Free agent first baseman Albert Pujols told the Post-Dispatch late Wednesday night that Dan Lozano will remain his agent and that he will not change representation in response to an online report that used unnamed sources to allege his agent was involved in sordid activities.
"I am absolutely staying with Danny as my agent," Pujols said when reached in Hawaii while on a family vacation. "And he will continue to negotiate my free agent contract. I am embarrassed for the people who are behind this. I want to make sure that people hear that."
Late Tuesday, Deadspin.com published an article that was based on information mailed to the site in a "plain manila envelope." The Web site asserted the envelope contained descriptions of "Lozano's rise to power by any means necessary." The article went on to detail alleged money troubles for Lozano, harassment and improprieties. The article relied mostly on unnamed sources for quotes and did not identify the sources of other documents and information used in the article.
Lozano's attorney called the article "false and defamatory."
Martin Singer, a Los Angeles-based attorney retained by Lozano within the past couple months, said Deadspin.com did not use information he provided that "disputed their story." He and his client were "evaluating" a legal response.
"We are looking at all of our legal options," Singer said Wednesday. "At the end of the day we would probably look at going after the unidentified sources who tried to smear him."
Lozano declined comment and referred questions to his attorney.
In the days before the story's publication, Lozano reached out to many of his clients to notify them about the potential forthcoming article, Singer confirmed. Lozano did talk with Pujols after the story was published.
Lozano has been Pujols' agent since 2000, and in addition to the three-time MVP he also represents other free agents such as Jimmy Rollins and Carlos Beltran. Lozano left the Beverly Hills Sports Council a year ago, and took many of his clients, like All-Stars Michael Young and Joey Votto, with him to his new business. In the past year, he has added Beltran and Alex Rodriguez to his client list. Both players were last represented by Scott Boras.
In September, Lozano told USA Today that other agents were trying to smear his reputation. "I know there's a target on my back," Lozano told USA Today's Bob Nightengale. "I know what I signed up for, but do I like it? No. I'm tired of the lies. My players are tired of it, too. ...
"It sounds like envy and jealousy to me. Unfortunately, success breeds resentment, and it can be threatening to my rivals."
Pujols, the Cardinals' All-Star first baseman, is a free agent this winter for the first time in his career. The Cardinals have maintained their interest in re-signing the 31-year-old infielder who has been with the organization since they drafted him in 1999. Pujols received a nine-year offer from the Miami Marlins earlier this month, according to a source who did not reveal the salary figure. The Cardinals offered a nine-year, $198-million contract in January, and the club spoke with Lozano as recently as last week about bringing Pujols back.
Chairman Bill DeWitt Jr. has acknowledged in the past that it would take the largest contract offered in club history to re-sign Pujols.
