Marlins Offer Albert Pujols a 10-year Contract

I was thinking about something this morning on my drive into work. I really want Albert Pujols to leave the Cardinals, thus increasing the chances he stays in St. Louis. If Albert leaves the Cardinals, I think the Reds clearly become the front-runner in the National League Central. Let someone else worry about Pujols putting up a career year in the form of lifetime stats against them (see Pujols’ career stats against Cincinnati).

It looks like things are moving closer to a reality. ESPN breaks the news on this one:

The Miami Marlins have made a 10-year offer to the biggest fish on the free-agent market, first baseman Albert Pujols, baseball sources told ESPN the Magazine’s Buster Olney on Tuesday.

It is unclear what the monetary figure of the offer is, and a key question is whether the Marlins would agree to include a no-trade clause in their offer. The club did not offer shortstop Jose Reyes such a clause, which Pujols had with the St. Louis Cardinals.

The Marlins’ latest offer is an increase from the nine-year proposal made in their first meeting with Lozano.

Well this news makes me happy. I know it makes Danny Lozano happy. I just want my Reds to have a run at things in 2012. I’m not scared of a baseball team from Miami that will be in full panic mode come July. Go ahead Albert, sign down in South Beach with your superstar Dominican buddy Reyes. Similar paths worked out well for Lebron.

Let me also add that there’s just no way a legend like Pujols should ever play for a franchise like the Marlins. And he’ll be back in St. Louis even if he has to take fewer years or money. It will be interested to see what happens now that the Marlins have put a little pressure on the Cardinals.