Albert Pujols’ ten-year, $240MM deal with the Angels is set to expire after the 2021 season, and it has been widely assumed that the slugger would retire once that contract is up. However, while 2021 is “my last year under contract…that doesn’t mean I can’t keep playing,” Pujols told ESPN.com’s Alden Gonzalez. “I haven’t closed that door.”
It should be observed that Pujols isn’t making a statement about his future in either direction, merely that he isn’t yet ready to make a decision that is still well over a year away. “I’m taking it day by day, year by year, but you haven’t heard from my mouth that I’m going to retire next year, or that it’s going to be my last year, or that I’m going to keep playing,” Pujols said. “I haven’t said any of that. When that time comes, we’ll see. Just because you have one year left on your contract doesn’t mean it’s your last year. It could be, but it could not be. God hasn’t put that in my heart yet.”
2022 will be Pujols’ age-42 season, and he has been beset by both injuries and an overall decline in performance over the last few years. While surgeries on both his right elbow and left knee in 2018 allowed for Pujols to have his cleanest bill of health in some time last season, it didn’t translate to a resurgence at the plate, as he hit .244/.305/.430 with 23 home runs over 545 plate appearances. Both Fangraphs (-2.6 fWAR) and Baseball Reference (-0.6 bWAR) rate Pujols as a sub-replacement level player from 2017-19, with Fangraphs giving him a negative fWAR in each of the last three seasons.
Barring a major late-career revival, it is hard to see how there could be much of a market for Pujols if he does wish to keep playing in 2022. There isn’t much roster value in a 42-year-old who can only play first base — and who will still require regular DH days — and doesn’t offer much with the bat, and one would imagine Pujols might not have much interest in signing with a non-contender just for the sake of continuing to play.
As Gonzalez notes, there are some big statistical milestones still within reach for Pujols, who has 656 career homers (sixth all-time), 2075 RBI (fifth all-time), and 3202 hits (15th all-time). Since the 2020 season will be greatly abbreviated and possibly canceled altogether, Pujols would surely have to play into 2022 to have a shot at joining Henry Aaron as the only players in the 700-homer/3500-hit club, and potentially break Aaron’s all-time record of 2297 career RBI.
While Pujols would surely love to make an even further impact on baseball’s record book, it remains to be seen if he would actually try to stick around long enough to achieve these benchmarks, especially since it is a foregone conclusion that he’ll be a first-ballot Hall Of Famer. Of note, Pujols is also in line for a ten-year, $10MM personal services contract with the Angels organization that will kick in as soon as he retires; this deal was arranged when Pujols initially signed with the club.
hahaha…even the angels don’t want you
Do not disrespect a future hall of famer. Who knows if he could play in another AL team as a DH. Respect.
Totally agree. And baseball history is littered with aging stars playing for non-contenders looking to pass milestones.
yea
Yeah, teams are lining up for sub 100 wRC+ dhs.
……minor league contract or KBO…..he has choices….
Even JD Martinez only had a couple teams offering…..DHs that can no longer hit are not valued by MLB
Any team that gives him a contract is not really interested in competing, and any team in a rebuild would be better off paying $550,000 for a young player in hopes that he would become an up coming star.
There is no market for a 42 year old who can no longer hit.
There is nothing disrespectful for someone giving their opinion suggesting Pujos may be done after 2021.
I’d say he was done after the 2017 season.
Word – Sometimes it’s not what you say, it’s how you say it.
This is why I disrespect him:
latimes.com/sports/la-xpm-2013-apr-06-la-sp-0407-a…
One of the best hitters ever and you have lame disrespectful spite. Something tells me you know a thing or two about not being wanted.
One of the best hitters for his first 11 years. He’s been racking of stats since 2012 and that’s it
… what?
In a world of what have you done for us lately, he’s being remembered for his last 2 years which have been dramatically unspectacular as compared to his career prior to 2017.
What are you saying. Pujols is an absolute trash baseball player now, taking a massive portion of a teams salary situation. Angel fans have very right to throw dirt. Players get older and can hold back a team.
