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On February 15, 2011, President Barack Obama conferred on Hall of Fame baseball star Stan Musial the 2010 Medal of Freedom. This medal is the highest U.S. honor a civilian can receive. Stan “The Man” Musial was recognized for his career with the St. Louis Cardinals baseball team and his sense of integrity. During the ceremony, President Obama noted that Mr. Musial ” … asked for a pay cut when he didn’t perform up to his own expectations”. Obama went on to comment: “You can imagine that happening today”.

On February 16, 2011, at noon CST, the deadline established by famed St. Louis Cardinal  star Albert Pujols came and went without a new contract agreement being worked out between himself and the Cardinals.  Mr. Pujols is entering the last year of his contract this 2011 baseball season. The Cardinals and Mr. Pujols, through his agent, had been working for many months  on a contract extension. The last offer provided by the ball club was purportedly for 8 years and $200,000,000 – guaranteed. It is believed Mr. Pujols is seeking a 10 year, $300,000,000  guaranteed contract. He has stated he will not continue negotiations during the baseball season, and will become a free agent at its conclusion – meaning any team, St. Louis included,  can bid for his services.

Stan Musial spent his entire career with the Cardinals. To date, Albert Pujols has spent his entire career with the Cardinals. Both ball players had and have  sterling and indisputable baseball skills and stats, easily the best ball players in their respective eras.

So we ponder: what is important in sports negotiations? What interests and priorities of the player most influence their decisions? For Stan Musial, we can surmise  he put a huge value on his playing and being his best, and measured his financial worth to the team by his performance and the high standards he set for himself. And, it would appear, it was important to him to stay with the team that birthed him. I’m sure there was a sense of loyalty and commitment to the ball club, the St. Louis community, and his family. Now it should be noted Stan Musial wasn’t being tempted with the kind of money routinely paid to today’s ball players. And free agency came to Major League Baseball in 1975, twelve years after Mr. Musial retired.

Edgar Martinez, arguably the greatest Designated Hitter of all time,  spent his entire career with the Seattle Mariners. Never were his salary negotiations a matter of public fodder. He periodically – and quietly -  renegotiated his contract throughout the course of his playing days. He could have easily commanded tremendous offers from other clubs should he have chosen to go on the open market. But he didn’t. He valued the team that gave him a chance to play a child’s game. He placed high importance on his family and his community. He still lives in the Seattle area.

Albert Pujols is highly respected by his peers, the St. Louis Cardinals organization, and his community. He is revered and is a legend.  He too places high standards on himself. He prepares as hard as the rest of the players on his team, if not harder. And there is nothing to suggest Mr. Pujols doesn’t respect his community and the Cardinals, and that he is not concerned with what’s best for his family.  It seems important, though,  that in making his decisions, he looks at the bigger picture as well as the dollars. What is truly and authentically important to him and his family? What does financial security really mean? What other, perhaps more immeasurable and intangible,  criteria play – or should play – into this decision other than being the highest paid professional baseball player on the planet.

There is a saying in baseball: You will never be treated any better than by the team that gave you your start.