On the morning of January 19th, I started collecting links – as many as I can find with minimal effort – that discuss the Albert Pujols contract discussions. Why? Who knows, yet here they are. Oh, and to serve you all, our three loyal readers! The Daily Pujols certainly won’t be a comprehensive list, but between local, national, and blog coverage, maybe you’ll find something here you otherwise wouldn’t. Without further delay, here is today’s Daily Weekly Irregular Pujols…
What a bonanza the Cubs series turned out to be for the PCI! For the most part, the Pujols contract chatter has been non-existent across the country, save for mentions here and there – mostly about how he’s not worth what he wanted because he’s started the season slowly.
Then Pujols and Jim Hendry hugged. Boom, links out the hind end.
The one quote found in all of them?
“I can’t win,” Hendry said. “I like Albert. We’ve always gotten along. He’s a great, great player. I admire the heck out of him. He plays the game the right way every day.”
And then onto the links…
Paul Sullivan had the standard notes on ChicagoBreakingNews.com.
Gabe Lacques at USA Today thinks Hendry was surely more excited to hug Pujols than Daniel Descalso.
ChicagoNow.com thinks Hendry was extending an invite to the Wrigley Field Stadium Club.
Patrick Mooney of CSNChicago.com found a Cubs player who believes that Hendry’s aggressiveness in signing players could lead to Pujols joining the north-siders.
Gordon Wittenmyer of the Chicago Sun-Times says that the hug moment was “made for YouTube, Twitpic or Dimwit, depending on your speculation vehicle of choice.”
The Sporting News posted a half-effort “Staff Report”.
Dave Brown at Big League Stew compares the “connection” between Hendry and Pujols to that of Mozeliak and Pujols.
Of course, Buster Olney HEARD THIS that there was a hug at Wrigley.
Carrie Muskat of MLB.com reports that Hendry says he knew the hug would be misinterpreted, but he had committed to treating Pujols the same as he always has. Seems fair, no?
Phil Rogers is still skeptical that a hug can trump other teams’ money.
Joe Cowley of the Sun-Times also believes Pujols will not become a Cub, reporting that Hendry “…didn’t even walk away from it thinking there was a hug.”
Tommy Craggs at Deadspin put the usual comic treatment on it, spoofing Sullivan in the process.
Of course, Bleacher Report thinks that the hug means the Cubs and Pujols might as well already have signed contracts. *pets B/R on the head* So cute, so innocent.
Friend of PH8 Bernie Miklasz notes at the Post-Dispatch that a hug isn’t always a good thing.
SBNation St. Louis’ Alex Fritz updates the odds on where Pujols will land following the Hug-Heard-’Round-The-Midwest.
And finally, Rob Manker at the Chicago Tribune chased down a bunch of body language experts who seem to agree that Pujols is “comfortable and friendly” with Hendry. No kidding?
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