Can’t wait for Trout to get to his late 30s and hear the youth fan base call him a happy been.
Pujols (in his prime) is hands down the best hitter I have ever seen in my 40 years. Man could do anything he wanted.
*has been
But the Angels paid him for what he did in his prime. Bad business. It’s been 10+ years since he could do anything he wanted.
And yes, eventually the same will happen to Trout like it has for every player in the history of baseball. Sad, but that’s the way it goes. I’m glad Pujols wants to keep playing, but it’s a two way street. Someone has to want him to play for them, and even at league minimum he’s a negative asset at this stage of his career.
The Rays will sign him and figure out a way to get 2 WAR from his bat. AND rake the small revenue boost that comes from having a vet chase milestones.
How dare Pujols offer himself that contract!!
I don’t think it’s unreasonable for fans to complain about a player who barely belongs in the majors being in their lineup cuz of contract reasons. In a world without dumb owners Pujols simply retires in his mid-thirties. He’s terrible now and has been for years. First ballot HOFr for sure, though
The Cardinals were correct to let him go……
Loved Pedro, but did not want the Red Sox to resign him after 2004…..
Did you not watch Barry Bonds at all in your 40 years?
Say what you want about Bonds and PEDs but baseball started testing in 2003, Bonds went on to earn 2 more MVP’s (at age 38 and 39).
Drascoo – Yes, I saw the king of steroids play, and only if cheaters are allowed if the HOF should Bonds be allowed in….Puljos is no Bonds
No longer “in his prime” !!!!!
Investments prospects state “no guarantee of past performance” …..money spent on a player is an investment
A GM is paying for future performance not past. At 42 his future performance does not look like it would be worth the $$$.
If Mike Trout finishes his career like Pujols then he will also be a “has been” at the point in time. That’s what the word is there for. It’s better to be a has been than a never been….
The Hall already lets cheaters in and they lost the moral high ground when they let Tim “I slide head first so I don’t break my cocaine vials” Raines.
They have also let in more than a couple players who have PED suspicion surrounding them (Edgar Martinez, I-Rod, Bagwell, Piazza, Biggio, Henderson) .
Fact is, Bonds was the best player of his generation and arguably the best player in the history of the game! Long before he injected a needle, he earned 3 MVP’s and several top 5 finishes (when the rest of the league was juicing). He allegedly didn’t start using until the 1999 or 2000 season. He used a handful of seasons and once baseball started testing he earned himself 2 more MVP awards.
I’m sorry but Bonds, steroids or no steroids, was better than Pujols.
Oh the irony of some rando on a message board taking personal shots at people he’s never met.
Would you argue after the contract is up and no one signs Pujols to a deal that’s complete disrespect on the whole by MLB? Because that’s the road you’re going down.
He’s put up a 14.2 WAR in 8 seasons with the Angels. $181 million for that. Of course, he wasn’t going to refuse the money, but they paid him for his production in the prior 11 years expecting, I suppose, he was going to repeat that, which was impossible.
This was the contract that made owners rethink the whole paying for past performance thing (I think)
They paid him for the upcoming tv contract rights. Regardless of how bad he’s been, the contract has paid in spades. Let’s not play revisionist history please.
Angel were really dumb for signing him for that much…..no offense to the fans ! It was the Angel front office that made the mistake and if I were an Angels fan I would be mad….
Hes been terrible for 5 years.
Dynamite- Just common sense of which you have none
You know you are full of it. I am NOT a Pujols fan or LAA fan for that matter but I’m tired of hearing what a bad contract that was. Even in year 7 the guy had 23 HR and 93 RBI’s. Hardly scrub numbers. He has hit 201 HR’s in 7 years in LA which is about 25 per yr avg.
The guy is overpaid for sure but not near as much as so many say. As a Red Sox fan I’ll take Pujols over Kung-Poo-Panda and Hanram ANY DAY not to mention many others over the years.
He is just as bad as Han Ram was. The difference is Pujols got a whole lot more money. The dude sucks. It’d be better if he completely dropped off the face of the Earth so the Angels would just cut him. All they have now is a ridiculously overpaid replacement level DH. Pretty awful scenario.
