New article has Jocketty saying “we thought we were going to get [Pujols]” in 2012

[Wonderful Monds]

I know there’s been speculation about this before, but I don’t recall anyone coming out and saying directly that we were the runners up to signing him.

https://www.usatoday.com/story/sport...ls/1509905001/

The mystery team that finished second in the negotiations was the Cincinnati Reds. They offered Pujols a 10-year, $225 million contract, according to the person, even with All-Star Joey Votto already at first base.

“We thought we were going to get him,’’ said Jocketty, the Reds’ executive adviser who was their general manager from 2008-2015 after 13 years as the Cardinals’ GM. “We thought he would certainly give our organization a lift with his presence, on and off the field."

[Benihana]

Wow! Glad we dodged that bullet!

[podgejeff_]

And who exactly thought that the "cash-strapped" Reds needed to sign a 32 year old 1b only hitter to a 10 year contract at a position we were already set at?

When you read things like this the last 6 years make sense.

[Wonderful Monds]

Wow! Glad we dodged that bullet!

Yeah that’s what I wonder though, obviously the ensuing like 9 years after would’ve sucked big time, but do we make it to the World Series with both he and Votto in the lineup for (at least part of) 2012? At the very least having him there for that postseason where the rest of the lineup collapsed?

[Tom Servo]

Wow, I’ve repeated the rumor over the years about how it was said that the Reds had initially earmarked the Votto money for Pujols (I remember reading several months later a reporter say that it was closer than to happening anybody knew) but this is the first time I’ve heard it confirmed, and it comes directly from the guy who was calling the shots. I do not recall any reports at the time connecting the Reds to Pujols, it would have stunned the world of it had happened.

And it really would have been Griffey all over again. I’d have been over the moon to get Pujols, I was a huge fan of his the way some are of Yelich now. I just respected him so much for killing the Reds in a gentlemanly, almost effortless way.

Thank God it didn’t happen though.

[PuffyPig]

I guess we would have had 2 1B and done without one of the OF's. That would have been quite the shift for its time.

[Tom Servo]

I guess we would have had 2 1B and done without one of the OF's. That would have been quite the shift for its time.

If you recall, this was around the time of Yonder Alonso coming up and there being talk of Votto being the one to move to LF. I can't remember exactly how this played out but I recall it coming out that basically the Reds approached Votto about it and he balked at the idea, feeling he had found his defensive home at 1B. I do think though that moving to accommodate Albert Pujols would have been an easier sell than moving to accommodate a rookie.

Also Votto would have been awful out there lol.

[KronoRed]

Yikes. Would have ended up with Votto being moved for very little and being stuck with a player 5 years older then he says.

Double yikes.

[Patrick Bateman]

Either that or the premise would have been to trade Votto for a pile of stuff.

So although Pujols would have fizzled out, and that choice would have gone dramatically poorly - would have been interesting to see what kind of assets they would have turned Votto into.

[NeilHamburger]

Man, could you imagine prime Votto and Pujols hitting 3/4. Talk about a left-right combo. I know there wouldn't really have been a way to keep both, and that Pujols was no longer in his prime. But, I don't know if there would've been a better 3/4 in my life.

[Larry Schuler]

It would have been Votto to the Yankees for LF Skippy Johnson, RHP Dan Daniels, LHP Cole Colers,2B John Johnson and C Herman Trouser and all of them would be out of baseball within 1.5 years.

[redsfanmia]

Would the World Series appearance or win been worth 5-6 years of awful Pujols?

[Tom Servo]

Man, could you imagine prime Votto and Pujols hitting 3/4. Talk about a left-right combo. I know there wouldn't really have been a way to keep both, and that Pujols was no longer in his prime. But, I don't know if there would've been a better 3/4 in my life.

Building an alternate reality in my head where the power of Dusty's personality staved off Pujols' decline for a few years.

[Phhhl]

So glad this didn't happen. Does anyone really think the Reds under that regime would have got the return for Votto he would have warranted? Pujols was pretty much done playing first base 4 years ago or so. On top of all of that, the narrative would have been the Reds getting the retreads of the St. Louis Cardinals when that organization was done with them. Again! No thanks. On top of that, St. Louis probably would have scooped up Votto when he became a free agent and he would be going to the hall with a bird on the bat thing on his plaque. Jocketty did a good job, but clearly he was never the genius Bob Castellini believed him to be. This would have been a disaster.

[[deleted]]

Would the World Series appearance or win been worth 5-6 years of awful Pujols?

Yes x1,000,000,000

How is this even a question? We did nothing of note without him (save some embarrassing early round exits) and have mostly been garbage since he declined anyway.

Not that I’m saying we should have given him the money, but if the hypothetical is “would you go back and offer it IF it leads to a guaranteed WS appearance” then obviously the answer is yes.