making it clear he did not want to leave St. Louis.

November 2010
“Has Pujols’ negotiating stance changed?” – Pujols was quoted as saying he wanted to get a new contract done before the 2011 season began.

December 2010
“The Cardinal Nation Blog top stories of 2010 #4: The Pujols decade” – Nothing heavy. Just a look back at some of Pujols’ top on-field accomplishments, serving as a good reminder of his many contributions.

January 2011
“Pujols and the Cardinals: Is it a matter of trust?” – After watching and listening to Pujols, one of his representatives and Cardinals executives face-to-face at Winter Warm-Up, I sensed problems brewing between the two sides.
“Why are some surprised by the Pujols no-trade rumor?” – I wondered why someone perceived the need to publicly state that Pujols would not accept a trade.
“Why do Pujols’ age questions persist?” – National writer Rob Neyer is among the most prominent individuals to repeatedly suggest Pujols has falsified his age, though others have wondered over time as well. Substantiation is noticeably missing.

February 2011
“More local TV revenue won’t cover Pujols’ contract” – Those hoping for a enhanced Cardinals television deal that could provide a new source of income to pay Pujols had to be disappointed with my investigation into the possibility. (This has proven to be quite the contrast to the current situation with the Angels.)
“Pujols and the money: What to believe?” – Trying to sort out what was offered before the two sides cut off spring negotiations. Lots of rumors, but as usual, no facts.
“Pujols’ shadow means 10 more months of winter” – The realization that with negotiations having ended, Pujols’ free agency was almost assured.
“Seven years ago today: Announcing Pujols’ new contract” – I took a look back at the 2004 signing of what became Pujols’ final Cardinals contract.
“Pujols and the 2004 wayback machine” – Several 2004 Pujols articles were interesting to review, covering his age, contract and lost MVP awards.
“Pujols’ contract remarks from spring 2009 and 2010” – A must-read as it captures Pujols’ own words and how they evolved over time.

March 2011
“Cardinals concerned about Albert Pujols’ age?” – Neyer again repeats the rumor that Pujols is older than reported, but this time asserts the Cardinals themselves are among the concerned.
“Fan optimism slipping about Pujols’ Cardinals future” – I recapped several site reader polls predicting where and when Pujols would sign. They indicated a shift in public opinion as to what the end result might be.

May 2011
“Pujols as part owner of the Cardinals: Not so fast!” – Some people became very excited over the prospect of awarding Albert a share of the team. After looking at all the ramifications, I did not join them.

November 2011
“Miami sideshow leads to more Pujols age questions” – A Florida writer said the Marlins believe Pujols is older than 31. No sources were quoted and later, the club reportedly increased its offer to Pujols.

December 2011
“It’s ok. Just don’t insult us, Albert. It was about the money.” – My summary of and reaction to Pujols’ decision to sign with the Angels.

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Welcome to the last in our series of 2011 St. Louis Cardinals-related post-season trivia questions here at The Cardinal Nation Blog. Before responding, please familiarize yourself with the complete contest rules (follow the link) to ensure your entry will qualify.

The reader who posts the first complete and correct answer below will win a free copy of The 2011 World Series Champions Collectors Edition DVD Set. This eight-disc collection from A+E Networks Home Entertainment/MLB Productions includes all seven complete World Series games plus a bonus DVD full of great extras and retails for $71.99.

Here is your trivia question. Note that it has multiple parts, all of which must be answered correctly. Only one answer per person is allowed.

David Freese became the sixth player ever to be named both the League Championship Series Most Valuable Player and the World Series MVP in the same season. One of the previous six was a Cardinal when selected. Who is he AND in what year did he win both awards?

Good luck to everyone and please remember to read the rules first.

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Today, I have been asked many times already – here, phone, email, on the radio and even at the dinner table – for my feelings about the Albert Pujols defection to the Los Angeles Angels of Anaheim.