Pujols made this statement: latimes.com/sports/la-xpm-2013-apr-06-la-sp-0407-a…
No.
He can go play with Manny in Taiwan.
maybe pujols will get on steroids
Lmao this guy is a shell of what he was, no one will sign you after angels contract. Honestly angels should cut him because he has negative value
He has a 10-year service contract in effect after his playing contract ends. That could be a reason why the Angels haven’t released him
If it’s sour grapes that Pujols gets cut, they can void that contact or both honor it. It’s just business and Pujols has always been regarded as a classy pro. Obviously, everyone loves him but he hasn’t been helping the team on the field for the past several years. They should’ve cut him three seasons ago.
And who else would have given them 23 HR and 93 RBI last yr??
23 HR’s and 93 Rbi’s in 2019 IS WHY THE ANGELS HAVE NOT RELEASED HIM !!
OPS+ of 94. You need to look at more than HRs and RBIs. Not a good hitter.
That just means the Angels owe him another 10 million over 10 years of PR appearances. Or just pay him 10 million. I think the PR is worth more over 10 years than the 10 million, especially since he is a future HOF’er.
Agree. He is the epitome of why these long-term ridiculous contracts should never be signed.
This just means he’ll sign a 1 day contract with Cards and retire.
Again a Card fan in love with himself
He might be right. St.Louis was where he had nearly all of his success. It was in St.Louis where he has the most fan love. Don’t know why you’re being such a jerk to this poster. Doubt you know him from Adam.
I’m just a bitter Angel fan lol
413 funny you are. Also true
You’re such a crybaby. I’ve never seen anyone whine about another team as much as you whine about the cardinals and their players (and former players).
Sign a one year deal with the Cards. Play opening week and retire.
Contractually, he wouldn’t be able to due that until 2031. So doesn’t seem likely
Only after he retires. Does no one actually read?
only about 10% do.
I see so much disrespect towards Pujols here, dude is one of the very best ever.
one of the all time greatest players, and all time greatest public figures. He’s a great example of what a real man is in his every day life
Pujols is a strange case. He is a very philanthropic person and has done a ton of charity work, but he is also a very spiteful person and has often been classified as rude.
I remember going to the Cardinals’ offseason Winter Warm Up in ‘09. This is where the players sign autographs and it’s a convention for management, players and fans. I was in line to get his autograph and was about 5 places back when I saw a couple ask for a picture with their baby (very common). He did not respond so they just sort of leaned in while he was signing their picture and he purposefully leaned back out of the picture. They tried again real quick and he faked tying his shoe.
I was told by one of the Winter Warm Up staff that he grew resentful and spiteful of the Cardinals’ organization because they didn’t donate as much resources to his charities that he did to the Cardinals’ charities. Still though, he didn’t even have to pose or do anything, just sit there and keep signing autographs and yet he actively chose to lean out of a picture with a baby twice.
That situation there has tarnished his personality in my mind forever. It did not shock me at all that he felt disrespected by the offer the Cardinals’ put our to him. He wanted part ownership of the team in his deal, which would never happen.
All in all, amazing talent, generational, but will never be on the level of Clemente, DiMaggio, Robinson, etc in terms of personality.
This was not him being intentionally disrespectful; rather, it was the massive amount of steroids that guided this attitude.
And there it is….BINGO
Pujols is a good guy, just doesn’t have great social skills, that’s all. Many of us would come off as less than agreeable were the spotlight constantly shown upon us.
Thats what happens when you have put up negative war while ranking in tens of millions.
Not xabial- pajols WAS one of the best!!! He should be in the HOF !!! Everyone retires at some point…and with no steroids players have been retiring younger for a very good reason.
hope he remains with the angels and convert the 1 year portion of the service contract into 1/$1 mil contract.
This is the moment where you take away grandpa’s license. I’m sorry, but his knees will turn to mush if he plays beyond 21′. Great career, but it’s over! Call it a career and make your way to Cooperstown!
