Current Contract:
Signed a seven-year, $100 million contract extension with a $16 million club option for 2011 on February 20, 2004.

2004: $7,000,000
2005: $11,000,000
2006: $14,000,000
2007: $15,000,000
2008: $16,000,000
2009: $16,000,000
2010: $16,000,000
2011: $16,000,000 (or $5,000,000 buyout)

*Pujols received a full no-trade clause for 2004-2006 and a limited no-trade clause for remainder of deal. $12 million will be deferred ($3 million per-year from 2007-2010 at 0% interest to be paid in 10 installments of $1.2 million from 2020 to 2029). He receives a $200,000 bonus for winning an MVP, $100,000 for finishing second in MVP balloting, and $50,000 for being selected to an All-Star game and winning a gold glove.

Agent: Dan Lozano & Jeff Borris, Beverly Hills Sports Council

Became a Cardinal:
Selected in the 13th round (402nd overall) of the June, 1999 First-Year Player Draft. Received a $60,000 signing bonus.

2006 Season:
Despite a career-year, Pujols was snubbed of the MVP award in 2006, but he did win his first Gold Glove award, and more importanly his first World Series ring. He put up career-best marks in home runs (49), RBIs (137) and slugging percentage (.671), while falling just short of a new personal best in on-base percentage (.431).

Early on, it appeared that Pujols would run away with MVP honors. He got off a torrid start, smashing 14 home runs in April. By the end of May he'd gone deep 25 times, and had already racked up 65 RBIs.

However, Pujols suffered a strained oblique muscle on June 3, and was forced to the DL for the first time. He returned on June 21 and went 4-for-4 with a home run in his second game back, then tore through July at a .361 clip with 17 extra-base hits.

Career Notes:
A 13th round draft pick by the Cardinals in 1999, Pujols has arguably had the best start to a career of any player in Major League Baseball history. Most would agree that he is the best player in the game today.

It all started in spring training, 2001. After just one season in the minors, the 21-year-old earned a spot on the Cardinals Opening Day roster that season. Thanks to an injury to Bobby Bonilla prior to the season, Pujols opened the season starting in left field. The rest is history.

After three truly historic seasons in which Albert won the NL Rookie of the Year (2001), a batting title (2003), and various other awards, the Cardinals awarded Pujols with a seven-year, $100 million contract prior to the 2004 season. The deal is the largest in Cardinals history, locking him up through at least 2010, with an option for 2011.

2006 marked "El Hombre's" sixth straight season with a .300 batting average, 100 runs, 30 home runs and 100 runs batted in. On July 13, 2006, Pujols became the first player in Major League history to have 30 or more home runs in his first six seasons, and he is also the youngest player to hit 250 home runs in the Majors.

Pujols is a five-time All-Star (01, 03, 04, 05, 06), three-time winner of the Silver Slugger award (01, 03, 04), and winner of the 2005 MVP. He won his first Gold in 2006.

Photo: MLB Photos