Breaking Down Pujols' Salary Per Plate Appearance, Hit, Home Run

By Chad Garrison Mon., Feb. 14 2011 at 9:28 AM

Wikimedia Commons

Albert Pujols earns $23,529 every time he strikes this pose.

Albert Pujols has reportedly rejected the St. Louis Cardinals' latest offer to resign the All-Star first baseman. In so doing, Pujols supposedly won't revisit negotiations until the end of the season when he could become a free agent and sign with any team willing to become the highest bidder.

How much money are we talking about here? Speculation has it that Pujols wants to earn at least as much money as baseball's highest-paid player, Alex Rodriguez, who earns $27.5 million. By comparison, Pujols will earn $16 million this year playing for the Cardinals.

Numbers that big are difficult to put in perspective, but let's try to comprehend the loot based on Pujols' on-field statistics over the past three seasons -- 2008, 2009 and 2010. The chart below breaks down Pujols' pay per statistic under his current pay and a presumed new contract of $30 million per year that would make him the best-paid athlete in baseball.

As you can quickly see, your take-home pay this year suddenly seems a hell of a lot smaller.

An even simpler way to look at Pujols' salary is to break it down by a 162-game season. Each time Pujols suits up for the Cardinals this year, he'll earn $98,765. Next year that per-game pay could jump to $185,185.

This is not to suggest that Pujols should be blamed for the runaway salaries of baseball's best players. Still, it's hard to believe that Pujols, his children, his children's children, their children, could ever spend all that dough.

Tags:

Albert Pujols, Alex Rodriguez, contract, free agency, St. Louis Cardinals

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guest

Addendum: Fact is, there is someone out there that thinks he's worth it, and theirs is (the one who will pay the salary) the only opinion that counts.

guest

I always think it's funny how so many people can think other people get paid too much money. Fact is, there is someone out there that thinks that he's worth it and they're the only opinion that counts.

Illegal Shift

This is gonna get real interesting. Cause any team that wants to sign him is either gonna have to have some extra money or expiring contracts. This post has a list of teams that could have some money freed up at the end of this year. http://www.illegalshift.com/20...

Douglas Duckworth

If he is the best player in baseball then should he not have a commensurate salary? We're talking about baseball which is entirely free market capitalism. The teams which spend the most generally do better than those with limited funds. I bet some fans would complain about this potentially huge salary increase, yet they'll still fork over 50+ for a ticket and at least that on food and beer to watch him play.

Jim Bertucci

Yep Douglas, you got it right. Does not matter what happens in sports, people, not me, will always fork over the 50+ or more and say thank you thank you thank you. What they should do is say, hey Albert, play for this or get the hell out. Lets just fire um all and play Wii to determine the league.

STLNEWSMOD

Frankly, I wouldn't be too upset to see him go. If they sign him, he's going to be a serious long-term liability for the payroll. You could get three to four decent replacement players for his salary. Pujols WAR (wins above replacement) is an incredible 8.1. But is it worth it surrendering 1/4 (or more) of the payroll to keep a player who helps you win eight additional games a season? Keep in mind, too, that his WAR will likely diminish over the term his next contract.