“It’s simply unbelievable watching him,’’ Cardinals All-Star third baseman Nolan Arenado stated. “When we received him, I knew he was going to assist us win video games, however actually, I don’t know the place we’d be with out him.’’
Well, the Cardinals have gotten simply a few months to determine it out as a result of it doesn’t matter what transpires the remainder of the season, Pujols insists he’s calling it a profession after the Cardinals’ ultimate recreation.
“I’m still going to retire, irrespective of whether or not I find yourself hitting 693, 696, 700, no matter,’’ Pujols instructed USA TODAY Sports. “I don’t get caught up in numbers. If you had been going to inform me 22 years in the past that I’d be this shut, I’d have instructed you that you simply’re freakin’ loopy. My profession has been superb.’’
So, nothing will change your thoughts?
“If I can’t hit 70 homers, I’m not coming again,’’ Pujols stated, laughing. “No, I’ve had sufficient. I’m glad I made the announcement this was it after I signed. Really, I wouldn’t change a factor.’’
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Pujols, who didn’t also have a job when spring coaching began, got here awfully near spoiling this Hollywood story. He had three different job provides, and at the very least one which was going to pay him considerably greater than the $2 million the Cardinals finally supplied, with others promising extra taking part in time.
But as soon as the Cardinals known as, the job search was over.
He packed his baggage and was in the Cardinals’ camp by the following morning, making ready for his farewell tour.
“I took clearly rather a lot much less cash and fewer guarantees,’’ Pujols stated, “however that is the place I wish to be. This is the place I wished to complete my final yr, and thank God he allowed me to have this door open to return right here to complete my profession.”
While everyone else might have thought it was simply going to be a ceremonial joy ride into the night, Pujols had other ideas.
“It’s been awesome having the opportunity to come back to St. Louis where everything started for me 21 years ago,’’ he said. “This organization believed I can help. It wasn’t just come back to celebrate my last year, it was knowing I can help. That means a lot to me.
“It’s pretty special to help this organization win every way I can, and enjoying my last path through this city.’’
It was the Los Angeles Dodgers, Pujols said, that re-energized him. He was released by the Los Angeles Angels last May in the final year of his 10-year, $240 million contract. The Dodgers, even with no DH in the National League last year, decided to give him a chance. Pujols became a pinch-hitter deluxe, hitting .254 with 12 homers in 189 at-bats to help lead the Dodgers to the postseason.
“I had so much respect for that organization, so much respect for the players, and was so blessed to have the opportunity to be back in the playoffs,’’ Pujols said. “It kind of really excited me to come back and play this year because they gave me the joy, gave me that thrill of being back in the postseason.’’
Now, it’s just like 2011 all over again. Pujols has the Cardinals sitting atop the National League Central with a five-game lead over the Milwaukee Brewers, feeling like he’s a kid again.
He hit a 437-foot homer off veteran lefty Madison Bumgarner in the second inning, a 429-foot homer in the fourth inning, and nearly homered again in the sixth when the ball left his bat at 109.4-mph, caroming off the left-field wall.
He even tried to steal second base in the sixth inning, was barely thrown out, and produced another single in the seventh inning.
He was a one-man show.
“I feel really good to tell you the truth,’’ Pujols said. “I really didn’t know what I could do, but I know I put in a lot of hard work with the gift the Lord has given me. I didn’t know what the year would look like, but what I could control was dedication and hard work.
“Because of that hard work, I’m able to get better, stay healthy, and accomplish a lot of things in this game that a lot of players have never done.’’
Pujols, who will go down as one of the greatest right-handed hitters of all time, can’t even keep track of all his accomplishments. Chris Conroy, the Cardinals’ assistant trainer, constantly brings in baseballs for Pujols to sign and authenticate, with Pujols asking what just happened.
On this night, the historic achievement was passing Musial, the Cardinals’ all-time great, in total bases (6,141) for second place behind only Hank Aaron (6,856). And yes, Conroy got the baseball with the home-run ball bouncing back into the field.
“It’s just crazy, every day that I go to a game,’’ Pujols says, “they’re asking for a baseball. I say, ‘Ok, what is this for?’ They say, ‘oh, you just tied or passed so-and-so.’ I’ll say, ‘What, I didn’t know that. I swear, I’m not B.S.’s you, I have no idea.'”
He was fairly conscious of the historical past of this milestone, although.
Musial has an enormous statue on the entrance of Busch Stadium. He was Pujols’ mentor and idol when Pujols got here up with the Cardinals, and Pujols was moved, even a bit emotional, that he was the one to eclipse Stan the Man.
“Just to be talked about in the identical sentence is superior,’’ Pujols stated. “What he has achieved for this group is fairly unbelievable. I’m certain he’s trying down and smiling on me.’’
Now, there’s one magical milestone left. It’s the one everybody in baseball talks about. The 700-home run membership, essentially the most prestigious fraternity in all of baseball.
“We discuss it all the time when he’s not round,’’ Arenado says. “I imply, 700 home runs? That’s one thing hardly anybody has seen. It’d be fairly particular.’’
While everyone seems to be transfixed on 700, Pujols will inform you he’s extra pleased with a quantity nobody talks about today: He has 2,187 profession RBI. The solely males in historical past with extra RBI are Aaron (2,297) and Ruth (2,214).
“That’s the quantity meaning every thing to me,’’ Pujols stated. “That’s the way you win video games. It takes 4 walks to get an RBI. It takes one homer to get at the very least one, or a base hit.
“That’s the way you win, scoring runs. If any individual comes as much as me and says that RBIs are overrated, I’ll inform them they’re freaking loopy.’’
The dream, after all, is for Pujols to go away the sport with the last word prize, one other World Series championship. He already has two rings, with loads of room for an additional. Yet, it doesn’t matter what transpires the ultimate six weeks, irrespective of whether or not he hits 700 homers, irrespective of how far the Cardinals advance into October, he’s leaving the sport with an impeccable status and a plaque reserved for him in Cooperstown.
He performed the sport clear, performed it proper, and revered the sport each second he has stepped onto the sphere.
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Who else can be OK being pinch-hit for by a rookie with a a right-hander on the mound, with the gang of 34,248 loudly booing the hometown child, Nolan Gorman, and provide encouragement as he stepped to the plate? When Gorman delivered a single, guess who was on the highest step of the dugout wildly cheering?
Yep, Pujols.
It was a second that Gorman won’t ever, ever neglect. He’ll be capable of inform his youngsters, grandkids, and nice grandkids that there was an August evening, with 150 family and friends members in attendance, when he pinch-hit for the good Hall of Famer.
“It was superior,’’ stated Gorman, who has an autographed jersey from Pujols. “That’s all I used to be serious about was getting this job achieved for Albert.’’
That’s Pujols, the last word teammate, function mannequin and ambassador.
It hurts him when he sees gamers like Fernando Tatis Jr. busted for performance-enhancing medicine figuring out that their careers are stained perpetually. He hopes that Tatis and others who’ve been suspended for PEDs might be forgiven, however is aware of they’ll by no means once more be seen the identical.
“I don’t choose individuals, however it saddens me to see that being from the identical nation, the Dominican Republic, and the error the man made,’’ Pujols stated. “It doesn’t make you a foul individual, however you made a foul alternative. All it takes is a foul alternative and it simply stinks to see that not only for them, however for baseball and the individuals in our nation.
“I’m on the radar identical to all people else, however there’s an enormous duty it’s a must to carry with you,’’ Pujols added. “That duty I’ve with God has helped me have the success I’d had. I do know there’s lots of people, a rustic that has adopted me all through my profession, and I wish to make them proud.’’
Mission achieved, 700 homers or not.
“No matter what occurs, buddy,’’ Pujols says, “I wouldn’t change a factor. I’ve had an unbelievable profession. How blessed am I?’’
Follow Nightengale on Twitter: @Bnightengale
