We're glad you're here, because we've got the inside scoop on exactly what's happening with Albert Pujols.

Okay, that was a lie. What we do have are dueling reports. Sort of dueling.

It's been the Conventional Wisdom since last spring that the Cardinals offered Pujols a nine-year contract ... a contract that Pujols spit on, and his agent used to blow his nose in.

Tuesday night, that the Miami Marlins have offered Pujols a contract for ten years and $220 million. They also say the Cardinals had earlier improved their offer to nine years and $198 million.

One has to think that Pujols would like to stay in St. Louis, all things being equal. And there's not really that much difference between 9/198 and 20/220. What's $22 million between friends, really? Especially when it buys an extra year and impossible-to-quantify goodwill?

Of course, the Cardinals might up their offer only to see the Marlins move up, too. Just matching might not be enough. Pujols's agent's job is to get the biggest offers he can from both clubs -- along with any other team that might be lurking -- and then let the player choose one of them.

But all indications are that Pujols a) is going to decide very soon, and b) he's not going to earn anything like the $30 million per season that was bandied about last winter.

He should be fine, though.