Albert Pujols: The Latest on the Biggest Free Agent Hitting the Offseason Market

Well, amid the recent stock market crash and worries about the long-term prospects in the jobs market, many number crunchers would advise those to tread carefully.

In the major leagues, general managers face the difficult decision on whether to dole out any contract longer than three years. Of course, some savvy GMs will take the opposite opinion, that to attract that ever-elusive entertainment dollar one needs to make bold moves.

As it relates to St. Louis slugger Albert Pujols, there are a number of teams who appear to be clearing out personnel and payroll in what could still be a competitive free-agent market this winter.

Still, the Cardinals likely hold the best chance at re-signing their franchise player and certainly already commands respect among the 10 best players of all time.

Pujols' agent, Dan Lozano, has already thrown out some chum, dangling a $30 million per year salary for 10 years. While that still seems like a pipe dream, negotiations will start shortly after the World Series ends, with St. Louis holding a brief window for exclusive talk with the man who has put up numbers like a .331 average, 40 homers and 123 RBIs in each of his first 10 seasons.

But let's look at some of the teams that could make a run for Pujols' services and even pay the exorbitant salary that will almost certainly be at least $25 million per season for a minimum of five years.

Cardinals. GM John Mozeliak has gotta crunch the numbers to see if he can fit Pujols, Matt Holliday and Chris Carpenter on the same team. Holliday is set to make $17 million each year through 2016, while Pujols and Carpenter hit the free-agent bidding war this November.

Carpenter has a $15 million team option, and the Cards must also decide whether to pick up options on Adam Wainwright ($9 mil), Rafael Furcal ($12 mil) and Yadier Molina ($7 mil). Picking up all those guys, plus the dollars already committed to Holliday, Kyle Lohse ($11.88 mil) and Jake Westbrook ($8.5 mil) already puts the team payroll at over $80 mil, before Pujols is considered.

Albert may give a hometown discount, but still it seems likely Mozeliak will have to part ways with somebody like Carpenter and Furcal to balance the checkbook.

Cubs. When Chicago signed Carlos Pena to a one-year contract, already baseball pundits were circling the Cubbies as positioning for Pujols a year later. And that does still seem like the two sides are sure to talk if/when Pujols hits the market. GM Jim Hendry seemed willing to send Carlos Zambrano anywhere for a sack lunch at the trade deadline in order to get that horrendous contract off his desk.

Zambrano is owed $18 million next year, as is left fielder Alfonso Soriano, another albatross of a contract that runs through 2014. Chicago already cut some bait by dealing Kosuke Fukudome to Cleveland, and a run for Pujols almost certainly means the North Siders will decline the 2012 option on third baseman Aramis Ramirez for $16 million.

It's already a given that the team will decline similar options on Carlos Silva ($12 mil) and Ryan Dempster ($14 mil). Not only would adding Pujols bring a season-ticket bonanza to Wrigley, but it would also subtract him from the Cubs' most hated rival and exact some payback for the teams' lopsided trades of the past, namely Lou Brock for Ernie Broglio, and Bruce Sutter for Leon "Bull" Durham.

Angels. Owner Artie Moreno has been aggressive in his pursuit of another title in Anaheim. He offered contracts to two of the most attractive free agents last winter, though Carl Crawford and Adrian Beltre decided to go elsewhere.

He took on Vernon Wells' terrible contract—he is owed $63 million over the next three years. And he's gonna have to pay Jered Weaver this offseason. The $12 million wasted on Scott Kazmir this year will come off the books, so expect GM Tony Reagins and Lozano to be speaking sometime early in the process.

Already having logged at least 433 plate appearances, Bobby Abreu has his vesting option secured at $9 million for 2012. First baseman Kendry Morales could be moved to DH to accommodate Pujols.

Nationals. Washington has been aggressive the past few years toward free agents,signing Adam Dunn in 2009 and Jason Werth last year.

