David Ortiz will return for a 10th season with the Red Sox, as he officially accepted arbitration by last night's midnight deadline.
He and the Red Sox can still negotiate a two-year deal up until the arbitration case is heard, which figures to be in February. The Red Sox haven't had an arbitration case since 2002. So I would bet a new deal with Papi will get done at some point.
The Red Sox also today revealed many of the things they plan to do in honor of Fenway Park's 100th anniversary. Check here to see some of them.
And today the big news is that Albert Pujols has decided where he wants to play in 2012 and beyond. It is not St. Louis.
It's Anaheim, with the L.A. Angels. The deal is said to be around $250-260 million for ten years.
So much for Pujols caring about his legacy as being one of the "all-time great Cardinals." I'm sure Redbird fans are feeling betrayed today. Listen, if he wants to go for the big money, so be it. It's his right. But I don't want to hear the words "it wasn't about the money" when the Angels introduce him at the press conference. I would actually have had more respect for Pujols if he had accepted a smaller offer from the Cardinals to remain with the team for life. It would have reminded me of Kirby Puckett turning down more lucrative offers from the Red Sox and White Sox in the early 1990s to stay in Minnesota with the Twins for the remainder of his career. And you can see how revered he is in the Twin Cities, and always will be.
I hope you enjoy the additional money, Albert. You just trashed your legacy.