I’m not sure why people think it’s disrespectful to say the guy should retire. At least greats like DiMaggio, Mantle, Williams, Aaron, Mays, etc. called it quits when it was time. The difference is that it was a slower decline because their bodies weren’t broken by too many steroids. You know, kind of like A-Fraud.
DiMaggio was forced out by Mantle.
Mantle was destroyed by injuries.
Ted Williams was to proud to be good, not great.
And Mays is your worst example. He was washed up and in his age 41 and 42 seasons. (Much like Pujols).
Mantle was destroyed by alcohol.
Lol this guy is way washed up, he is ruining his legacy, his OBP was over 400 for career now it’s well under 380
Always difficult for once great players to recognize when it’s time to go.
I have nothing but absolute respect for the career that Pujols has put up, and I feel he’s a first ballot Hall of Famer no matter what. He is, regrettably, in the “takes two to tango” zone, meaning that even if he makes the decision that he’d like to continue playing, there’s very little guarantee that any club will pony up the cash (and perhaps more importantly in this case, the roster spot) to allow that to happen. Conversely, if he decides that his playing days are done but he’d like to remain in baseball, I’d bet he’d have a LOT of offers to choose from.
The most important question is does he go into the hof as a cardinal or angel.
How does he not go in as a Cardinal?
his bronze bust will wear the same cap guerrero is wearing.
He had 8 seasons with over a 1.000 ops with the Cards, imma take St Louis.
he will have played 10(11?) year career with the angels.and that’s where he received due respect.
If he ended his career directly after his time was over in St Louis he would’ve had 2,073 hits, 445 hrs, and a .328/.420/.617 slash to give him a 1.037 ops. That would’ve made him a HOF’er before he even went to the Angels. In Anaheim he added 1,200 hits to that, 200 more hrs, and had a slash of ,258/.314/.450 to give him an average .764 ops. Yes he still has two more seasons in Anaheim, but I can’t expect those number to get much better. I understand he is putting up counting stats, and hitting milestones, but he should go in as a Card just because of his pure dominance there.
Pujols doesn’t get the choice on what team it is…the Baseball HOF took that away from players in 2001
Really? I did not know that. I wonder how they choose?
I think (not completely sure, please correct me if wrong) the hall has said that if there’s some question about what team a player will represent that they will meet with the player. Of course, that’s far short of a guarantee that the player will get what he wants.
They really should have nixed the cap completely from the plaque decades ago.
I believe the player still gets to make a suggestion. The Hall just has to approve it and has the right to choose otherwise if they disagree.
The Hall takes into account the player’s preference, meaning the player gets to pick but the “official” say comes from the Hall.
I guess if a player like Greg Maddux didn’t have a preference the Hall would’ve selected Atlanta for him. He went in blank. Or if Randy Johnson insisted on being enshrined as a Giant, they’d overrule. Obviously, that doesn’t happen in reality and Pujols will go in as a Cardinal.
Just like Reggie Jackson would’ve gone in as an Athletic if he didn’t have a preference.
Piazza
He is a Hall of Famer as a Cardinal. As an Angel he has been an average player, at best. It would be ridiculous for him to go in as anything but a Cardinal.
The shortened season sucks for him as far as his chances of getting to 700 HRs — just because he was under contract and making so much $ he was probably going to get a decent number of ABs this season and next… But then once his contract is up he’ll have a tough time finding a spot to get FT ABs. If not for his megadeal with the Angels he’s probably already be having a tough time finding playing time… But now that 1 of his 2 remaining seasons in LAA is going to be abbreviated if not cancelled — he’d have to find a team willing to play him in order to get to 700 whereas if the 2020 and 2021 seasons were just ‘normal’ ones he’d have had a shot to do it without seeking a new contract/team.
