Joey Votto vs. Albert Pujols

For all the differences between the 2011 Cincinnati Reds and the 2011 St. Louis Cardinals, there is one striking similarity: the tremendous quality of the first basemen which headline these NL Central contenders. Albert Pujols may not have had the start that baseball fans have come to expect out of the man who has earned the moniker "The Machine," but his impending free agency remains one of the biggest stories in baseball. After receiving his first MVP award last season, Joey Votto has started 2011 on another MVP-caliber pace. Votto, however, won't hit the free-agent market until 2014. Let's forget reality for a second, though, and ask: If Votto were to join Pujols as a free agent after this season, which one would create more buzz around the league?

At first glance, it's difficult to imagine anybody overtaking Pujols. He owns three MVP awards, has played for nine All-Star teams and has never in his career failed to hit .300, slug 30 home runs, or drive in 100 RBIs. These feats of baseball insanity have resulted in rumors of a 10-year, $300 million contract for Pujols when he hits the market in November. However, at age 31, after 10 straight seasons of a .950 OPS or better, Pujols carries a .250/.311/.488 line into the weekend against Cincinnati.

To read about why Joey Votto would command more money as a free agent than Albert Pujols on the open market, you must be an ESPN Insider.

• Recommend0
• Tweet0
• Email
• Subscribe