Pujols is the gift that keeps giving to Cardinals - STLtoday.com
CHICAGO • On Tuesday night at U. S. Cellular Field, the Cardinals sent Michael Wacha to the mound for the 20th win of his still-young career and trotted Stephen Piscotty out to left field for his major-league debut. At that year’s winter meetings, the Cardinals were the defending champs but were caught in negotiations and discussions that would come to define their team for years to come. In one room, general manager John Mozeliak and agent Danny Lozano were trying to come to an agreement on the biggest contract in club history, one that would bring three-time MVP Pujols back from free agency and secure him as a lifelong legend in... In another room, Mozeliak gave such a hearty recommendation for his director of amateur scouting Jeff Luhnow that it helped sway the owner of the Houston Astros to hire Luhnow as GM. The Cardinals would get no compensation when Luhnow changed teams. When the first baseman agreed to a deal with the Los Angeles Angels of Anaheim in Southern California not too far from Disney Land, the Cardinals front office bolted from the Dallas hotel and headed home. By signing with the Angels, Pujols automatically assured the Cardinals two compensation picks in the next year’s draft. The Cardinals would get the 19th overall pick from the Angels and the 36th pick (a sandwich pick) from baseball, wedged there between rounds. Source: www.stltoday.com