I had the same thought about this. I could see some team sign him if he’s around 690 HRs like the Marlins did with ichiro a few years ago and give him some playing time as he chases milestones
Exactly, and it would be a win win for both parties. Imagine the O’s get him for a year or two, and he gets the milestones, it attracts fans, and it keeps the team tanking. The O’s still get the 1st round draft pick (plus more fans at games), and Pujols gets his milestones.
replacing Davis with him would only make tanking harder. jokes asside though, it’s a good idea.
to be fair, he isnt getting any younger, but at least its less mileage om his legs, so losing ~1/2 a year may hurt less than actually playing that half year would
If he can get to at least 685 or so, he could still make up the difference with a couple years as a bench bat.
If he made an adjustment to try and hit more singles he actually might be able to prolong his career. He still makes contact at an absurdly high rate (very few K’s) so you’d have to imagine he could hit closer to .275 if he were trying to hit for average. But then again doing so wouldn’t help him get to 700 HRs anyway — so it’s somewhat of a moot point as that is my guess as to what his motivation for continuing to play would be.
He is cutting down his flies. He isnt flying the ball at rates he normally carried, and it’s his ground ball rate that is spiking.
He just doesn’t have the power and bat speed to get around for consistent liners anymore, and his legs are too gone to run the bases. It’s been painful to watch.
So he’s moving to Japan?
Arte should give him another 10 year deal. Make him the top paid benchwarmer.
arte may get the dumb money from texux taxpayers.
I would bet money if I could that if the NL gets the DH by 2022, the Cardinals will try to get him to come back for one or 2 years if he just needs a few more HRs or RBIs for whatever place in the record books. Would be a good PR story and get a ton more viewers and attention on tv to drive revenue.
with all due respect, i feel like the luster would wear off pretty quickly if he isnt playing much/very well
Zpgreen – NL get the DH? Humans live on Mars? Which will happen first? (Sarcasm)
once again this site’s blowhards think they should determine someone else’s future. bunch of losers you all are.
You don’t have to remind me.
Maybe he and Manny Ramirez can play together
I follow the Angels religiously. Pujols is a drag on the team at this point. His ego is keeping him on the roster. It has been apparent for a few years now he has very little to offer the team other than padding his counting stats, slowly. Albert, I paid to see you play and enjoyed watching you, but it’s time. Hang up the cleats.
bless the man for wanting to keep going. he knows he’s made his money and wolnt make much more but he still wants to keep going. good for him.
I’m willing to bet his real age 42 season has already passed.
Scouts knew it when the passed him over, the Cardinals knew it when they wouldn’t go 10 years.
He’s let it skip too many times.
that’s why they offered him desperate 10/$220 mil contract.
if we are honest the numbers he put up were better than most 42 year olds could have put up
He likely turned 42 in the 2018 season, based on his own comments. Yes, Albert is playing better than most mid 40 year olds did.
Just kind of crazy to me that he didn’t just come clean after his first big money extension with the Cards. At that time he was a fan favorite, a city icon, and nobody would’ve really been mad at him.
DarkSide- his numbers were great for age 42, but all the players who will replace him are younger and the majority have more upside (if the GM is worth his pay)
Hahahah he hasn’t but 30 GM’s have
Albert please just keep playing as long as you get at-bats. Take the Matt Stairs role, bounce around a few more years, play til you’re Julio Franco’s age and you’ll just clear the record books.
He should of stayed in St Louis. He was a legend there. I’m not a Cards fan but did they even want him to stay there forever or was he greedy taking the most money elsewhere.
Pujols wants the all-time RBI record. That is why he’s not ruling out playing beyond his current contract. If he’s a few short of the record he will want to keep playing.
Talkin Jake pointed this out. Kids in 20-30 years are gonna look back and see mike trout and Albert pujols played together for 10 years and didn’t win a single playoff game.
lmao! an orioles’ fan?
Yeah I’ve seen more playoff wins in the last 10 years than angels fans. No disrespect to trout or pujols, I have a ton of respect for both of them, or even the angels. Just pointing out something that will be noticed in the future
yeah, on tv, troll!
Vizionaire –
Gotta be honest here…you are coming off as the troll
cue the “Angels are wasting Mike Trout” comments
Pair him as a traditional platoon with someone, say Matt Adams, for a farewell tour in St. Louis.
