"Despite keeping his distance during the final volley of talks between the Cardinals and free agent icon Albert Pujols, former Redbirds manager Tony La Russa believes the divorce of the defending World Series champions from their three-time National League MVP last week was "unavoidable."

La Russa, scheduled to appear Saturday afternoon at an autograph show in Clayton, described Pujols as "conflicted" about the decision when he spoke to his former player several hours after Pujols made his decision last Thursday. The impression has only hardened since, La Russa said.

"There's a lot to explain why Albert is going there," La Russa told the Post-Dispatch. "Mostly, I think it's the system."

La Russa said Pujols has been "in pain'' since he accepted the Los Angeles Angels' 10-year, $254-million offer.

"I know it was a painful decision and it pains him now," La Russa said. "He deserves what he got. He earned it. There's no bad guy here. I think the Cardinals went where they thought they should go. If they can't go farther, they shouldn't."

La Russa underscored the sense of disappointment Pujols felt about the Cardinals' negotiating tactics and recounted a process that left the Angels to overwhelm the Cardinals' bid and Pujols to 'struggle" with reconciling their aggressive interest against the Cardinals' cautious approach.

"I believe in Albert's case he was disappointed there wasn't more enthusiasm from the Cardinals," said La Russa, who said he didn't speak to Pujols during last week's whirlwind negotiations that coincided with Major League Baseball's winter meetings in Dallas. "The (Miami) Marlins came at him hard and then here comes Anaheim. I think that the Cardinals were being careful.""