Interesting Pujols theory

While the Clarion Content's Sports Editor was catching a game in PNC Park in Pittsburgh this month we heard an interesting theory on Albert Pujols impending free agency. The common line has been that he is going to resign with the Cardinals. Baseball's biggest spenders, the Yanks, Red Sox and Phillies are all set at first base, all have big name guys with long term contracts, Teixeira, Gonzales and Howard, respectively.

Two other big name franchises are in financial purgatory, the Mets have the Madoff mess and the Dodgers are lost in the Frank McCourt nightmare. Hence the conventional wisdom, Pujols stays in St. Louis, unless the Cubs, who have been burned badly by big time free agents, (Alfonso Soriano, anyone?) hop in from nowhere, despite new ownership and a rebuilding mindset.

But, while we were in Pittsburgh, we heard a new theory from a Pirates fan name Wish. No, it was not the Buccos themselves. Pirates fans are dreaming of the playoffs, but they haven't completely lost their minds.

How about the San Francisco Giants? The defending World Series champs could surely use some more pop in the line-up to go with all that pitching. With their beautiful China Basin ballpark and stable ownership, they have the financial resources. Having dealt with Barry Bonds, they are prepared and aware of what it is like to have a megastar in the locker room. And, as a bonus, Pujols is not known for the kind of charming personality that made Bonds so widely beloved by the media and opposing fans.

Could Albert lose his heart to San Francisco? Ever been there? Would you rather have $300 million in flyover country (St. Louis) or $270 million in the pearl of California? Interesting.

Reyes decision

A lot of style, minimal substance...

The Clarion Content is unclear on why it is so hard for the New York Mets to part ways with Jose Reyes. Reyes is a dynamic talent for sure. However, this side of Carlos Beltran no player is more closely associated with the Mets epic collapses, choke jobs and chronic underachievement. Reyes was a leader of the "Only plays hard sometimes" pack under Jerry Manuel and Omar Minaya.

In the last 2½ years, he has missed 170 games, had two hamstring injuries, a separate calf injury, surgery on a torn hamstring tendon, a hyperactive thyroid and a strained oblique. He has failed to play 150 games in four out of his seven major league seasons. He is just the kind of guy who would have a spectacular contract year, like he is this year, and go in the tank as soon as he signs for big bucks.

The Mets should part ways with Reyes, Beltran, and the core of the Minaya flops. David Wright is a piece to build around, Jose Reyes is fool's gold.

Tiger, it is like that...

For Tiger Woods, has it gotten to that point?



Word is Tiger is doing commercials in Japan. Entourage fans will know how low that likely means the cashflow is. Tiger is selling back rub, some kind of Japanese Ben Gay. He has lost endorsement deals from Gillette, Accenture, Tag Heuer, and Gatorade in the last two years.

Tiger reportedly had to dole out approximate $100 million for his divorce settlement. Who knows how liquid that left him? Yahoo estimates his endorsement deals have dropped from in the neighborhood of $75 million a year to more like $20 million. His golf earnings have also dipped from the low eight figures annually to under a million dollars year to date.

Read more here.