Pujols interested in staying; Ramirez becomes Free agent -- Baseball News
The 2010/2011 MLB season is over with Cardinals successfully winning and adding another piece of gold in its trophy case but the extravaganza has not yet ended since the season end is followed by the options of shifting some of the most respectable names
of/in the game.
The 2011-2012 free agency-ship has started at full pace. Free Agency includes decisions by the players to either continue their allegiance with the same team by renewing their contracts or becoming a free agent in order to explore other teams or even leagues,
providing an opportunity to buy them at a heavy price.
Free agency-ship also helps most of the baseball players to sought their worth in the open market and is normally considered a successful scale or criteria on which a player’s importance for any particular team can be measured easily and proficiently.
This year's free agents are headed by iconic players such as Albert Pujols, one of the most auspicious players of the game, Prince Fielder, Jose Reyes, C.J. Wilson, Edwin Jackson and Mark Buehrle.
After 11 long, illustrious and energetic seasons as a Cardinal, Albert Pujols, a close-to-get 32-year-old lead player, has become a free agent for the very first time. Securing a 6th position in the top 10 MLB players with highest OPS, Pujols
has the stats of a champion and is considered as an iconic player with an average of .328, a total of 455 homers and an OPS of 1.0372.
It is due to this reason that MLB fanatics, supporting St. Louis Cardinals during the celebration rally on Sunday, requested the inspiring player to stay on, to which the champ happily and overwhelmingly responded, ‘Hey, Why Not?’
Whether the 32-year-old continues his career with Cardinals or not is still pending but some significant decisions, news and buzz regarding the free agency has started to make its place in the media, most importantly the decision of Chicago Cubs’ Aramis
Ramirez. Despite a one-year $16 million proposal from his current owners, Remirez denied the offer and opted to become a free agent.
The news hit the media through the 33-year-old’s agent, Paul Kinzer, who confirmed that Ramirez will opt for free agency and that his return or resolution of contract with the league totally depends upon the replacement of Jim Hendry, the ousted GM. Ramirez,
the 3rd baseman for Chicago Cubs, is classified as a Type B free agent with the current stats: RBIs (93), OPS (.871) and extra-base hits in 2011.
The Colorado Rockies showed least interest in retaining its right-handed pitcher, Aaron Cook. The Rockies rejected an $11,125,000 mutual option and instead paid a $500,000 buyout since Cook somehow lost the player option. The 32-year-old Cook had a jumpy
season in the last year of his contract with a disappointing Earned Run Average (ERA) of 6.03.
The list of 148 players opting for free agency also includes Milwaukee Brewers’ relief-pitcher, Francisco Rodriguez, who has just turned down a $17.5 million mutual option. Nicknamed K-Rod, the 29-year-old was bought by Brewers from New York Mets in YEAR.
K-rod got himself a $4 million buyout, $0.5 million above the original $3.5 million as per his contract. The second option declined by Brewers was of Yuniesky Betancourt, worth $6 million, who finally got a $2 million buyout.
White Sox’s Mark Buehrle also made his place in the list for the first time along with Juan Pierre, Omar Vizquel, and Ramon Castro. Chicago Cubs’ another prolific match shifter, Carlos Pena, also opted for free agency on Sunday along with Kerry Wood, Reed
Johnson, Ramon Ortiz and John Grabow.
Other notable options declined included Atlanta’s outfielder, Nate McLouth, and San Diego’s tierce of right-handers, Aaron Harang and Chad Qualls, along with its outfielder, Brad Hawpe.
McLouth, former Pittsburgh Pirates’ player and current Atlanta Braves’ squad member, was refused an option, settling for a $1.25 million buyout rather than a $10.65 million salary for next year with Pittsburgh.
Last but not the least, pitcher Javier Lopez accepted $8.5 million for a two-year contract with San Francisco Giants instead of becoming a free agent. This buzz is yet to be announced and confirmed.
Fans, critics, fanatics and lovers of baseball are anxiously awaiting the trades and the options, anticipating who will become the part of their favorite team. 30 MLB clubs have time till Monday to decide single options and after that, from Thursday onwards,
free agents will have the liberty of signing with other teams.
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