SB Nation St. Louis - MLB Rumors 2011: Albert Pujols Contract Talks Continue Quietlyhttps://cdn.vox-cdn.com/community_logos/49009/stl-fave.png2012-02-08T09:00:19-06:00http://stlouis.sbnation.com/rss/stream/23176462012-02-08T09:00:19-06:002012-02-08T09:00:19-06:00Cincinnati Reds Get All Weird About Roy Oswalt Rumors
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<p>This reminds me of one of those scenes in a high school dramedy where the cool kid gets too freaked out about spending time with his nerdy friend and says things he's going to have to apologize for later: The <a class="sbn-auto-link" href="https://www.redreporter.com/">Cincinnati Reds</a> would like to let you know that the <span>Roy Oswalt</span> rumors are false. And that Roy Oswalt is a total <i>grossmeister</i>, and they'd never spend any time around him, like, except to make fun of him, right? <a href="https://go.redirectingat.com?id=66960X1516590&xs=1&url=http%3A%2F%2Fcincinnati.com%2Fblogs%2Freds%2F2012%2F02%2F07%2Fthoughts-on-roy-o%2F&referrer=sbnation.com&sref=https%3A%2F%2Fstlouis.sbnation.com%2F2012%2F2%2F8%2F2783372%2Fcincinnati-reds-roy-oswalt-rumors" target="_blank" rel="sponsored nofollow noopener">Here's Walt Jocketty</a>, who's rarely been embarrassed by spending time around older free agents before:</p>↵<blockquote>↵<p>"It's all rumors... I'm sick and tired of it. We've had no serious talks. We've had no contact with the player."</p>↵</blockquote>↵<p>Hat-tip to <a href="https://twitter.com/#!/drewsilv" target="_blank">Drew Silva</a>. You can almost <i>feel</i> the disdain here. He even goes from "no serious talks," which suggests there might have been unserious talks, to—We've had no contact with—with, that <i>player</i>. I'm sick and tired of it. </p>↵<p>If this is like those high school dramedies, some time in the next half an hour Walt's going to find some way to apologize to Roy, who's tired of having his heart broken, and then they're both going to stand up to Walt's cool friends who made him say all those mean things. I'm looking forward to it. </p>
https://stlouis.sbnation.com/2012/2/8/2783372/cincinnati-reds-roy-oswalt-rumorsDan Moore2012-02-07T07:01:15-06:002012-02-07T07:01:15-06:00MLB Rumors: Roy Oswalt, St. Louis Cardinals Not Close
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<p>The <a class="sbn-auto-link" href="https://www.vivaelbirdos.com/">St. Louis Cardinals</a> were supposed to have signed <span>Roy Oswalt</span> already—now it looks like <i>nobody</i>'s got a bead on the allegedly affordable right-handed Hall of Very Goodnik. The Cardinals are "<a href="http://www.stltoday.com/sports/baseball/professional/cardinal-beat/cardinals-sign-veteran-infielder-alex-cora/article_b63003ba-50eb-11e1-aba6-0019bb30f31a.html#ixzz1lfAthSZS" target="_blank">looking to maintain their current payroll</a>" per the omnipresent Derrick Goold, which means they still haven't managed to trade <span>Kyle McClellan</span> or <span>Jake Westbrook</span>. The <a class="sbn-auto-link" href="https://www.redreporter.com/">Cincinnati Reds</a> and <a class="sbn-auto-link" href="https://www.lonestarball.com/">Texas Rangers</a> have maintained a similarly eerie silence, and the most dogged MLB Rumor Mill types still haven't managed to crack the Oswalt case.</p>↵<p>With the Cardinals, at least, he has the opposite of leverage—if they don't sign him, then—well, they'll just go to Spring Training with the pitchers they've been trying to trade for the better part of a month. All of Oswalt's suitors, here in February, are similarly set-up; he might want $10 million, but it's hard to say whether he'll be able to get even that if the teams he's trying to get it from are all above replacement level. </p>↵
https://stlouis.sbnation.com/st-louis-cardinals/2012/2/7/2781643/mlb-rumors-roy-oswalt-cardinalsDan Moore2011-12-05T08:01:10-06:002011-12-05T08:01:10-06:00Albert Pujols Contract Talks Continue At Winter Meetings; Marlins Sign Jose Reyes
