DALLAS • Albert Pujols possesses more than 400 home runs in 11 seasons, three NL Most Valuable Player awards, two Gold Gloves and widespread recognition as the game's best player.

Unclear is whether the superstar free-agent first baseman and longtime face of the Cardinals enjoys a healthy market.

As Major League Baseball's winter meetings convene today at the Hilton Anatole, the Cardinals appear to face uncertain competition for a signature player who last February rejected a nine-year contract extension worth about $22 million per year. The defending World Series champions have yet to modify last January's proposal, which came as Pujols entered the final installment of an eight-year, $111 extension signed shortly before he would have reached an arbitration hearing in 2004.

Cardinals chairman Bill DeWitt Jr. and general manager John Mozeliak arrived at the meetings' hotel headquarters Sunday afternoon shortly after Pujols' representation headed by agent Dan Lozano.

What so far has resembled a relatively tame process may gain significant momentum in the next 48 hours, with or without the Cardinals' participation, based on comments by several industry sources.

The Miami Marlins, who hosted Pujols and Lozano during last month's unveiling of their renamed franchise's new logo and new uniforms, agreed Sunday with free agent shortstop Jose Reyes on a six-year, $106 million deal and may seek to press their pursuit for a signature first baseman before Wednesday. While initially believed more inclined to trade incumbent shortstop Hanley Ramirez, the Marlins now insist they prefer to retain Ramirez as their third baseman while continuing to chase Pujols.

The Marlins and the Cardinals are expected to meet with Lozano today, though Mozeliak declined Sunday night to elaborate on what he and DeWitt have planned.

Indeed, Mozeliak chose not to say whether the Cardinals' January offer even remains in force. If not, such uncertainty may invite another bidder such as the Marlins to redouble its pursuit of a player no longer assured a nine-year fallback.

Mozeliak indicated last week a desire to resolve Pujols' status before Christmas, a goal Pujols is believed to share. It is believed Pujols is prepared to act should the Cardinals make at least incremental improvement in their last offer.

The Cardinals continue to operate under the assumption that they will have the right to match or beat any rival's bid. Their previous nine-year proposal is believed to have included the 2011 season, meaning only eight years would remain. If Pujols deemed the offer inadequate in January, any downward revision in term or average annual value could only further polarize the parties. A potential compromise would appear to be increasing the AAV for fewer years and possibly attaching one or more options.

Neither side has discussed details of the Cardinals' original bid; however, the offer is thought to have included significant deferred  money that was also a fixture within Pujols' recently lapsed deal.

The Marlins' bid is also believed to include offsets. But a stalled effort by the Cardinals invites another bidder such as the Marlins to approach Pujols with more money up front while reminding him of Florida's non-existent state tax.

Signing Reyes in the wake of obtaining free agent closer Heath Bell underscores the Marlins' assurances to Pujols that they would replace years of salary purges with a transformed payroll structure to coincide with the christening of a new ballpark next April near Little Havana.

The Chicago Cubs' reported interest in Pujols continues to be viewed skeptically as it contradicts the message conveyed by new president Theo Epstein and general manager Jed Hoyer to rebuild incrementally rather than by committing to another long-term contract.

Other teams believed to represent an obvious fit — the AL champion Texas Rangers, Los Angeles Angels, Washington Nationals and Los Angeles Dodgers — are either hamstrung financially (Dodgers), have publicly indicated a reluctance to bid (Rangers, Angels) or have yet to make a move (Nationals). The Toronto Blue Jays are believed a potential player but would seem an odd fit for a player who has indicated a strong preference to land with a contender.

Pujols' market is further complicated by the apparent lack of interest by rival titans, the Boston Red Sox and New York Yankees, as well as the availability of another superstar free agent at the same position, Prince Fielder.

The market for Fielder has appeared as slow moving as the one for Pujols. Though the Marlins reportedly offered Pujols a nine-year deal at a lower average annual value than the Cardinals' tender, length of contract might represent an issue when approaching a player who turns 32 before next season. The Dominican-born Pujols' successful quest for United States citizenship hasn't prevented many within the game from harboring questions about his age.

Rather than facilitate a deal, the Cardinals' offer in January might have led to a hardening of stances on both sides. The Cardinals, sensing no serious challenge to their position, see no reason to bid against themselves. Such inactivity in the wake  of the franchise's second title run in six years could be construed as a slight.

Already irked by the club's reluctance to engage in talks before (or immediately after) retaining free agent left fielder Matt Holliday with a franchise-record seven-year, $120 million deal in January 2010, Pujols became further irritated by Mozeliak's comment last summer that future talks would be "independent" of previous negotiations.

Pujols has held to a 10-month pledge not to publicly discuss how he views his status or of talks with the Cardinals. The club, which now claims all deals with Pujols are "confidential," has likewise become more restained in stating its zeal for retaining its most identifiable player.

This week, however, is expected to serve as catalyst for where Pujols might lean. Rather than engage teams long distance, there might be a preference by Lozano and his client to speak face to face with interested parties before the meetings adjourn Thursday. Pujols is not scheduled to attend the meetings but could become directly involved if momentum builds.