Los Angeles Angels sign Albert Pujols to huge 10-year, $250 million deal -MLB Update
The 2011 Major League Baseball (MLB) offseason looked as if it was a race just to acquire one of the top free agents in the market, Albert Pujols, who had a number of teams after him with huge amounts of money while others could not pursue the player due
to the lack of sufficient finances.
The Los Angeles Angels surprised the nation and the entire baseball league when they announced that Albert Pujols was going to be playing with them for the 2012 regular season by signing him on to a landmark, 10-year deal which is reported to be worth anywhere
between $250 million to $260 million.
Now former first baseman for the St. Louis Cardinals was waiting the entire offseason in order to explore is options and keeping all teams on hold as he decided where to go for the next part of his career. It was not until the last day before the signing
deadline that Pujols finally signed.
Angels general manager, Jerry DiPoto, was certainly thrilled at the occasion as they signed on a huge name terming it as a vision of team owner, Art Moreno, also adding that it will be a way to finally lead the team to some much needed championships.
“Art Moreno is as competitive an owner and as genuine a person as there is in the game,” said DiPoto, who was himself hired a month ago. “This is in large part due to him. Arte has made it very clear he wants to win championships, he wants to win rings.”
The Angels also made another big signing the very same day by acquiring free agent left hander, C.J Wilson to a five-year, $77.5 million contract, which has made the Angels one of the most power teams now and certainly ready to take on any challenge next
season.
It is something which other teams around the MLB are finding it hard to deny, which is not something they can control now seeing the manpower in Los Angeles.
"The AL West just got a lot better," Texas Rangers General Manager, Thad Levine, told the Los Angeles Times. "Pujols is a game-changer."
This will surely boost the Angels for next season.
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