Goldschmidt would still be the 1B at that point, and even if he would need a platoon partner, it wouldn’t be another right-hander.
Although, the Cardinals could still bring him back as a solid bench bat.
Yea sure go play with Manny Ramirez in Taiwan nobody here wants to watch you play any longer, and while you pack make sure you take that mouthy wife with you.
His contract expires the same year the CBA expires, so I could easily see a one year deal with the Cardinals to be a DH and bench bat.
If they expand rosters and add the DH to the national league, I could see a part time DH as a potential spot for him. Some team might take him just for the occasional DH starter or a pinch hit opportunity. He might be closing in on some of these records and fans will want to see it.
He was decent against left handed pitching last year. .261/ 315/ .515. He might be part of a platoon. He had 93 RBI last year.
Hes worse then replacement level, why would you sign him
I know RBI’s mean nothing, but can you just plug someone in and get 90+ rbi’s? .
If he wants to play, and someone is willing to let him, that’s his business. As to messing up his qualitative slash-line measurements…he’s got to be aware that’s a price, but they already are messed up. I don’t see what another year would do for him, other than a handful of milestones he might make that really don’t make that much difference in his standing, but, again, it’s his (and a team’s) decision. I don’t see him making 3500 hits….he was 298 short and had only 120 last season,, but maybe 700 HRs.
The remarkable thing about Albert is he’s played 8 seasons with LA, and has been throughly mediocre for them. .258/.314/450 OPS+ of 110, and 14.2 WAR, Barely passable for a corner infielder. If he could perform at that level in 2022, would a team in transition with maybe a hot prospect first basemen that they’d like to keep down on the farm for service time considerations sign him? Maybe
If he decides not to retire his knees will tell him “FINE! But we are, so you can do it without us.”
Joking aside, he could still be a pretty good bench bat in certain circumstances. If you need a home run to tie or win the game he still has okay out of the stadium power. Wouldn’t even want him as a DH though. His ability to draw walks has sunk to far.
I would think that 10 year 10m deal after he retired would be illegal. Technically it’s circumventing luxury tax rules, no?
it’s a service contract after retirement. it has nothing to do with baseball contract.
What a hitter in his prime. He had to scare the crap out of pitchers. I’m a KC fan so I have to hate the Cardinals but I remember watching him in the postseason vs the Brewers in 2011. He’d stand at the plate waving the bat and staring at the pitchers. They’d hem and haw around, pawing at the dirt with their foot, adjusting their cap, whatever…just to delay as long as possible having to pitch to him. Sure he hasn’t been the same with the Angels but I hope he hangs around long enough to reach some more milestones.
Unfortunately for Pujols, the league will decide for him. It has been really sad to see his fall from grace. He cannot play first base at all anymore and can barely run.
If he would be willing to play for next to nothing, maybe a team like the Rays or Rangers would grab him. Unfortunately for him, not a lot of teams need a DH only type hitter.
You do realize he played 98 games at 1B (and 1 at 3B) last season, right? He’s not unplayable or even particularly awful over there. It’s not like a 1B needs to do much running, anyway.
Ok, he isn’t completely unplayable… Hell Boston played Big Papi at first in the 2004 World Series.
The difference is his defense is horrible and his offense doesn’t offset that liability. The ONLY reason Pujols played 1st base at all is because Ohtani couldn’t play the field.
pujols’ defense is very good within his reduced range. having 3 very good to great infielders helps, too!
He could sign with Baltimore if he wants to continue and the Angels choose not to resign him.
If he’s willing to take a bench role, I wouldn’t mind seeing him resign with the Cardinals for a last hurrah (like Willie McGee) while he chases 700 HRs. Especially with the 26-man roster, Pujols still has value as a strong pinch-hitter who could once in a while spell Goldschmidt in the field. Aside from his really lousy 2017 (when he somehow still managed to get 100 RBIs), he’s only had negative WAR the last two years due to the unfair defensive penalty against DHs, and it’s not like he’s awful when he does play 1B, not any worse than Matt Carpenter at least.
