Pujols-Howard Trade

[jjkoestler]

Per MLB Trade Rumors and Buster Olney.

http://www.mlbtraderumors...n-howardpujols-swap.html

Buster Olney reported that the Phillies have discussed trading Ryan Howard for Albert Pujols. Is there any chance this trade could happen? My gut says no, but someone convince me otherwise.

[Invader3K]

My guess is that it was just something that was talked about as a hypothetical. I seriously doubt either team would make such a move.

[JohnBriggs12]

At first glance, the deal seems way "out there", but if you analyze it, maybe not. The Cardinals might have an easier time paying a Holliday/Howard combo than a Holliday/Pujols one, especially with Howard being a St. Louis native. Pujols is the better overall hitter of course, but the Cardinals are heavily weighted with right handed bats and the Phils are decidedly left handed. That deal would balance out both lineups.

 

It's hard to think of a comparable deal in the history of the game. Colavito for Kuenn caused quite a stir back in the day. That was the reigning AL HR king for the reigning AL batting champ. But that pales in comparison.

[craigharmann]

I would love it!!! Just because I have a bunch of friends that love the Cardinals and Alberto, so it would be fantastic to see him go away.

[paul253]

Albert Pujols IS St Louis. It's hard to imagine them trading him.

[endaround]

This looks to be a lot more about St Louis/Philly saying they'll be willing to move on without Pujols/Howard as their contracts start to get worked on than anything else. Pujols is worth so much more than Howard I just don't understand how it could ever work. Howard's WAR for the past 3 years: 4.3, 3.4, 4.8. Pujols' WAR for the past 3 years: 7.8, 9.0, 8.5. Yep Pujols is twice the player Howard is.

[Funketown]

Agreed. Unless Philly throws in their entire farm system, this ain't gonna happen.

[adamb100]

Pujols is the best player in Baseball and unless the Phillies offer their entire team for trade I dont see Pujols and the Cardinals parting ways.

[brewerguy71]

Pujols' surplus value is up there, probably top 10 in the league, but it wouldnt require a TON to get him. Sure, there is always a premium paid in a deal like this. I'd guess Howard's surplus value is about half of Pujols', meaining that if they did want to do this deal they could throw in Dominic Brown and that would be pretty fair to both sides.

[endaround]

Howard makes more than Pujols. Pujols is set to make $16m next season, Howard $20m. Howard has no surplus value., Pujols has about $25m worth of surplus value.

 

The big issue is that from what's been sort of implied is that Pujols thinks he already gave St Louis a home town discount on his last contract and wants to get paid in this one.

[brewerguy71]

I've got Howard at about $3.7 million in surplus value, or about an extra win (not vs Pujols of course). Phillies would have to throw in a guy like JA Happ maybe to even it out. But Howard/Brown isnt too far off of what it would take for Pujols.

[Invader3K]

I don't get the whole point of discussing it. It's not like either team can't really afford to pay their respective players, even if it is a huge A-Rod like contract. I think the Cardinals especially aren't stupid enough to let Pujols hit free agency. He just means too much to that team and makes them a contender every year, even without much of a lineup surrounding him (which isn't an issue with Holliday being there).

 

There seems to be some bad blood between Howard and the Phillies for whatever financial reasons, and I could see him leaving in the future. I just can't see Pujols turning his back on the St. Louis fans where he's basically a king.

[thebruce44]

I think the Cardinals especially aren't stupid enough to let Pujols hit free agency. He just means too much to that team and makes them a contender every year, even without much of a lineup surrounding him (which isn't an issue with Holliday being there).

 

There seems to be some bad blood between Howard and the Phillies for whatever financial reasons, and I could see him leaving in the future. I just can't see Pujols turning his back on the St. Louis fans where he's basically a king.

Pujols basically said he wanted a deal like A-Rod's. I don't think STL can do that personally. Prince means a lot to the Brewers, but certain players can just price themselves out of all but a handful of markets. These same players seem to care about money a lot more than whatever city they play half their games in. Pujols deserves to have the largest contract anyway so its hard to blame him if he leaves.

 

I agree about the bad blood between Howard and the Phillies. I suspect is has to do with Howard being left in the minors for a little longer than he wanted, then having to go to arbitration in his first year.

 

[craigharmann]

Pujols basically said he wanted a deal like A-Rod's. I don't think STL can do that personally.

They could and then their team could consist of Pujols pitching to Holliday. That would be the team.

[apirk]

The cardinals will be able to sign Pujols, and this made up story is pretty much why I hate ESPN, well and the all the stupid catch phrases. The Cardinals are a very profitable team they can afford to spend more money then they do.

[HiAndTight]

The cardinals will be able to sign Pujols, and this made up story is pretty much why I hate ESPN, well and the all the stupid catch phrases. The Cardinals are a very profitable team they can afford to spend more money then they do.

I didn't realize this was a referendum on ESPN. Not sure how you can claim this is a made up story. Just because? I'm quite sure you're not just going to take their word for it as I can't imagine you would believe a GM when they say they're not talking about trading a certain player, much less two fo the biggest names in the game.

 

I'm most assuredly not suggesting this is a trade that's going to happen. I do however believe that this is something that the Phillies front office has discussed internally, as they should. Looking on from the outside, watching their potential issues as they try and talk contract with Pujols, they'd be doing an awful job to not at least discuss trying to acquire one of the best of all time. Especially when at least they have a .260/.410 45+ HR guy to start a package with.

 

Now as to whether the Cards will be able to sign Pujols, I don't pretend to know for certain either way, but something tells me with Holliday there making nearly 20 a year, Lohse, Carp and Wainwright coming up, not to mention Molina, that spending nearly 30 million dollars a year on Albert Pujols may be a little tougher than you seem to think. I certainly don't see it as a "done deal" by any means, and think that if he were to hit the open market he could get the biggest contract ever. Possible 28-29 a year? I can only imagine Boston or New York just salivating at the chance to get Pujols in their lineup's...

[apirk]

I'm not saying someone internally with the Phillies didn't say it, hell for all we know they could have been talking Fantasy baseball or some groundskeeper thought it was a good idea, I'm saying it is not a story. If he heard both teams discussed it then it is a story but that isn't what happened. Unless the Phillies threw in their best prospects anyone with any sense would know this trade would make zero sense for the Cardinals. I guess this is the Entertainment part of ESPN. I doubt the Cardinals will resign Carpenter or Lohse when they are up. Maybe because I live in STL but for awhile the talk has been the Cardinals are prepared and have been for awhile to resign Pujols when he is up and signing Holliday was a part of the plan to keep Pujols. The team could spend a lot more money then they do.

[Invader3K]

Exactly. The Cardinals have so many more advantages than the Brewers financially; we have to remember they aren't in our shoes, even though the payrolls are pretty close right now.