Though the Nats haven't seen winning in quite a while, they have to be viewed as a favorable landing spot for free agents, what with guys like Ryan Zimmerman, Werth, Danny Espinosa and Drew Storen already contributing, and young players like Stephen Strasburg, Jordan Zimmermann and Bryce Harper on the fast track to DC.

Adding someone the caliber of Pujols would put the Nationals on the front page of the Washington Post. How would that stir things up in the National League East?

Rangers. The Metroplex would be a real talking point for Pujols, had the Rangers not inked Adrian Beltre to a ridiculous five-year, $80 deal last winter. Still, many of president Nolan Ryan's minority partners have deep pockets, and GM Jon Daniels will likely try to patch things up with Lozano, who also manages star player Michael Young.

Still, the Rangers have a nucleus of great young players like Josh Hamilton, Ian Kinsler, Nelson Cruz and Elvis Andrus. At first base, Mitch Moreland has been coming on of late, but doesn't stand a chance if the price is right for Pujols.

Blue Jays. Having successfully rid themselves of the hideous contracts of Alex Rios and Vernon Wells the last couple of years, the Jays want to set things straight and would love to add a player with the credentials of Pujols.Think of adding Pujols in the middle of the lineup around Jose Bautista and Adam Lind with up-and-coming players like Yunel Escobar, J.P. Arencibia, Colby Rasmus and Brett Lawrie.

The Rogers Communications group comprises perhaps the wealthiest ownership in Major League Baseball, and it may be time to resurrect the days when the Skydome (now Rogers Centre) was a nightly sellout in Toronto.

Orioles. Baltimore certainly could be a good fit for Pujols, provided it has the available cash. The Orioles recently traded away Derek Lee and don't appear to have any clear-cut options for next year—the O's obtained the homer-or-strikeout-prone Chris Davis from Texas at the deadline.

Though GM Andy MacPhail said the chances of his team signing a player like Pujols is "remote at best", they did go so far as to offer Mark Teixeira $140 million before he joined the Yankees a few years back. Could MacPhail be playing coy? Perhaps.

The Orioles have some good young players like Adam Jones, Nick Markakis, Mark Reynolds and Matt Wieters, and a big hole at first. Do the math.

Red Sox. Boston has a history of not paying big money for veterans over 30. David Ortiz is having a fine year (.295-22-74) but is in the last year of a five-year deal paying him $12.5 million in 2011.

Could either Adrian Gonzalez or Albert Pujols shift between first base and DH? It may seem like a long shot now, but GM Theo Epstein has likely envisioned what the possibilities are. J.D. Drew's five-year, $70 million deal finally comes off the books, but the Sox are going to have to pay Jacoby Ellsbury.

Perhaps Boston could save a bit of jack if they were to let Jonathan Papelbon fly along with his $12 mil expiring deal, and install Daniel Bard into the closer's role.

Yankees. If the Red Sox are dreaming of Pujols, you know the Yanks are doing the same thing, even though, like Boston, New York already fields a Gold Glove first baseman (Mark Teixeira).

Jorge Posada's time in Pinstripes appears to be up, as his $13.1 million contract expires at season's end. New York is already priming the catcher position for Jesus Montero, who is having a good season at Triple-A Scranton (.285-11-51).

The Sox and Yanks may appear like long shots, but both have rabid fan bases, money to spend and creative GMs who can make difficult situations workable. Plus, for any player the caliber of Pujols, winning in the prime of one's career has to carry a significant amount of weight.

Conclusion:

It seems doubtful that any team, given today's financial predicament nationwide, would offer anything close to the 10-year $300 million that Lozano has tossed out there. Remember, if he continues on his 40-homer pace, he would reach Barry Bonds' record territory in the year 2019. That would arrive in the eighth year of this coming contract.

Many people's best guess would bring something more in the order of seven years and $175 mil. One thing is for sure—there are a number of GMs who would love to bag Pujols and make a bold statement in vying for the fans' ever-competitive entertainment buck.