I wish I knew more. I want to know more. (“Know” versus being dependent on media reports, sourced from people who may have biases.) Yet the reality is that all the facts may never become clear and even if we had them, we wouldn’t know it, perhaps remaining forever skeptical. So we deal with what we have and try to sort through it.

This is a day during which many St. Louis Cardinals followers are blowing off a lot of steam over what happened. My perception is that more are unhappy with the player than his ex-team, though there are plenty in each camp.

The anti-Pujols sentiment is fueled by the perception that he went for the top dollar, while turning against his stated interest to remain a Cardinal for life.

The reports say $254 million over ten years. On one hand, it could be as much as $30 or $40 million higher than the Cardinals’ top bid. That is a lot of cash for Pujols or anyone to leave on the table.

On the other hand, it is likely no more than $3 or $4 million per year higher than St. Louis’ offer.

From Pujols’ own mouth in February 2009. Emphasis is mine.

“Do I want to be in St. Louis forever? Of course,” Pujols said.  “…People from other teams want to play in St. Louis and they’re jealous that we’re in St. Louis because the fans are unbelievable. So why would you want to leave a place like St. Louis to go somewhere else and make $3 or $4 more million a year? It’s not about the money. I already got my money. It’s about winning and that’s it.”

Here’s where the folks upset at the Cardinals step in. People who I think should know better second-guess the team for not having previously locked Pujols up to another long-term deal. Some wanted it done two years ago. Others would have been happy had it been accomplished this January.

The fatal fallacy in that point of view is the belief that somehow the Cardinals were in control – that they could have magically closed the deal back then at the same or less money than the $22 million per year they reportedly offered now.

I don’t believe it for one minute.

Pujols wanted A-Rod money (ten years, $275 million) previously, so there was absolutely no reason for him to give up a chance at free agency to take less in advance.

In fact, my belief is that the Cardinals only remained in the Pujols hunt until the final day due to good fortune. First, the Yankees and Red Sox were not in the bidding. Second, the market overall is down, another point as to why Pujols would not have settled for $22 million or thereabouts in a better environment earlier.

Others have criticized the Cardinals for not playing hardball with Pujols earlier. Their thinking was that the club should have issued the player an ultimatum to either sign an extension at the team’s price or be traded away. The last window for that to have been feasible was the July 2010 deadline. With the full benefit of hindsight, winning the 2011 World Championship in Pujols’ final year seemed the right (non-) move.

Back to the here and now, some are suggesting the Cardinals were not competitive, with their bid only fourth-best, putting them behind the Angels, Marlins and a supposed “mystery team.”

First of all, no one knows for sure what those other bids were (if they existed at all) and our sources may have agendas in trying to influence public opinion. For example, this would be exactly the kind of spin to come from Team Pujols if they wanted to try to diminish the St. Louis backlash.*

I suspect the Cardinals probably did extend themselves “to the limit and beyond,” as GM John Mozeliak said at his press conference on Thursday afternoon. The team officials are the only ones who fully understand their financials but from the outside looking in, they seemed to make representative offers, which they say they adjusted as recently as Wednesday. Could they pay the highest amount? As proven, the answer is “no.”

Who can blame the Cardinals for being wary of giving 10 years with no-trade protection to a man who will be 41 years old at the end of his contract? At least the Angels could eventually station an aged Pujols at designated hitter, an option unavailable to St. Louis.

All is not lost. The Cardinals have the time and now the money this winter to explore trades, free agency and perhaps going after extensions before their next round of core players hit the market – Adam Wainwright and Yadier Molina. They have the flexibility to plan for the future with a more balanced team than paying a superstar salary would allow.

Don’t get me wrong. I am not anti-Pujols. He earned the right to seek free agency and to take his services to the bidder of his choice, which he did. I don’t begrudge him one bit for that. That is the system baseball has put in place and he used it to his maximum advantage.

