FanPost

BP: When do the Cards trade Pujols?

 "A new front office faces the challenge of a team with one star and one burgeoning one, and little else around which to build. It could be a few years before the Cards contend again, which inspires the question: when does Albert Pujols become a piece to be moved?"  This from BP yesterday.

Seems there has been precious little said on this board about the topic.  Albert is a hero and they will retire his number at Busch but realistically isn't trading him now for an upgraded system make sense?

  1.  Declining production last year with MV3 a distant memory made Albert seem a bit more human
  2.  Chronically bad feet -- does anyone think this will ever get better.  No, it will get worse.
  3.  Likely to miss half a season when his elbow finally goes.
  4.  Cards at least two-three years from being a serious contender.  
  5.  Market is paying up for stars right now.  Albert could bring 2-3 young major league  players and a couple prospects or a bunch of prospects.  Pujols for David Freese II in 5 years sounds unappetizing.
  6.  Reasonable contract for one of the top 5 in baseball.
  7.  Everyone says Albert is a good baserunner --but it seems to me he runs into a lot of outs.  That's my personal pet peeve and certainly not a reason to trade him, just saying.
  8.  Josh Phelps -- need I say more.
  9.  Cash.  Nice way for the owners to line their pockets (let's not forget, they aren't in this for altrusim).
  10.  Mo is exactly the kind of temporary GM who can make this trade.  He'll disappear into obscurity with the epitaph -- "he traded Pujols".  A big name GM could never do it.
Are Albert's best years behind him?  I read on a recent thread where his lifetime numbers don't project out all that well.

I'm a win now guy and Albert is a winner, but if we really are going to rebuild shouldn't we go "all-in".

Thoughts?