As the Albert Pujols / C.J Wilson extravaganza unfolds, questions are surfacing about why each chose the Angels over the Marlins when the deals were presumably equal. The rumor was that the Marlins were out of the Pujols race after signing Bell, Reyes, and Buehrle, but they were still bidding on both him and Wilson.
Now we're seeing that not only was Miami still bidding, they were actively bidding higher than the Angels on both contracts. Bob Nightengale of USA TODAY is hearing that the Marlins offered Pujols $275 million, $20 million higher than the contract he's reportedly agreed to with the Angels. Further, Ken Rosenthal is reporting that the Marlins offered at least $25 million more for Wilson as well.
Beyond the obvious questions of how/where/why the Marlins got all this money (and the corollary, what's going to happen with the SEC investigation), the question is how Pujols/Wilson signing contracts with new teams could both be simultaneously "not about the money" while not re-signing with their former teams? And what about the Marlins turned them away? Was it their no no-trade clause policy?
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Marlins offered Albert Pujols $275 million - Bob Nightengale
"Pujols rejected the Miami Marlins' offer of 10 years, $275 milllion a day earlier, according to two people familar with the offer but not authorized to discuss it due to the sensitive nature of the negotiations." - Twitter / @Ken_Rosenthal - "C.J. did no decide until 530 am. Agent Bob Garber says he "easily" could have gotten 100M. #Marlins and Loria "would not let it go." #MLB"
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