Cardinals fans should appreciate the 11 unprecedented years he gave them and the fine team baseball played, of which he was a key contributor. The two World Championship flags Pujols helped raise will fly forever.

On the other hand, I hope Pujols does not insult our intelligence by insisting that his move was not about the money. It clearly was.

* Update: And, here it is. It was a matter of the heart. A direct quote from a phone call from Pujols to his agent Dan Lozano early Thursday morning follows. It was Pujols communicating his decision as reported by USA Today’s Bob Nightengale, who it would appear is tightly wired to the agent. After all, how else could a third-party quote a one-on-one telephone conversation directly?

“The Angels,” he (Pujols) said (to Lozano), “are the ones tugging on my heart.”

Pujols’ past level of support, admiration and in some cases, near worship as a Cardinal is unlikely to be exceeded, or even duplicated anywhere else. That Pujols’ heart told him to leave this environment in St. Louis for a completely different situation is difficult to fathom. If he instead departed for more money from the Angels, that would be neither a crime, nor a sin.

Some suggest the Players’ Union may have pressured Pujols to take the highest bid. Just one year ago, we saw a crystal clear example of just the opposite. Cliff Lee passed up higher offers from two teams, the Yankees and his then-current club, the Rangers, to sign with Philadelphia instead. Lee was not about the money.

The loss of star continuity resulting from Pujols leaving the Cardinals behind is my greatest regret from the perspective of a long-time fan of the game of baseball. One-team Hall-of-Famers are so rare in this day and age. Ripken, Jeter (later), Gwynn, Brett… there aren’t too many.

Then, there is the greatest Cardinal of them all, Stan Musial. Yes, Stan stayed home for a quarter of a century, but in his day, players had no choice. One thing for sure, by heading to Anaheim, Pujols has guaranteed that he will never earn the opportunity to stand shoulder-to-shoulder with “The Man” as a true career-long and life-long St. Louis Cardinals icon.

Audio interview

I covered much of this same ground in my Thursday afternoon live interview with Ken Miller and Jim Brinson on KXnO FOX Sports Radio in Des Moines. It follows.

Click here for audio: Brian Walton with Ken Miller and Jim Brinson (9:20)

Reader poll

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Welcome to the next in our series of 2011 St. Louis Cardinals-related post-season trivia questions here at The Cardinal Nation Blog. Before responding, please familiarize yourself with the complete contest rules (follow the link) to ensure your entry will qualify.

The reader who posts the first complete and correct answer below will win a free copy of The 2011 World Series Champions Collectors Edition DVD Set. This eight-disc collection from A+E Networks Home Entertainment/MLB Productions includes all seven complete World Series games plus a bonus DVD full of great extras and retails for $71.99.

Here is your trivia question. Note that it has multiple parts, all of which must be answered correctly. Only one answer per person is allowed.

This year, one Cardinal tied for the most RBI all-time by a National League player at his position in a single World Series. Who is he, how many RBI did he have AND which Hall of Famer did he tie?

Good luck to everyone and please remember to read the rules first.

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Welcome to the next in our series of 2011 St. Louis Cardinals-related post-season trivia questions here at The Cardinal Nation Blog. Before responding, please familiarize yourself with the complete contest rules (follow the link) to ensure your entry will qualify.

The reader who posts the first complete and correct answer below will win a free copy of The 2011 World Series Champions Collectors Edition DVD Set. This eight-disc collection from A+E Networks Home Entertainment/MLB Productions includes all seven complete World Series games plus a bonus DVD full of great extras and retails for $71.99.

Here is your trivia question. Note that it has multiple parts, all of which must be answered correctly. Only one answer per person is allowed.

How many players active in the 2011 post-season have spent their entire professional regular-season careers to-date in the Cardinals organization AND who are they?

Good luck to everyone and please remember to read the rules first.

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Follow The Cardinal Nation Blog on Facebook.
Follow TCN on Google+.