One third of the league is tanking anyway nowadays so if he is close to a milestone and willing to play for little I could see a team taking him, get some publicity and have him help losing some games for a higher pick like the Marlins did with ichiro.
If Pujols does decide he wants to play past the 2021 season he could very well go past the 700 HR mark all time. His BA all time will most likely drop below the .300 mark even after this season.
A DH with another team is possible…….Rays is a good spot for him.
Just my opinion but I think Pujols will be looking for at least $10M deal. Don’t see the Rays spending that much.
no one is giving him 10 million. someone may sign him, but that’s absurd. if he wants to keep playing at his age and skill level its clearly less about money. he has plenty of that already
Most obvious ped user of all time.
How do you manage to get thru the day without walking into open manholes?
How do you go from the greatest player to one of the worst?
Age
and your evidence is…?
I don’t see why I rebuilding club wouldn’t give him a one year deal if he’s willing to take it… players could gain some hitting tips from Albert
Hasn’t managed an 800 OPS season since his first season in Anaheim. Paid a great deal to only hit, which he doesn’t do. I wonder if Maddon will put him in the middle of the order 6 days a week like his predecessors.
He’s a for sure HOFer who I wish for to the 700 home run club but that seems hard to accomplish for him given this short season and one last season where he can expect maybe 20 something home runs.
As once a great player as he was, it has been painful to watch him with the Angels and I wish he would retire after next year, not out of hate but out of respect for him so that he would be remembered as the great player he was.
Pujols will be done after this contract. Nobody is gonna sign him unless he pulls a Raul Ibanez and hits like 30 HRs in his last year. Maybe the White Sox or someone will sign him to a cheap one year contract. I personally think Pujols will just retire though. It would be interesting to see if he signs a one year deal to finish off his career as a Cardinal
Albert is a 1st ballot HOFer. He is one of the greatest RH hitters of all time. He is a hard worker. He is a role model for younger players. He is a great friend to Mike Trout. And he is involved in his community.
But the game tells you when its time… and sadly the game has spoken.
The Rangers aren’t going anywhere for the next 5 years. Albert could do worse, not sure the Rangers could do better at DH.
id take him over Frazier
No offense, but Albert should have retired 2 years ago.
Maybe he can platoon with Manny Ramirez.
So many really horrible, ignorant takes on this thread.
The first thing to keep in mind is the Pujols signing unlocked a massive TV rights deal with the Fox Sports RSO. The financial foundation that contract provides the team’s revenue stream can’t be overstated for its importance.
The second thing is that Pujols is exactly the right player to have as a teammate for Mike Trout as he was developing as a megastar. Pujols was Trout before there was a Trout, and was able to provide his guidance and support for Trout over the past 6 years. Trout was always a massive talent and well-raised kid, but having this resource for him (and Torii Hunter) was critically important in the early years.
Then there is the matter of Pujols’ legendary pregame routine, which sets an example for the younger players on how you prepare your body for game after game in a long season.
He also led by example playing through not just knee problems, but plantar fasciitis is each of his feet (in different years), showing character and determination, instead of hitting the DL and taking it easy for weeks.
Finally, the team’s Hispanic players could ask for no better role model than Pujols. Even though he signed a deal with just ridiculous wealth, he is still a kid who was almost not drafted, a kid from very humble beginnings, who played his way onto the Cardinals and wrote the record book along the way.
So many here will cherry-pick a stat on B-Ref and say, Oh, Pujols sucks because x”, when in fact—yes, it would have been great for him to have hit 500 HR over the past seasons with the Angels, and we all know that didn’t happen—his contributions to the team have been tremendous.
This signing has been the biggest bust in mlb history . Albert goes from a 328 hitter to a 258 hitter. OBP of over 400 to 314. To being the best player to one of the worst. Something tells me he was using performance drugs to achieve those stats. Two words “Jack Clark”.
He was supposed to retire before the contact was even over if he couldn’t produce anymore. That’s what he said when he signed the deal, at least.
So much for that. Hasn’t been able to produce at all for 3 years now, and not that great for a couple before that. Pitiful watching him like this