Pujols, Angels reach $254 million, 10-year deal

Albert Pujols could have been a wealthy Cardinal for life, planning for the day his statue would be erected outside Busch Stadium next to those of Stan Musial, Bob Gibson and the other St. Louis greats.

Instead, exactly six weeks after leading the Cardinals to a second title in one of the most thrilling World Series, he decided to accept the second-highest contract in baseball history for a new future in Southern California with the Los Angeles Angels.

The three-time N.L. MVP agreed Thursday to a $254 million, 10-year contract with the Angels, leaving behind a heartbroken fan base by jilting one of the sport’s traditional teams for an expansion club with only one championship in its half-century.

A big and burly offensive force with a shaved head, the nine-time All-Star has a room full of honors, winning the 2001 N.L. Rookie of the Year award, N.L. MVPs in 2005, 2008 and 2009, a batting title in 2003 and a pair of Gold Gloves at first base.

As his deal fell into place on the final day of the winter meetings, the Angels struck another big agreement, a $77.5 million, five-year contract with left-hander C.J. Wilson, the ace whose Texas Rangers lost to the Cardinals in the seven-game World Series.

“This is obviously the moment where we have thrown our hat in the ring,” new Angels general manager Jerry Dipoto said.

Pujols rejected a multiyear extension offered by St. Louis last offseason that was said to include a small percentage of the franchise and cut off negotiations a day before he arrived at spring training. St. Louis also offered the slugger a 10-year deal that chairman Bill DeWitt Jr. said was in excess of $200 million.

Pujols’ contract, which like Wilson’s is subject to a physical, is only the third to break the $200 million barrier, following Alex Rodriguez’s $252 million, 10-year deal with Texas before the 2001 season and A-Rod’s $275 million, 10-year agreement with the Yankees before the 2008 season.

Wilson was 16-7 with a 2.94 ERA with Texas last season, helping the Rangers reach their second straight World Series.

Born and raised in Southern California, Wilson found the Angels a natural match.

“This was a multidimensional decision – it wasn’t just one thing,” Wilson said. “The area is great. The ballpark is great. The team is great. What’s not to like?”

Around the majors

Japanese pitcher Yu Darvish ended months of speculation by saying he intends to make a move to Major League Baseball. The 25-year-old right-hander, considered the best pitcher in the Japanese professional leagues, wrote on his blog that he had decided to use the posting system, which allows MLB teams to bid for the negotiating rights to Japanese players who have yet to become free agents. Darvish, the son of an Iranian father and a Japanese mother, went 18-6 with a 1.44 ERA this season for the Hokkaido Nippon Ham Fighters. He had 276 strikeouts to lead the Pacific League. … The Milwaukee Brewers agreed to terms with free-agent shortstop Alex Gonzalez. The 34-year-old Gonzalez played 149 games for the Atlanta Braves last season, hitting .241 with 15 home runs and 56 RBIs. … Starting pitcher Aaron Harang agreed to a $12 million, two-year contract with the Los Angeles Dodgers. The 33-year-old right-hander was 14-7 with a career-low 3.64 ERA in 28 starts for his hometown San Diego Padres last season. … The Philadelphia Phillies signed outfielder Laynce Nix to a two-year contract. Nix batted .250 with a career-high 16 home runs and 44 RBIs in 124 games for the Washington Nationals last season. … Houston hired Jeff Luhnow as its general manager. He was a vice president with the St. Louis Cardinals last season.