Today the St. Louis Cardinals closed a chapter – and opened another. When future first ballot Hall of Famer Albert Pujols announced he was accepting a reportedly 10 year 250 million dollar contract with the Anaheim Angels, shockwaves reverberated throughout the baseball world, strongest in St. Louis. Cardinal nation who for the last part of the fall begun the their post – Albert reality check by having standing ovations each time it appeared Albert Pujols was about to take his final at bat. The remarkable late season run that culminated in the Cardinals defeating the Texas Rangers to win their 11^th World Series only extended the potential “farewell” tour. So for many Cardinal fans, myself included the idea of Albert Pujols, who turned down a 9 year contract reputedly in the range of 200 million last fall, we begun to come to grips that in 2012 we would look down at first base and number 5 would not be there. We came to grips that for the last time we would stir in anticipation as Pujols took swings in the on deck circle. We came to grips with the reality that home run number 500 and beyond would not be ours exclusively, or hit number 3000. Yet the weeklong drama in Dallas that begin with the dalliance with the Marlins, a brief reprise when the Marlins pulled out only to speculate who the 3^rd team was in the Pujols sweepstakes were.

Ironically in a city where some say a mystery gun man hunted down a President, a mystery team had Albert Pujols in their sight. I would have bet house money it was the Texas Rangers, whose team was awed when Albert turned around a 97 mph fastball and launched into the night on the way to a three home run game of the ages. No it was the Angels a team that had the loot, a team with its own swag, and a team laying in the cut. I can visualize a scenario where the Angels told “Team Pujols” hey get your best offer – then holla at your boy! So for those not paying attention, the Angels swept beneath the surface then emerged with a vengeance snatching the king from baseball’s most royal town. Yet I see it differently.

 Albert Pujols is the greatest baseball player that I have seen in my generation.

 One more note about Albert, for all the home runs he hit this year , for  me two plays stand out the most , first it was an Albert Pujols  game winning hit against Atlanta Braves relief pitcher Craig Kimbrel that started the Cardinals improbable ride, and that otherworldly "force out" play at 3^rd  base against the Phillies  that blunted a rally paid testament that Albert Pujols is perhaps the smartest and gutsiest baseball player on the planet. That said, consider this. Cardinal owner William DeWitt is a baseman man, one who grew up in the age of Musial, Mays and Mantle. He has been around more baseball than most of us, but he is also a businessman. As a baseball man he had to see the obvious, like it or not Albert Pujols is the beginning of a decline, his power numbers have been going down, in addition Pujols is a warrior. For many years Pujols has played hurt, and he has gotten heavier. And it appears that those years have conspired to bring Pujols down a notch – he is still an elite player and will be for maybe another three to four years, but after that, history is not kind. Mr. DeWitt has to know that, he has to have done the research both detailed and anecdotal to know what the future with Albert Pujols would look like. Perhaps it would not be Willie Mays stumbling in Shea Stadium, Ali getting pummeled by Larry Holmes, or Michael Jordan being a Washington Wizard, but it could be sad.

 As a businessman Mr. DeWitt had to understand agreeing to a long term contract to pay a washed up player over 20 million dollars is not best practices. Putting it all together, a five year contract maybe at 30 million dollar a year would have been the smartest one, but the baseball market was beyond that. Offering a three time MVP and the face of your franchise a contract that everyone would have lampooned as an insult would have only reaped heaping of negativity. Cardinal Nation would have been aghast – so given the sobering realities, what choice did Bill DeWitt have? Gamble. Looking back at the last year, one can get inside the head of Mr. DeWitt. He understood the conundrum he was in, yet he knew his only hope was the market forces present in baseball that would esculate any potential offer beyond comman sense,  so he made an offer he knew would be refused, but in doing so, he created the predicate – at least we tried. Pujols helped matters by having a slow start – raising eyebrows – but then finishing strong and helping to win a World Series he did  himself a favor on the big stage.  So the off season started with a stalemate. I begun to wonder if the Cardinals recognized all along that they would need a partner – someone who would make an offer to which the Cardinals and Pujols would respond to – only free agency could deliver that. I realize that it was Pujols who called off the talks in spring training, but I wonder if the Cardinals were not  the ones truly ecstatic. It was high stakes because the Cardinals could not ignore the potential for more declining numbers, but they had to be open that Albert would have another MVP year, and in doing so, placing more pressure on them to sign their All Star at any costs.

When the baseball season dust settled, the Cardinals could only enjoy their World Series victory for only 24 hours as long time manager Tony LaRussa retired, giving the Cardinals more for their post season plate. Enter the Marlins, their offer was locally – and nationally dismissed until baseball’s Winter Meetings when they put a 10 year deal on the table. Now Mr. DeWitt has his opposite number and the noose around his neck begun to loosen. Listening to local talk radio shows, and reading local blogs, after a full month of consuming how Albert was slipping, and how the Cardinals could spend that money elsewhere,  a rising anti Albert narrative developed. By the time the Angels emerged  in the mix, the Cardinals were losing free agency opportunities, with pitcher MarkBurhle and shortstop Jose Reyes going to Miami and with the surgery to Allan Craig, the World Champions had more  holes to fill. Mr. DeWitt left Dallas  before the meetings ended without inking Pujols arousing suspicion. Now his motives seem clearer. First of all he understands the future of his baseball team is not 2012, but 2013 and beyond when many of his prize prospects begin to develop, and without Albert  he has immediate resources to defend his title as well as to build for the future. He knew when he left Dallas that  he had given his best offer, and by the end of the week he could head back home knowing that his gamble paid off. My tip of the Cardinal hat to Bill DeWitt for not tying his hands to a player whose best days are gone, and hats of to Albert Pujols who left a contract that graphically undervalued his worth to reaping the rewards of a Hall of Fame career. All the best to Albert Pujols thank you for the memories. Mr. DeWitt, this Buds for you!