St. Louis Cardinals manager Tony La Russa claims the baseball players union is pressuring Albert Pujols to shoot for the moon on a new contract.
The reality? ESPN's Jayson Stark says La Russa, not any alleged union push, is where the bullshit really is.
At least Cards management and Pujols agree on one thing: Noon Eastern, today, is the deadline.
That said, per what both sides are saying, it seems like they're not close. The Cards don't want to do 10 years, at even reasonably close to $30 million a year.
As for Tony the Red, he's coming close, I think, to either being an accidental or deliberate management stooge. Especially if he doesn't have full poop from both sides on negotiations, I would think he's running the risk of getting under Phat Albert's skin, and, in turn, only increasing the circus atmosphere.
Maybe he'll punch Colby Rasmus out of deflected anger.
Yahoo's Jeff Passan notes that, ultimately, Albert Pujols had to answer to one person over his contract negotiations — himself. And that's why, Passan says, the current situation is the right decision for him.
Cardinal fans — you got Matt Holliday because the A's didn't think they could resign him. And, the Cards management did. Even if negotiating against itself more than anything.
And, he's right about Pujols being in control. That said, DeWitt had more control, like a year ago.
Jeff Passan's right about one other thing related to this. In a Yahoo column, he notes Tony La Russa is baseball's great enabler. Nailed that one. So, he's out of line to be talking now.
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