The St. Louis Cardinals and Albert Pujols 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 Marlins signed Jose Reyes to a $100 million deal, potentially constraining the only other team to publicly offer Pujols a contract prior to the meetings.
Meanwhile, the Cardinals are in on Rafael Furcal and Octavio Dotel, two of the trade-deadline veterans that helped them to their improbable World Series run, and reportedly out on Philadelphia Phillies shortstop Jimmy Rollins, according to ESPN's Jerry Crasnick.
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.