Cardinal Team Report

Now that Pujols has captured his third National League Most Valuable Player award and second in succession, the temptation is to turn to Pujols’ contract status. But the 29-year-old slugger, signed for 2010 with a club option for 2011, says he’s in no hurry to negotiate an extension.
“They don’t need to deal with me right now,” Pujols said. “They need to deal with their free agents (such as Matt Holliday. What do we need? Or what did we miss to get to the next level, which is the World Series? That’s kind of where I am.
“This is my place. This is where I want to be. I don’t hide that. I’m still going to be a Cardinal for two more years and hopefully 15 more years—if I can play that long —and retire as a Cardinal.”
General manager John Mozeliak said he has received the same message from Pujols’ representatives, the Beverly Hills Sports Council. There is no rush to push for an extension.
“I think our goals are all the same,” Mozeliak told the St. Louis Post-Dispatch. “We’re going to want him to be here.
“We want to do it when we think the time is right. Right now, he does not want the organization to feel that we need to be focusing on anything else but putting our club together.”
Pujols, who tied Cardinals Hall of Famer Stan Musial at three MVP awards, won his first NL home run title this year with 47. He also hit .327 with 135 RBIs, and he led the league with a .443 on-base percentage and a .658 slugging percentage.

General manager John Mozeliak did not make any offers in the early going of free agency. “There’s a level of patience right now,” he said. “There’s a sense. … that the (market) might be slow to develop.”

Of their own free agents, the Cardinals would have the most interest, in order, in LF Matt Holliday, INF/OF Mark DeRosa and RHP John Smoltz. With David Freese likely to get a shot to be the regular at third base next spring, DeRosa would be perceived as either a utility player or a fall-back in left field if Holliday isn’t re-signed.

The Cardinals have large interest in keeping Holliday and DeRosa and some interest in both LaRue and Smoltz. The others probably are gone.

Schumaker will make more as a second baseman than an outfielder. Ludwick likely will get close to $7 million and might have to be traded for payroll relief if Holliday signs a multiyear deal.

OF Ryan Ludwick, a candidate to be traded last year, could be dealt this time. RHP Josh Kinney, a playoff hero in 2006, probably won’t return.