Just a little more than one month before the start of the 2011 MLB Season, the two top hitters in the game have dominated the news leading up to spring training. Albert Pujols for his contract situation with the St. Louis Cardinals and Miguel Cabrera of the Detroit Tigers for his recent well-publicized DUI arrest.
Both the Tigers and Cardinals have playoff expectations and each player is the single most important player to their teams to meet those expectations. Unfortunately, both will be entering the season with more on their mind than just baseball.
While it once seemed a foregone conclusion that Pujols would remain a Cardinal for the rest of his career, contract negotiations broke off without an extension and it appears that Pujols will be ready to test the free agent market after the 2011 season.
Yeah, I'm pretty sure he'll draw some interest. I just hope he doesn't block a prime time spot on ESPN to announce his intentions.
Pujols hasn't ruled out re-signing with St. Louis but there will be definite concern by the team and their fanbase as the season rolls on. Pujols leaving St. Louis would be devastating to the organization.
Regardless of where he goes, Pujols stands to make more money than any player in the history of the league.
Cabrera has drawn the ire of the public eye since his embarrassing arrest on the eve of spring training. A league assessment recommended an outpatient rehabilitation program to assist Cabrera with his alcohol issues.
Cabrera has since apologized to all parties involved but has stopped short of declaring himself an alcoholic. Cabrera has been ridiculed by the media who see him as being about as stable as a Middle Eastern government.
On surface value, the answer to the question "Which Star's Distractions More Impacts Him?" seems to be a certain no-brainer.
Public perception would see Cabrera standing at first base with a half bottle of scotch, screaming obscenities at the first base coach while the Tigers are entrenched in a playoff chase late in the 2011 season.
Or perhaps throwing a ball at the six-year-old in the first row or maybe just passed out to start the top of the sixth with his head resting on first base after doing a couple Jager bombs in the dugout.
Joking aside, Cabrera has been unjustly vilified for a stupid, childish mistake. The problem is he doesn't have an immediate way to fix what he did. People will continue to ridicule him and he'll need steel plated skin to make it to the season.
Cabrera has been through this before. Although he never actually faced criminal penalties, Cabrera had a well-publicized drunken encounter with the law in 2009 for which he was heavily scrutinized.
Unfazed, he went on to the greatest season in his career in 2010.
This incident, like that, shall pass as well. Cabrera will be questioned heavily about his transgression in March and April. Come May and June the questions will die down and after the All-Star break, his arrest and problems will merely be a footnote on the season.
Conversely, Pujols' contract situation will no doubt steam roll as the season goes on.
Question about where he will sign will come fast and furious in September and October for him, no doubt consuming most of the attention should the Cardinals be in a pennant chase.
Look at what happened to LeBron James and the Cleveland Cavaliers in 2010. The Cavs rolled through the regular season and were heavily favored to make it to the NBA Finals.
However, LeBron's pending free agency became more and more of a topic to the point that he seemed to be more focused on his next team rather than his current team. As a result, the Cavs were upset by the Celtics in the Eastern Conference Semi-Finals.
LeBron's contract situation ruined the Cavs chance at an NBA championship and tarnished his reputation. Albert Pujols is in an eerily similar situation.
Despite all of my arguments for Pujols being more likely to be impacted by his distraction, he won't be for two main reasons.
First, Albert Pujols is nothing like LeBron James. Comparing the two based on character is like comparing Ghandi to Charlie Sheen.
Pujols is a grown man and the consummate professional. He's always conducted himself with the greatest integrity which has shown in not only his play on the field but also in his commitment to charity and the St. Louis community.
Pujols has publicly promised to not let his contract be a distraction and promises the St. Louis fans that his only goal is to win them a World Series. I for one believe him.
Miguel Cabrera has more or less said the same thing. He remains focused to the team, however Cabrera lacks Pujols track record.
I doubt his performance will be affected by his recent incident. He's played his best when people doubt him.
But no one except Cabrera can promise that it won't happen again and any promise from him would be taken with a tablespoon of salt. He has a lot left to prove and any future incident would be devastating to his career.
The second, obvious reason is that the Pujols distraction has an end. Regardless of what happen this season and where he plays next season, Pujols will have a new contract after this season. He will not have to worry about it next season.
Cabrera will always have his alcohol issues hanging over his head. Regardless of the level of problem he has, and while the scrutiny of the past two weeks will die down, the majority of baseball fans and national media likely expect it to happen again.
Pujols and Cabrera are both entering the season with major distraction concerns. Both promise they won't be. But only Pujols has earned the right to be trusted.
Read more MLB news on BleacherReport.com
- Login to post comments