ESPN Radio discusses Pujols to O's in Free Agency

[Frobby]

The Orioles have never, ever, spent more than $72 million for a player under Angelos. To think they're going to spend anywhere from $250-$300 million for one player is delusional.

I don't think that the amount the Orioles have spent on one player in the past is all that relevant here, as Pujols is clearly a better player than anyone the Orioles ever had a chance to pursue. However, I agree that $250 mm is not in the cards.

[Sports Guy]

Moreno has suddenly turned into Peter Angelos and closed his wallet, so no way do the Angels sign him.

Cubs or Yankees.

How is this in any way consistent with your thought process about PA and AM?

[underdog]

Wow. I am amazed that so many on this board would prefer that PA put an extra thirty million a year in his pocket rather than sign the best player in the game, while he is in his prime, at a position at which we have no long term plan. One can't put stock in AMacs' comment that he isn't interested, because if any team official were to say they are interested, it would be tampering and they would face sanctions from MLB. Of course, if AMac isn't interested in a future Hall of Famer in his prime, than I can't say I'm real interested in him running my team. I mean, what would he be afraid of, blocking Brandon Snyder? PA has the money to sign Pujols if he chooses to do so. To say he can't afford it when we know he gets $3 a month for every Comcast customer that can access MASN whether they ever watch it or not is pure folly, when you also take into account that he also gets money from DirecTV and Dish net. I won't even take into account gameday profits, because there probably aren't any after all the mismanagement of the last 13 years . A fan who would say that they don't want Pujols because he is too expensive is content with losing. We should be trying to pressure PA to spend the money instead of giving him excuses to not do what he must do to improve the team. He has been putting a bargain basement product out there for years. I want first place, and I don't care what it costs him to get there. He hasn't paid out for free agents since Tejada and Javy Lopez following the 2003 season. Time to pry open the ol' wallet Pete.

Also, I can't imagine why Pujols would sign with the Cardinals now, when if he waits 6 months (of being paid quite handsomely) he will be able to find out what his real value is, unless he were to think that their offer was well beyond what anyone else would put out there.

[lovetoaster]

Also, I can't imagine why Pujols would sign with the Cardinals now, when if he waits 6 months (of being paid quite handsomely) he will be able to find out what his real value is, unless he were to think that their offer was well beyond what anyone else would put out there.

I never thought he would sign with the Cardinals now; the Players Association would never let that happen. But I still think that whenever a contract is signed, he will likely remain in St. Louis.

[Fan4Life]

Why don't we start a Sign Albert Pujols kitty. I'm good for $20.

[Hank Scorpio]

Wow. I am amazed that so many on this board would prefer that PA put an extra thirty million a year in his pocket rather than sign the best player in the game, while he is in his prime, at a position at which we have no long term plan. One can't put stock in AMacs' comment that he isn't interested, because if any team official were to say they are interested, it would be tampering and they would face sanctions from MLB. Of course, if AMac isn't interested in a future Hall of Famer in his prime, than I can't say I'm real interested in him running my team. I mean, what would he be afraid of, blocking Brandon Snyder? PA has the money to sign Pujols if he chooses to do so. To say he can't afford it when we know he gets $3 a month for every Comcast customer that can access MASN whether they ever watch it or not is pure folly, when you also take into account that he also gets money from DirecTV and Dish net. I won't even take into account gameday profits, because there probably aren't any after all the mismanagement. A fan who would say that they don't want Pujols because he is too expensive is content with losing. We should be trying to pressure PA to spend the money instead of giving him excuses to not do what he must do to improve the team. He has been putting a bargain basement product out there for years. I want first place, and I don't care what it costs him to get there. He hasn't paid out for free agents since Tejada and Javy Lopez following the 2003 season. Time to pry open the ol' wallet Pete.

Also, I can't imagine why Pujols would sign with the Cardinals now, when if he waits 6 months (of being paid quite handsomely) he will be able to find out what his real value is, unless he were to think that their offer was well beyond what anyone else would put out there.

Do you think it'd be intelligent to be paying Pujols (at least) $25MM a year from ages 38-41?

[Frobby]

Do you think it'd be intelligent to be paying Pujols (at least) $25MM a year from ages 38-41?

It depends what he's been worth, and what you've paid him, from ages 32-37. If the first six years you get more from him that you've paid him, you can lose some on the back end and still have the contract make sense.

[lovetoaster]

Why don't we start a Sign Albert Pujols kitty. I'm good for $20.

I'll go ahead and hold the money. Send me your mailing addresses just in case I have to send it back. And don't worry if your e-mails bounce back and my phone seems like it is disconnected after we have collected $20-30M. I have a long overseas vacation planned for the rest of this year...and next year.

[weams]

It depends what he's been worth, and what you've paid him, from ages 32-37. If the first six years you get more from him that you've paid him, you can lose some on the back end and still have the contract make sense.

And how many World Championships you have achieved.

[underdog]

Do you think it'd be intelligent to be paying Pujols (at least) $25MM a year from ages 38-41?

It may be. There are a lot of players that are quite capable of being very productive DH's at that age. Based on the rise of salaries in general (remember in the late 80's or early 90's when Nolan Ryan became the first player to earn a million a year?) it is quite likely that there will be quite a few guys making more than he is. Also, if he stays healthy and is chasing 800 home runs or some other milestone, he will be packing the park, making more financial sense for signing him. He is on pace to shatter a lot of lifetime records. Barry Bonds is a far more polarizing figure than Pujols, but once he got into the 700 HR neighborhood, attendance went up dramatically everywhere he played. I would hesitate to leave that factor out of the conversation.

But I am also a bit on the seasoned side. I remember supporting the Orioles refusal to pay Reggie Jackson $200,000 a year to not defect to the Yankees. If they had paid it out (that seems like such a miniscule amount of money now, I think we offered $125,000) they would have probably won at least two more World Series in the 70's and early 80's.

[Fan4Life]

I'll go ahead and hold the money. Send me your mailing addresses just in case I have to send it back. And don't worry if your e-mails bounce back and my phone seems like it is disconnected after we have collected $20-30M. I have a long overseas vacation planned for the rest of this year...and next year.

LOL... maybe we can get a city wide marketing campaign asking the citizens of Baltimore / Washington who are Orioles fans to donate $50? I figure we only need to get to $150M as PA would likely go in for half. :beerchug1:

[underdog]

I'll go ahead and hold the money. Send me your mailing addresses just in case I have to send it back. And don't worry if your e-mails bounce back and my phone seems like it is disconnected after we have collected $20-30M. I have a long overseas vacation planned for the rest of this year...and next year.

Hello Mr. Madoff, glad to have you aboard

[lovetoaster]

LOL... maybe we can get a city wide marketing campaign asking the citizens of Baltimore / Washington who are Orioles fans to donate $50? I figure we only need to get to $150M as PA would likely go in for half. :beerchug1:

Works for me, as long as...once again...I get to hold on to the cash. :thumbsup1:

[JTrea81]

How is this in any way consistent with your thought process about PA and AM?

Angelos freely spent at will for top FAs and then basically stopped after Albert Belle.

He has however showed a willingness to spend as of late, but seems to be going along with MacPhail's frugal approach, not going all in for any player including giving somebody a $100 million dollar contract although he was willing to do that for Carlos Lee.

So clarifying, Moreno seems to have been scared by something like Angelos was with Belle, and decided to not go "all in" any longer.

[lovetoaster]

So clarifying, Moreno seems to have been scared by something like Angelos was with Belle, and decided to not go "all in" any longer.

Their payroll has gone up from last year and is the third-highest in the AL and fifth in all of baseball.