Tulsa World: Pujols, Holliday are priorities

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Pujols, Holliday are priorities
The team chairman focused on locking up his two star players.

St. Louis Cardinals' Albert Pujols waits to hit during the eighth inning of Game 3 in the National League division baseball series against Los Angeles Dodgers in St. Louis. AP PHOTO

By JOE STRAUSS St. Louis Post-Dispatch
Published: 10/14/2009 2:28 AM
Last Modified: 10/14/2009 5:10 AM

ST. LOUIS — St. Louis Cardinals Chairman Bill DeWitt Jr. said Monday he considers the team's season a success despite its abrupt dismissal from the National League Division Series following high-profile summer trades that cost the organization five players for outfielder Matt Holliday and third baseman Mark DeRosa.

"Anytime you win your division, I believe it's to be considered a tremendous accomplishment," DeWitt said regarding a 91-71 season.

"I'm fairly certain that most analysts didn't see us winning it at the start of the season. But we did. It's something I believe everyone connected to the team should be proud of."

DeWitt attended a two-hour meeting with general manager John Mozeliak, manager Tony La Russa, the major league coaching staff and several members of the front office.

The traditional season-ending meeting was more a look forward projecting the team's needs for 2010 than a review of its three-game wipeout against the Los Angeles Dodgers.

La Russa on Saturday asserted the club enters the offseason in a far stronger position than a year ago.

DeWitt endorsed the stance, noting the team's returning core of starting pitching and the arrival of several young position players.

"I think there's plenty of reason to feel good about the situation going forward," DeWitt said. "I think we all understand our needs and our capacity to address them."

For now, the Cardinals see re-signing pending free agent Holliday and forging a contract extension with first baseman Albert Pujols as priorities.

DeWitt reiterated Monday the club's willingness to move quickly in talks with Holliday's agent, Scott Boras, but stopped short of predicting a timeline.

Holliday and the team's other pending free agents — Troy Glaus, Rick Ankiel, Jason LaRue, Joel Pineiro, DeRosa and Khalil Greene — may file for free agency within 15 days after the World Series ends. Sources familiar with Holliday's thinking recently set long odds for the left fielder bypassing free agency by agreeing to a long-term deal before the market opens.

The Cardinals ended the season with a payroll, including potential awards incentives, barely eclipsing $100 million — or about $10 million less than 2008's season-ending figure.

DeWitt did not detail how the club could operate within its current fiscal framework if, as most in baseball believe, extending contracts for both Holliday and Pujols takes an average annual commitment exceeding $43 million. By JOE STRAUSS St. Louis Post-Dispatch

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