Kansas City Royals not likely to pursue Albert Pujols
The Kansas City Royals have the budget to sign Albert Pujols but it most probably will not happen.
Pujols attended high school and college in the area and has been coming to the city often to prepare for the regular season during the break period.
There have been some speculations on his connection with the city club and even though the situation is based on certain circumstances, the press is picking up the pieces on the new development.
The St. Louis Cardinals are trying their best to extend the deal with Pujols that would see him play for the side for more years down the road. The first baseman is entering the final year on his eight-year $300 million contract in 2011.
With Wednesday being the deadline for the negotiations, there is a big probability that he will opt out of the contract given the valuation on his services. Alex Rodriguez, who plays for the New York Yankees, is earning $275 million. Pujols will be earning
a figure more than that, given his superior ability and quality. That figure is supposedly more than $300 million. Royals’ owner, David Glass was asked about whether his club would sign a player of that value.
“No,” Glass said. “We would not sign any individual player to a $300 million contract.”
The Royals have light budget in the 2011 season (slightly above $30 million) and there is no way they will bring on Pujols who would bring in an extra cost of $30 million a year.
“There are only a few clubs who can sign that kind of star on the open market,” one club official said. “For us to get a guy like that, he’d really have to want to come here. We couldn’t win a bidding war.”
Owner of the Royals, Glass, was willing to follow up on the possibility.
“There’s little justification, in giving anybody a $300 million contract. You might as well give them the franchise,” Glass said.
Pujols will probably be the likely candidate for the New York Yankees or the Boston Red Sox if he does not sign a contract. For the moment, nothing is certain.
Tags: