Albert Pujols Forum

Moneyball.....my favorite baseball movie...

Pujols is pretty much unprecendented in history.  There's never been a player as good as Pujols was for as long as he was, to be as bad as he has been for as long as he has been. 

Spent ten-eleven years playing at an inner circle HOF level, and nine-ten years at an average to below average major league player level.

I will say this.....to me it's amazing he has done as well as he has especially since he is older than what "his offical age" is.  I personally know teachers from his high and college years and I have confirmation he is at least 3 years older.  But that doesn't matter, he put up some huge numbers.

And on Willie Mays's birthday. All l know is that he was FANtastic for a decade, and very good for a decade after that, accumulating amazing numbers. I do hope he gets to retire as a Cardinal. In fact, as a Cubs fan, I hope they sign him and cut Goldschmidt...

Sorry. Curiously, because I don't target specific players, Pujols is #2 in my collection, just due to longevity and All-Star cards and the like. 

Good luck, Albert. 

v3

It's a rough way to end a career, but he made his money and an impact with several great seasons. I'm glad I was able to catch a game he played in Toronto during his MVP season in 2005. I think it was Larry Walker's last game he played in Canada too, but I may be wrong. Pretty good one for my first-ever live baseball game.

When the news broke, my brother said "He was still playing?", which is kind of sad because I'm sure many thought he retired a few years earlier. I'm just looking over those Cardinals numbers and not watching much National League games, I forgot he hit so well in terms of batting average. Super consistent throughout his Card days!

ngl this made me really sad

they really released him in the last year of contract

my inner 8 year old is upset

also I feel like if he wants to play again, Kansas City would be a pretty good guess

I was pretty upset when he left the Cardinals to chase that big money. I was glad to see him continue his production levels for several years but also a little happy he still got nowhere close to another championship. I hate how this is ending for him, but I must mention that I told people when the 10-year contract was announced that he'd never stay on the team for 10 years. He almost proved me wrong.

A 10-year contract for any person in any sport at any level is still just ridiculous to me.

Probably won't happen, but it would be fun to see him go to Colorado for the rest of the year and see how close Coors Field can help him get to 700 home runs.

Interesting read from the St Louis Post-Dispatch today:

BenFred: Bring back Pujols? It would require him accepting bench job, and Cards admitting the obvious | Ben Frederickson | stltoday.com

I'd have no problem seeing him finish his career in St. Louis, but I think Ben brings out a point he doesn't address- why would Pujols return to St. Louis to be in the same position he was in in LA?  Is his best days behind him? Of course, but I don't see him wanting out of LA to play daily just to go to St. Louis to do the same.  The only way I see that happens is if he isn't signed by the All-Star break and he will begrudginly admit nobody really wants him.  I would love to see him everyday for the rest of the year somewhere, mainly because I want him to get to 700, actually I want to see him pass Babe Ruth but I doubt that will happen.  I think the only teams would be A.L. teams and probably ones that have expectations of making the playoffs.  However I could see Kansas City looking at him, but again I don't see it as an everyday player so he might not do it.  He has some ties to the KC area, so it wouldn't be far-fetched. I would love to see that happen too, but at this point its wishful thinking.  It would be somewhat smart though for whatever team to give him a shot everyday if he truly wants to stay around as a coach, and I think Kansas City and St. Louis are his best shots.  Either way, even if his numbers keep falling if he plays daily the rest of the year, I don't see it hurting his Hall of Fame chances.  I hope he gets another shot, and honestly hope he catches fire when he does just to add further insult to the Angels.