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<p>The St. Louis Cardinals' 2011 Winter Meetings experience begins with Albert Pujols contract talks, for good or ill.</p> <p>The <a href="https://www.vivaelbirdos.com/" class="sbn-auto-link">St. Louis Cardinals</a> and <span>Albert Pujols</span> will continue to talk contract at the 2011 Winter Meetings, which begin Monday at the Hilton Anatole in Dallas, Texas, and at least one variable has already changed since the last time new rumors floated through the cracks: The Miami <a href="http://www.sbnation.com/mlb/teams/florida-marlins" class="sbn-auto-link">Marlins</a> signed <span>Jose Reyes</span> to a $100 million deal, potentially constraining the only other team to publicly offer Pujols a contract prior to the meetings. </p>
<p>Meanwhile, the Cardinals are in on <span>Rafael Furcal</span> and <span>Octavio Dotel</span>, two of the trade-deadline veterans that helped them to their improbable World Series run, and reportedly out on <a href="https://www.thegoodphight.com/" class="sbn-auto-link">Philadelphia Phillies</a> shortstop <span>Jimmy Rollins</span>, <a target="_blank" href="http://twitter.com/#!/jcrasnick/status/143537178641838080">according to ESPN's Jerry Crasnick</a>. </p>
<p>John Mozeliak was clear before the Winter Meetings began that the Cardinals plans for the offseason hinge on Albert Pujols, whether they sign him or not—until they know whether they'll be paying their first baseman $30 million it seems the Cardinals find it at least a little premature to worry about the relief pitchers. </p>
https://stlouis.sbnation.com/st-louis-cardinals/2011/12/5/2611700/albert-pujols-contract-talks-winter-meetingsDan Moore2011-12-05T08:00:59-06:002011-12-05T08:00:59-06:00MLB Rumors 2011: Winter Meetings Begin, Albert Pujols's Agent In Attendance
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<p>The 2011 Winter Meetings are this week. Storylines: The St. Louis Cardinals attempt to sign Albert Pujols, while Dan Lozano attempts to gin up interest in his prized free agent.</p> <p>The 2011 MLB Winter Meetings begin Monday, and with them phase two of the hot stove league's ever-churning rumor mill. The <a class="sbn-auto-link" href="https://www.vivaelbirdos.com/">St. Louis Cardinals</a>, along with the rest of baseball, are in attendance, and with them <span>Albert Pujols's</span> agent, who's seen what's rumored to be a less-than-spectacular turnout for his prized free agent in the first month of the offseason. John Mozeliak and company will continue negotiations for Pujols, even as writers like <a href="http://twitter.com/#!/SI_JonHeyman" target="_blank">Jon Heyman</a> suggest he hasn't yet been able to beat the Cardinals' preseason offer. </p>
<p>Pujols, who <a href="http://www.stltoday.com/sports/baseball/professional/cardinal-beat/cardinals-team-pujols-arrive-at-winter-meetings/article_b685bfe2-1ed4-11e1-8f57-001a4bcf6878.html" target="_blank">will not be joining Dan Lozano and company</a> at the Hilton Anatole in Dallas, is coming off the worst season of his career and a <a href="http://www.vivaelbirdos.com/2011/11/22/2579221/albert-pujols-real-age-le-batard" target="_blank">new spate of age-related allegations</a>, as yet entirely uncorroborated, but given Prince Fielder's own weight-related concerns he remains the top free agent in baseball—so long as teams are willing to commit nine to 10 years to a 31-year-old first baseman. </p>
<p>For updates throughout the Winter Meetings, follow along with SB Nation St. Louis's Winter Meetings storystream, or just ask very loudly whether anyone's signed Albert Pujols yet. (This may only work in the St. Louis area.) </p>
https://stlouis.sbnation.com/st-louis-cardinals/2011/12/5/2611604/2011-winter-meetings-rumors-albert-pujolsDan Moore2011-12-05T07:01:23-06:002011-12-05T07:01:23-06:00MLB Rumors 2011: Albert Pujols Dogged By Age Questions Again For No Particular Reason
