Stephen Bolen

This should be the last article I link to on the subject. At least, I think it’s the best summary of just how full of shit Team Pujols has been about not being “respected.” Whatevs. 

I’m glad other people are seeing this for what it is: a business. It’s cold, sure. But it’s a business. Pujols wanted to be the highest paid player for his position? Sure, why not – his past performance certainly dictated those terms. However, it’s worth noting that this contract is paying for his past performance, not his future potential – which, as this article notes, is trending downward.

Financially, Pujols is a winner. I think he’s lost something special, the chance to retire as the second-greatest Cardinal of all time, just behind Stan Musial and slightly ahead of Bob Gibson. That’s all gone now. And maybe that’s the way it should be. Now that Pujols has gone to Cali, Musial will permanently own all of the important franchise records. Pujols can’t touch them now.

Pujols willingly gave up his spot as one of history’s inner-circle Cardinals and will be viewed as just another athlete.

Edit: The link was initially to the Los Angeles Times; however, the author of this article is St. Louis Post-Dispatch columnist Bernie Miklasz. My bad – Bernie deserves the credit, not the byline-less L.A. Times.