The Cardinals' best approach this winter to entice Albert Pujols into a new, long-term contract may mean not offering him one at all.

Entering this offseason, chairman Bill DeWitt Jr. said the timing was ripe to sign Pujols beyond his existing contract so that the club's first baseman and the game's best hitter would be secured as "a lifetime Cardinal." As Pujols won his third National League MVP award Tuesday and vaulted into an elite class — there have been only 10 three-time MVPs in baseball history — both sides acknowledged a willingness to wait rather than rush to negotiations this offseason.

Pujols has two years remaining on his current deal, and officials on both sides said that affords the first baseman time to see what the Cardinals do to remain competitive this next season and beyond.

"His focus is on winning," said Pujols' lead agent at Beverly Hills Sports Council, Dan Lozano. "He knows some team somewhere is going to be there with the money. That's not a concern. He tells me, 'I want to win.' That's what he has the luxury of doing. He's worked hard to be in a position where all he has to worry about is playing and, because the money is going to be there, he wants to be sure he's playing somewhere that's competitive."

Cardinals general manager John Mozeliak has spoken with both Pujols' agents and Pujols personally about the club's intentions. Those conversations appear to have slowed the expectations of doing something this winter — even as they confirmed a shared interest. During his press conference Tuesday about being the league's unanimous selection as MVP, Pujols reiterated his wish to "retire as a Cardinal."

The Cardinals, however, have also been told their franchise player wants to see what the club actively attempts to do this winter to fortify the roster, league sources confirmed.

"He has always made it clear that his drive is to win," DeWitt told The Post-Dispatch on Friday. "That's why he's the great player he is. But you can't do it alone. He knows that. We know that. He wants to be sure that we're going to have a competitive team, and that is our objective every year. …

"We do have an excellent core of players in place," DeWitt continued. "But we need to add to it. And not only this year, but down the road, too. It's a matter of demonstrating to Albert that we are going to do that on an ongoing basis."

The Cardinals have repeatedly said their priority this winter is to re-sign outfielder Matt Holliday, the free-agent cleanup hitter expected to command the largest contract this winter. The market has been slow to develop, but Tuesday's deadline for arbitration offers could spur movement. Less than a week later, baseball's Winter Meetings begin in Indianapolis for the annual summit and swap meet.

Holliday, classified as a Type A free agent by baseball, will be offered arbitration by the Cardinals. That assures the Cardinals of draft-pick compensation if the left fielder rejects arbitration and signs with another team.

The Cardinals have identified alternatives in the free agent market should they be left with only draft picks for Holliday. Pitching will become the preference, Mozeliak has said. Outfield will still be an area of need, with a free agent like Xavier Nady, who is returning from injury, interesting the Cardinals. Adrian Beltre, a free agent third baseman, has not drawn attention from the Cardinals, according to a source. Shortstop Miguel Tejada, a free agent, has had support within the Cardinals' brain trust before and could represent an option if he entertains a move to third.

Holliday's agent, Scott Boras, has been developing a market for his clients by, in part, pointing to team revenue. DeWitt acknowledged that the Cardinals have ranked around 10th in baseball in revenues in each of the recent seasons. "Our payroll has represented that," he said. The chairman added signing Holliday "at the right level" would not handcuff the club's ability to pursue the career contract with Pujols.

The first baseman is entering the final guaranteed year of his seven-year, $100-million contract. Both sides see the $16-million team option for 2011 as a formality.

"We're not in any rush," Lozano said. "Albert's heart is in St. Louis. We have the chance to see what happens in two years. A lot can change in two years."

Little has changed about Pujols' production and the Cardinals' competitiveness in his years with the club. Pujols has been a steady-pulse of performance, contributing more than 32 homers, more than a 103 RBIs and at least a .310 average in each of his first nine seasons. He has led the NL in slugging in three of the previous four seasons. His MVP made him the first Cardinal to win the award in consecutive years and only the fifth player to win three in a five-year span.

Two of his three have come after seasons when the Cardinals reached the playoffs, something they've done six times in his nine seasons.

"I think we have a really good ball club, and I think we'll have a really good ballclub next year to accomplish what I want, which is winning," Pujols said Tuesday. "That's what the organization wants to do. These fans spend a lot of money to come see this team and they want to see a winning team. ... I'm blessed to be with an organization who wants to do that. I've been in the league nine years and in the postseason (six) years. It's amazing what I've accomplished here in the city of St. Louis."

It also colors the decision to stay in St. Louis.

DeWitt described the kind of offer it will take to lock up Pujols as "a lengthy and substantial one." Mozeliak said if there was urgency on Pujols' side to do something, he could "dive in." Any diving, he added, would be done privately. DeWitt said starting the conversation this offseason is a benefit even if no contract is completed. There are other pressing deals to pursue, DeWitt said.

The way to sign the best player in the game in the prime of his career for the rest of his career may not begin with what the club offers him.

It could be the players the club puts around him.

"It's kind of hard to put a timetable on something of this magnitude," DeWitt said. "There are some decisions that we have here in the near-term that take an intense amount of evaluation. Having said all that, Albert, he's our main man and our long-term priority is to keep him a Cardinal. When it's the right time, both sides will know.

"It's fair to say now he knows what our objective is."