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<p><span>Albert Pujols's</span> free agency was supposed to be the big story of 2011, but MLB rumor mills so far have been mostly silent about the <a class="sbn-auto-link" href="https://www.vivaelbirdos.com/">St. Louis Cardinals</a>' generational slugger. The only offer outside St. Louis came from the Miami <a class="sbn-auto-link" href="http://www.sbnation.com/mlb/teams/florida-marlins">Marlins</a>, who've since signed <span>Jose Reyes</span>. The reason, if you believe a whispering cadre of sportswriters: his age, currently listed at 31, is in doubt again, for the first time since he emerged as the best player in baseball. The unfortunate thing, both for us, Albert Pujols, and those sportswriters, is that <a href="http://www.vivaelbirdos.com/2011/11/22/2579221/albert-pujols-real-age-le-batard" target="_blank">none of them have yet bothered to show their work</a>. </p>
<p>Dan Le Batard was <a href="http://www.miamiherald.com/2011/11/20/v-fullstory/2510381/miami-marlins-expensive-experiment.html" target="_blank">the first to re-raise these concerns</a>, doing a neat run around journalism by saying that he had unnamed sources who thought, for unnamed reasons, that Pujols was older than he said he was. More recently Jon Heyman has light-weighted in, saying teams are <a href="http://twitter.com/#!/SI_JonHeyman/status/143453884050964483" target="_blank">skeptical of Pujols's age</a> and suggesting he produce a birth certificate. (Donald Trump could not be reached for comment.)</p>
<p>It wouldn't be shocking if it turned out Albert Pujols would be older than he claimed—but it is a little startling that a bunch of name-brand journalists have decided against doing any actual journalism in the course of spreading this decade-old rumor. </p>
https://stlouis.sbnation.com/st-louis-cardinals/2011/12/5/2611602/mlb-rumors-2011-albert-pujols-ageDan Moore2011-12-05T06:45:01-06:002011-12-05T06:45:01-06:00Jose Reyes Signs With Marlins, Albert Pujols's Agent Pulls At Collar
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<p>The Miami <a class="sbn-auto-link" href="http://www.sbnation.com/mlb/teams/florida-marlins">Marlins</a>' parade of 2011 free agents has, ahead of the 2011 Winter Meetings, already produced two big catches: Joining <span>Heath Bell</span> in the Marlins' goofy new uniforms is <span>Jose Reyes</span>, who signed with the <a href="http://twitter.com/#!/cwyers/status/143535592406401024" target="_blank">ostensibly destitute</a>Marlins for <a href="http://mlb.sbnation.com/2011/12/4/2611624/jose-reyes-miami-marlins-signed" target="_blank">six years and $106 million</a>. Winners: The Marlins, who have successfully proved that the people in charge of doling out public funding for sports stadiums are among the dumbest human beings on planet earth. Losers: <span>Hanley Ramirez</span>, who will be moving off shortstop, and <span>Albert Pujols</span>, whose only other public offer came from the Marlins. </p>↵<p>The Worldwide Leader, at least, is unable to believe this is the end of the Pujols-to-Florida sweepstakes: <a href="http://twitter.com/#!/jaysonst/status/143533149316591616" target="_blank">Jayson Stark tweeted</a> soon after the deal was reportedly done that his sources think the Marlins will continue to make a push for the <a class="sbn-auto-link" href="https://www.vivaelbirdos.com/">Cardinals</a> first baseman. But if I'm Dan Lozano, his agent, I worry both about the Marlins' resources and Pujols's memory of the last two times the Marlins went on a big spending binge and then cut spending immediately afterward. </p>
https://stlouis.sbnation.com/st-louis-cardinals/2011/12/5/2611668/jose-reyes-marlins-pujols-rumorsDan Moore2011-12-02T07:00:37-06:002011-12-02T07:00:37-06:00MLB Rumors 2011: All Still Quiet On Albert Pujols Contract Front
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<p>Even the most prominent MLB rumor-mongers out there are silent as 2011 draws to a close: <span>Albert Pujols</span> contract talks are still ongoing, but it's anybody's guess as to what they look like and how far along they are. The <a class="sbn-auto-link" href="https://www.vivaelbirdos.com/">St. Louis Cardinals</a> are <a href="http://stlouis.sbnation.com/st-louis-cardinals/2011/11/30/2600217/albert-pujols-contract-cardinals-cubs" target="_blank">looking for clarity, whatever that entails, from Dan Lozano</a>; the <a class="sbn-auto-link" href="https://www.bleedcubbieblue.com/">Chicago Cubs</a> are interested, but nobody knows how interested; the Miami <a class="sbn-auto-link" href="http://www.sbnation.com/mlb/teams/florida-marlins">Marlins</a> have made an offer, as part of their attempt to make an offer to <a href="http://stlouis.sbnation.com/st-louis-cardinals/2011/12/1/2603127/mlb-rumors-2011-marlins-interested-in-albert-pujols-heath-bell" target="_blank">every last MLB free agent</a>. </p>
