Pujols achieves best 2nd contract

Albert Pujols agreed yesterday Thursday with the Los Angeles Lakers for 10 years and 254 million dollars, the second most lucrative contract in baseball history.

The contract of Pujols is just the third in the history of major league baseball over 200 million, after the agreement for 10 years and 252 million Alex Rodriguez signed with Texas before 2001 campaign, and 10 years and 275 million that same player made a pact with the New York Yankees before the season of 2008.

"This is a day of immense for fans of the Lakers and I couldn't be more excited," said the owner of the team, art Moreno.

Los Angelinos reached agreement the same day with the pitcher C.J. Wilson for five years and $ 77.5 million. The Dominican milestone played his first 11 seasons in the greater San Luis, where he batted.338 with 445 home runs and RBI 1.329 to become the second highest Idol of the u000afranchise behind Stan Musial.

Also has the fourth best slugging percentage in history with. 617, behind only of Babe Ruth (. 690), Ted Williams (. 634) and Lou Gehring (. 632), three members of the Hall of Fame.

Pujols in almost all offensive statistics figures have declined in the past three years.

In 2011 had his worst season, at age 31, will meet possibly the majority of the contract with the Lakers as a hitter appointed instead of first base.

Last season, hit 37 home runs to reach 11 consecutive with at least 30 bambinazos, campaigns and had average of.299 with 99 remolcadas.

"We know that the players have their ups and downs," said the new manager general of the Lakers, Jerry Dipoto. "Albert has played many years at the highest level, and if they say that it has diminished because it went from superhuman to simply great, I do not think that we have seen the last grandiose days of Albert Pujols" u000a"we would obviously, or not be now here".

Some have conjectured that it is greater than the age said. "The age of Albert Pujols not worrying", Dipoto said. "I'm not a scientist... but I can tell you that he hits as if it had 27 (years)". "The performance of Albert speaks for it", added Dipoto. "He has demonstrated that it is the best player of his generation".

The Cardinals also offered him a contract for 10 years, but the Washington preferred to go to California.

"We are disappointed," said the head of the Board of Directors of the Cardinals, Bill DeWitt Jr. "want our fans to know that we did the best possible so Albert withdrew as a cardinal, but unfortunately we did not".

Los Angelinos conducted recruitment in moments in which neighbors Dodgers left in economic problems, are about to be sold by Frank McCourt in a Court of bankruptcy, a transaction u000athat could give the team of the National League a new owner with enough money for signing players of first level in a year

"I think that I am a little surprised." "I honestly thought that it would be in St. Louis," commented the Manager general of the Cincinnati Reds, Walt Jocketty, whose team shares with the Cardinals the Division Central for the League national.

"Certainly is a good thing for our Division,".

In October, Pujols won his second title of world series with the Cardinals.

Los Marlins in Miami tried to sign the starter, but on Wednesday withdrew the bid after signing pitcher Mark Buehrle.

Pujols signed a contract for seven years and $ 100 million in 2004. The Pact, including an option for 2011 and bonuses for performance, paid 112,55 million in eight years.

Before last season, the milestone rejected a contract extension with the Cardinals that included a u000asmall percentage of the team, and suspended the negotiations the first day of 2011 training camps.

"This contract sets a precedent, and follows the path laid out by other major players," said Scott Boras, the agent who negotiated the contracts of Rodriguez. "I think that win-win by placing a batter as Albert Pujols in a large market, where can be designated hitter".

He also helped the Cardinals to pick up in the standings in the final weeks of the season regular to qualify for the playoffs, and then became only the third player that shakes three vuelacercas in a match of the world series.

( ) Their wages
$2001 200,000
$2002 600,000
$2003 900,000
$2004 7,000,000
$2005 11,000,000
$2006 14,000,000
$2007 12,937,813
$2008 13,870,949
$2009 14,427,326
$2010 14,595,953
$2011 14,508,395

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