While disappointed, some fans think Pujols' leaving may be better for Cardinals

By JIM VOREL - H&R Staff Writer | Posted: Friday, December 9, 2011 12:01 am

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DECATUR - Surprise, sadness and even relief were represented in the mix of feelings worn on the sleeves of Decatur-area St. Louis Cardinals fans Thursday as they reacted to the news of superstar first baseman Albert Pujols' departure.

Accepting a 10-year, $250 million deal from the Los Angeles Angels of Anaheim, the three-time MVP and 2001 Rookie of the Year inspired disappointment and cautious optimism in area baseball fans who commented on the move during their lunch breaks in downtown Decatur.

"I'm happy for him, and I'm happy for the Angels, but it's really sad for us and for the fans here," said Decatur resident Marie Jagger-Taylor. "He's been the backbone of the team, but obviously the money was an issue for him. All good things eventually come to an end. I'll miss seeing him, and it will be sad, but maybe that saved money will give us a chance to build another winning team."

Some local residents felt the Cardinals should have done more to hold on to the free-agent, who averaged more than 30 home runs per year for the entirety of his 11-year major league career and is widely considered one of the game's greatest and most-consistent hitters. In his time with the Cardinals, he led St. Louis to three World Series appearances and two championships.

"I might have to become a Cubs fan," joked Susan Hill, a waitress at downtown Decatur's Coney McKane's American Eatery. "No, I'll still support the Cardinals. When I saw it, I was bummed, though. I've been a fan since I was a little girl, and I was hoping they would re-sign him no matter what. He made this team what it is."

Many fans, however, grudgingly admitted that they believed the Angels may have overpaid for the superstar, doubting whether Pujols would be able to retain the same level of productivity throughout his 30s that he displayed in St. Louis.

"I'm disappointed, but at the same time, that contract is a lot of years on some bad knees, and at the end of the day, we didn't overpay," said Decatur radio personality Mike T of Y103's "Shannon & Mike in the Morning." "I was concerned because I thought as of yesterday that we might be offering Pujols the same kind of huge deal, but the Angels jacked up the dollar figure to insane levels.

"I did go to sleep last night thinking he would be a Cardinal for life, so my initial reaction was angry this morning. I was ticked for about five minutes, but then I thought, ‘we'll move on and be OK.' I'm going to miss him, but I'm glad I held off on buying that Pujols jersey."

Many fans shared similar assessments, feeling that 10 years would have been too much for a player who would be 42 by the time the contract ends.

Decatur police Sgt. Greg Spain has been a Cardinals fan for more than 40 years and believes letting Pujols go was the right decision.

"I had the privilege to go to playoff games and World Series games to see him perform, and I'll always be thankful for that," he said. "I am proud to say that I've been able to see one of the greatest baseball players of all time, but this won't hurt my fandom a bit. I respect the time he put in there and the many years of excitement he provided Cardinals fans, and I'm glad we won't have to face him this year in the National League."

Baseball fans weren't the only ones in town affected by Pujols' departure. Sporting apparel stores also were unsure of how exactly to deal with the announcement and responded by discounting merchandise and even giving it away for free. The Pro Image shop in Forsyth's Hickory Point Mall gave away a limited number of free Pujols jerseys, T-shirts and plaques on a first-come, first-served basis.

"We just figured, Pujols always said ‘it's not about the money' with this contract he signed, and if he doesn't need that money, then we might as well give away the rest of his merchandise for free," said store Manager Nathan Brunner, himself a dedicated Cardinals fan.

"On one hand, I'm mad, but on the other, I want to thank Albert for the decade of baseball he put in. My emotions are all over the board right now. It's going to leave a bad taste in a lot of peoples' mouths, though, and we won't be stocking more Pujols stuff," he said.

Scot Nicol, manager of Hickory Point Mall's MC Sports, on the other hand, said the store's wide variety of Pujols memorabilia would likely be discounted "before the night was over."

"With the World Series win and Christmas coming up, we have an exceptional stock of Pujols stuff, even more than normal," said Nicol ruefully, adding that some items already purchased as gifts would likely be returned. "It's certainly a possibility; it's happened before when there have been transitions like this. I hope not. It's hard to say what will happen."

jvorel@herald-review.com|421-7973

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