Bleacher Bums Forum

I guess the accuracy of the Soriano comparison depends a lot on what you think Pujols will end up making.  Sure, the 5 year deal in the poll isn't going to be anywhere close to as bad as Soriano.  If he stays reasonably healthy, the worst case scenario is it turns out to be as "bad" as the Dempster and Ramirez contracts have been...worth it for the first half, but a bit of overpayment for a productive player for the second half.

But Pujols' starting point seems to be 10 years, $300 million.  If that's what he wants, I don't think you're going to get that down much lower than 8/$250 million with a lot of clauses (no trade, vesting options, etc.).  Even Pujols is going to be a Soriano-like albatross on the back end of that deal...I mean, look at ARod.  He signed his most recent contract at about the same age Pujols will be this offseason.  And 4 years in, that contract looks like it'll be entering Soriano territory by 2012 or 2013.

I'm hopeful that something will materialize that doesn't include Pujols or Fielder (my Teixeira fantasy?  Dodgers forced to trade Ethier because of money?).  I'd really prefer to stay away from both first basemen...Pujols because of the cost for his decline years, and Fielder because I don't think he's going to age well at all.

I don't have ardor towards signing Pujols, I just think the Cubs would be nuts not to sign the guy to a 5 or 6 year contract if he would accept it.  If his starting point is 10 years or even 8 then forget it.  That's pretty much it.