Albert Pujols: Wants to Be a Cardinal for Life, So Why Isn't He?

The imposed deadline came and went for the St. Louis Cardinals to sign the best player on the planet, Albert Pujols, to a contract-extension. He now enters the final year of his deal and will be a free agent at season’s end.

A bidding war will ensue, and the Cardinals will have to outbid many suitors to keep something once believed impossible from happening.

At the beginning of the negotiations between the two parties this offseason, it was widely believed that St. Louis would answer Pujols’ demands, no matter how exorbitant, and do so relatively quickly.

This was not the case. Pujols reportedly rejected an offer believed to span nine-10 years worth $180 to $200 million.

Pujols, 31, arrived at Spring Training and addressed his future with the team.

“I want to be a Cardinal forever,” Pujols said, as documented by ESPN’s Jayson Stark. “That’s my goal.”

In a separate piece, written by NBC Sports, Pujols laughs off the reported contract figures discussed and said, “If you want to call me greedy, you don’t know who I am.”

If he’s not greedy, why not sign St. Louis’ offer, whatever it may have been?

Clearly he wants to test the free agent market. Though the amount of money offered by the Cardinals isn’t clear, it is safe to assume St. Louis tempted him with the best deal they could put together. If they didn’t, something is terribly wrong with the organization.

In Stark’s piece, Pujols said something very interesting that is false. As previously stated, he hopes he can remain with the Cardinals for the rest of his career. But, according to Pujols, “It’s something that you can’t control.”

Of course, it can be controlled. He’s already said it’s not about the money, that he’s not greedy. So surely he can negotiate a deal that works for both sides.

His agent, Dan Lozano, plays a big role in the process, but agents always try to get the most for their clients. Lozano is flying solo after leaving Beverly Hills Sports Council last March.

It’s presumed that he wants Pujols to wait until free agency, force a bidding war and take the highest bid. Pujols will go to a team that is built to win and that is in an environment his family approves of. And he can decide what percentage Lozano, who also represents stars Joey Votto, Jimmy Rollins and Michael Young, would get out of a potential deal.

Representing a small group of clients, Lozano probably wants to maximize his personal profits. Yet, Pujols doesn’t have to do what may be ideal for Lozano.

He had the power to step in, tell the team’s brass that he wants to be a Cardinal for the rest of his career, sign on the dotted line, happily know he will make approximately $20 million annually and enter Spring Training worry-free, thereby putting a fan base that adores him at ease.

Instead, he leaves the door wide open and the Cardinals, his teammates, coaches and fans bracing for the possibility of no Pujols past 2011. Their rival, the Chicago Cubs, will have an opening at first base and money to burn. The fact that he will have the chance to consider their potential wooing is unfortunate.