<p>The most interesting news, such as it is, comes from Bernie Miklasz, who wrote yesterday that the Cubs and Lozano might be <a href="http://www.stltoday.com/sports/columns/bernie-miklasz/bernie-bytes-taking-the-bait-on-pujols/article_87c45b18-1b6a-11e1-968d-001a4bcf6878.html" target="_blank">less in negotiations than they are cahoots</a>. </p>
<p>It could be, with Pujols coming off an off-season and the rumor mill about his age <a href="http://www.vivaelbirdos.com/2011/11/22/2579221/albert-pujols-real-age-le-batard" target="_blank">shuddering to life once again</a> despite no particularly fresh allegations to that effect, that Pujols's market value will turn out to be closer to what the Cardinals offered just before Spring Training than anyone expected. Which would be good news for the Cardinals, and bad news for Cardinals fans who were expecting more in the way of concrete rumors in the next month or so. </p>
https://stlouis.sbnation.com/st-louis-cardinals/2011/12/2/2603236/mlb-rumors-2011-albert-pujols-contractDan Moore2011-12-01T19:28:48-06:002011-12-01T19:28:48-06:00St. Louis Cardinals Hot Stove 2011: Cards Interested In Alex Gonzalez, According To Reports
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<p>Sports Illustrated's <a href="http://twitter.com/#!/SI_JonHeyman/status/142380115672842241">Jon Heyman reported</a> on Thursday afternoon that the <a class="sbn-auto-link" href="https://www.vivaelbirdos.com/">St. Louis Cardinals</a> are pursuing free agent infielder Alex Gonzalez. Fox Sports' Ken Rosenthal, citing his own source, later <a href="http://twitter.com/#!/Ken_Rosenthal/status/142384692749012992">confirmed Heyman's initial report</a>:</p>
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<p>Source: <span class=" twitter-hashtag pretty-link"><s class="hash">#</s><b><span class="sbn-auto-link">Brewers</span></b></span>, <span class=" twitter-hashtag pretty-link"><s class="hash">#</s><b>SFGiants</b></span>, <span class=" twitter-hashtag pretty-link"><s class="hash">#</s><b>STLCards</b></span> "all in play" on A. Gonzalez, confirming report by <a class=" twitter-atreply pretty-link" data-screen-name="SI_JonHeyman" href="http://twitter.com/#%21/SI_JonHeyman" rel="nofollow"><s>@</s><b>SI_JonHeyman</b></a>. <span class=" twitter-hashtag pretty-link"><s class="hash">#</s><b>MLB</b></span></p>
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<p>St. Louis' middle infield situation is unsettled, and although the team would like to have <span>Rafael Furcal</span> back for another season, <a href="http://stlouis.cardinals.mlb.com/news/article.jsp?ymd=20111201&content_id=26074792&vkey=news_stl&c_id=stl">his price may be a problem</a>, especially considering the potential weight of a big <span>Albert Pujols</span> contract. Gonzalez represents a more inexpensive solution.</p>
<p>Gonzalez spent the 2011 season with the <a class="sbn-auto-link" href="https://www.talkingchop.com/">Atlanta Braves</a>, where he hit .241/.270/.372 with 16 home runs and 55 RBI. The 34-year-old shortstop is a <a href="http://www.baseball-reference.com/players/g/gonzaal02.shtml">career .247/.291/.399 hitter</a>.</p>
<p><i>Stay tuned to</i><i> </i><i><a href="http://stlouis.sbnation.com/">SB Nation St. Louis</a> </i><i>for more information, and for in-depth analysis on the St. Louis Cardinals be sure to visit </i><i><a href="http://www.vivaelbirdos.com/">Viva El Birdos</a>. </i><i>Visit</i><i> </i><i><a href="http://mlb.sbnation.com/">Baseball Nation</a> for more news and notes around the league.</i></p>
https://stlouis.sbnation.com/st-louis-cardinals/2011/12/1/2604432/st-louis-cardinals-hot-stove-2011-alex-gonzalezSteven Muma