GM Jerry Dipoto reveals how he convinced Albert Pujols to play for Los Angeles Angels
The Los Angeles Angels’ new general manager Jerry Dipoto recently gave a detailed interview in a renowned newspaper and revealed some interesting facts about Albert Pujols’ contract with the Southern Californian baseball team.
He explained in detail about how initially the Angels management showed great interest in Albert Pujols’ free agency and later negotiated well with his agent Dan Lozano who agreed to their offer which certainly was a good chunk of money for his client.
Dipoto added, “I knew what we were hoping to do and that it'd come down to how we could manage the high side. Arte's very open and giving. I was talking to Arte leading up to the winter meetings, not specifically about one thing, but the state of the team, its health, the game, roster building. Then I and our baseball people had a variety of discussions with [Pujols' agent] Dan Lozano, and we set up conference calls with Arte and Albert Pujols. Albert respected Arte's character and position. These are two very philanthropic people. They enjoyed speaking to each other.”
Dipoto, who has been with the Angels' franchise for three months, stated correctly when he explained about Pujols and his agent’s negotiation matters. Previously, it was believed that Pujols and his agent were reluctant making a deal with the Angels basically on salary issues but later agreed to terms while now the whole reality has come out in the media and cleared everyone’s mind.
Pujols has made a 10 year deal worth about $253 million with the Angels at the end of the 2011 Major League Baseball season after spending almost ten years with the St. Louis Cardinals.
Experts say that Pujols might have stayed longer in the Cardinals’ roster but the team's aggravating financial issues created a loop-hole for him to make a deal with Arte Moreno’s franchise.
Apart from all these speculations and rumours regarding Pujols’ potential contract with the Angels, now things can settle down a bit for both sides. On the other, both sides are now feeling confident ahead of the next Major League regular season.
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