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According to the Associated Press the Los Angeles Angels have just come to terms with free agents Albert Pujols and CJ Wilson.
Pujols, 31, leaves the St. Louis Cardinals, the only team he has played for in the majors in his 11-year career. The deal is reportedly worth $254 million over 10 years. The deal is currently the second largest in baseball right after Alex Rodriguez of the New York Yankees 10-year $275 million deal signed in 2008.
Wilson was one of the most prized pitchers on the market after Mark Buehrle signed a four-year deal with the Miami Marlins earlier in the week. Wilson who pitched for the Texas Rangers this past season has a contract in the neighborhood of 5-years for $75 million.
Pujols who is a a three-time NL MVP had offers from the Marlins, Chicago Cubs and his former club the Cardinals. The Marlins fell out of the running after setting a deadline as of midnight on Monday. The Cardinals were expected to have the inside track after that but the Angles swooped in.
This has been a pretty frenetic week for the MLB as shortstop Jose Reyes and closer Heath Bell signed with the Marlins and the New York Mets and San Francisco Giants worked out a five player trade.
Wilson as a pitcher for the reigning AL Pennant champion Rangers had a record of 16-7 with an era of 2.94 last season and 31-15 and 3.14 in over 65 starts. However Wilson struggled in the playoffs going 1-5 with an era of 4.82. The All-Star will join a staff that includes Jared Weaver, Dan Haren and Ervin Santana.
Pujols brings his hitting credentials to a team that was lacking offense last season hitting seventh in batting average, tenth in rbi's, tenth in runs and eleventh in on-base percentage in the AL. The nine-time All-Star turned down a deal with the Cardinals in the offseason worth $220 million over nine-years. He leaves a team that just won the World Series this past season and have also lost manager Tony LaRussa to retirement.
From The Sports Mind Of RB:
Where did the Angles get all this money? They could not sign anybody over the past couple of seasons and now they open up the purse strings. This has definitely been an exciting time and what a way for Pujols to leave the Cardinals. If he says he didn't leave for the money I might throw something at the television screen. I guess all the teams stop complaining about the Yankees over spending and decided to put their money where there mouth is.
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