Cardinals balking at Pujols asking price?

Could the St. Louis Cardinals and Albert Pujols really not agree on a contract extension? According to Foxsports.com‘s Ken Rosenthal, it’s a possibility.

According to Rosenthal, the Cardinals are balking at Pujols contract demands. Pujols has said that he wants a contract that accurately reflects his status as the game’s best player. That means he probably wants more than A-Rod’s 10-year, $275 million contract. At least on a per-year basis anyway.

Pujols has set the deadline for an extension as the start of spring training. So, time is running out. Sources tell Rosenthal that right now, contract talks are at a stalemate, but that a breakthrough could just be a phone call away. Whatever that means. Doesn’t it go without saying that if one side called the other one up and said, “yes, I agree to the terms on this piece of paper that you once slid across your desk,” that a deal would then be done?

Things are going to get tense for Cardinals fans, that’s for sure. One can certainly understand why Albert wants to get paid, he’s surely worth it. But, at 31-years old, you don’t want to sign him to something ridiculous where he’s making $20+ million at age 38 and he can’t get his bat around on the ball anymore.