Pujols Contract Details Revealed

Yahoo - The nitty-gritty details of Albert Pujols' new $240 million contract with the Los Angeles Angels were released on Thursday and let's just say that it's good to be considered Phat. Over the next 10 years, the backloaded contract will give the first baseman an annual salary ranging from $12 million in 2012 to $30 million in 2021. He'll receive a hotel suite for all road trips, four seats to every home game at Angel Stadium and a luxury suite for his charitable foundation on 10 different dates a year. He'll also donate $100,000 each year to the team's charity and will receive $1 million annually for the 10 years after he retires as part of a personal services contract that he has the option to decline. Not everything is guaranteed, though. There are $10 million worth of incentives in the contract, including $3 million for his 3,000th hit (he's currently at 2,073) and $7 million for career homer No. 763, which would propel him past Barry Bonds on the all-time list.

And people wonder why athletes juice. I'll be honest, if I could have had the foresight at 17 years old, I would have been eating steroids for breakfast lunch and dinner. Seriously, sure Bonds is looked at negatively, but guy still has 762 home runs. Asterisk that shit all you want, but it's not changing. It's still there. And even if Pujols is found to have juiced, you think anyone really gives a shit at this point? I'm sure that's not gonna change the $7 million dollar home run he's gonna hit at some point. How about 10 years after your career you're still making 7 figures a year, for sitting at home during retirement. That's some 401K Alby is working with here. Say he plays 10 more years, it'll be 2032 when he stops making $1 million/year. That's crazytown. I'd have to work something like 30,924,802 years to make what he'll make in 1. Only in America, and guy wasn't even born here..... Some shit, huh?

Pujols Makes Up His Mind And Like We Thought Goes To Anaheim - Wait What?

ESPN -- Albert Pujols has agreed to a 10-year, $250 million deal with the Los Angeles Angels, sources told ESPN The Magazine's Buster Olney on Thursday. The deal includes a full no-trade clause, which Pujols had been seeking and may have been a sticking point in his negotiations with the Miami Marlins. Pujols had turned down an offer from the Cardinals, the only team he has ever played for, about a year ago, but St. Louis was still in the bidding as of Wednesday. Sources told ESPN.com's Jayson Stark that the Angels jumped into the bidding late Wednesday. The Marlins moved on to pursue free agent pitchers Mark Buehrle (who agreed to terms Wednesday, pending a physical) and C.J. Wilson. But despite the Marlins' exit from the bidding Wednesday night, sources said negotiations with the Cardinals hadn't progressed to the point where Pujols was close to agreeing to a deal. The Cardinals had planned to talk with Pujols' agent one more time Thursday before heading home. But sources told Olney that the Cardinals' latest offer was for nine years and a little less than $200 million. That would have made him the fourth-highest paid first baseman.

Ummmm sorry St. Louis but I'm not sorry. You want to keep Babe Ruth on your team, you don't make him the fourth-highest paid first baseman, no sir. I'd LeBron your ass too if you offered me that, like a slap in the face. But this news definitely sucks, Angels are already the Yankees nemesis especially in the post-season - now we gotta deal with this fucking guy? Honestly thought we were safe here, but just an absolute power move by the Angels. They swoop in the last minute and just drop a Flex on 'em and boom deal is done. Albert asked for specifics, you give him specifics. That's how you catch the big catch, give the man what he wants. When you're negotiating over $200 million and you get held up on trade clauses in the contract you're an idiot. At that point you just hand it all over and make sure the deal is signed. Angels now have the best hitter in the game. Sucks that half way through his contract he'll be a DH and an absolute drain on your cap, but whatever.

PS - Love the moves the Marlins are making, "Hey Pujols you got until Wednesday to make up your mind. Still don't know? We're out." Love that. Won't even be bullied by the best player in the game.