Marlins Offer Albert Pujols 10-year Contract
The Marlins took an aggressive push to obtain free agent Albert Pujols with a 10-year offer.
Although there is no information on the dollar amount offered, the 10-year offer is an increase from the nine-year proposal made in the first meeting with the Marlins.
The Marlins met with Pujols in Miami before Thanksgiving, and made the free-agent first baseman a nine-year offer for considerably less than the reported nine-year, $198-million offer from the Cardinals that Pujols turned down last winter.
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Besides the dollar amount of the contract, it is also unclear whether the Marlins would agree to include a no-trade clause in their new offer.
According to ESPN, Pujols and the Miami Marlins met for about a half-hour on Monday afternoon and had a second meeting later that evening. Sources said the meeting was “very positive, very upbeat.”
Meanwhile, the Chicago Cubs spoke to Albert Pujols’ agent on Monday and made a qualifying offer to Pujols, according to reports.
Clubs that have spoken to the Marlins at the winter meetings have come away with the clear impression they are pressing to sign Pujols quickly, according to ABC News.
The Marlins recently signed free agents Jose Reyes and Heath Bell in hopes of adding talent as the Marlins prepare to open the 2012 season in their new downtown Miami ballpark.
Marlins owner Jeffrey Loria did nothing to discourage talk that they have payroll room to sign Pujols, even after reeling in Bell and Reyes, despite reports that the team will not have the payroll room to sign both Reyes and Pujols.
