Pujols ups ante on Cardinals

Albert Pujols says "no dice" on any trade possibilities, and as a 10-year veteran and having five years with the Cards, he can veto any such trade.

So, Bill DeWitt and John Mozeliak, time to shit or get off the pot, it looks like. You're down to three weeks left.

It would be sad to see this sight. Will we?

That said, contra to St. Louis Post-Dispatch columnist Jeff Gordon, in analyzing financial ramifications of contract talks, who says that Cardinal CEO DeWitt can financially afford to let Pujols walk, mentioning the team has drawn at least 2.4 million a year for 15 years straight, it may well make good business sense to resign him.

Yes, but ....

Let's say it falls back to 2.4 million instead of 3.2 million, That's 800K fans at about $20 a ticket, plus an average of $5 of auxiliary spending on concessions, etc.? (And, those are all surely lowball numbers right there.)

That's $20 million a year. And, Pujols wants just $15 million a year more than he's making now. Add in the possibility of fewer postseason appearances, etc. Even if we factor out business taxes, etc., Joe, the Cards might just lose money by not meeting Pujols' terms.

But, that doesn't appear to be DeWitt's mentality.

See the poll at right to vote on how likely you think it is Pujols inks a new deal. Right now, I put the odds at about 25 percent.

I have said it again and again — the Cards did NOT (necessarily) sign Lance Berkman to play corner outfield positions. Of course, with Pujols saying no to any trade, Fat Elvis won't play much 1B THIS year.