JUPITER, Fla. (AP) — With a wave of his hand and a tip of the cap, Albert Pujols walked again into the arena of the St. Louis Cardinals for one ultimate season.
“That is it for me,” the 42-year-old Pujols mentioned Monday. “That is my ultimate run.”
It used to be relatively a scene as Pujols rejoined the Redbirds.
Dressed in a large smile and his acquainted pink No. 5 jersey, he emerged from past the correct box wall at Roger Dean Stadium between the primary and 2nd innings of a recreation towards Houston.
Cardinals pitchers, catchers and coaches sitting on chairs a long way down the road stood to recognize the three-time NL MVP, as did the fanatics within the stands. Pujols strolled round to the St. Louis dugout at the 3rd base aspect, the place he used to be greeted with hearty hugs and high-fives.
A lot of these years later, the slugger who helped the Cardinals win two International Collection championship used to be house.
The Cardinals and Pujols agreed to a $2.5 million, one-year contract, giving him a possibility to finish his profession within the position the place it began.
“Seldom does one get to proportion in staring at or being part of `residing’ historical past,” Cardinals President of Baseball Operations John Mozeliak mentioned. “From the day we referred to as Albert’s title within the draft room again in 1999, to now, as we set our points of interest on 2022, this reunion simply is sensible in such a lot of techniques.”
“We’re all having a look ahead to reuniting Albert together with his Cardinals circle of relatives, and for the fan in all people, together with myself, this appears like having a look during the pages of a favourite scrapbook or baseball card album and seeing the ones photographs and reminiscences soar off the pages.”
Pujols spent a part of Monday video conferencing with 39-year-old Cardinals catcher Yadier Molina, his teammate right through 8 seasons in St. Louis.
“I am glad for him to be right here,” mentioned Molina, who most probably is in his ultimate season. too. “It will be a amusing yr.”
Pujols performed the primary 11 years of his profession in St. Louis, teaming with Molina to steer the Cardinals to the 2006 and 2011 International Collection titles.
“We’ve got most effective were given something in thoughts — profitable any other championship,” Molina mentioned.
Previous to Monday’s Graprefruit League recreation, Cardinals heart fielder Harrison Bader posted a photograph on social media of what gave the impression to be a No. 5 Pujols jersey putting in a Cardinals’ locker.
Pujols does not swing just about as fearsome a bat as he did right through his St. Louis hey-day, however the Cardinals determined they have got a place for a chosen hitter who can hit left-handed pitching.
That is something Pujols nonetheless does smartly.
Pujols hit a mixed .236 for the Los Angeles Angels and Dodgers ultimate season, however hit .294 with a .939 OPS towards lefties.
Pujols wishes 21 homers to turn out to be the fourth profession primary leaguer to hit 700 in a profession.
“Including anyone like this is loopy vital,” first-year supervisor Oliver Marmol mentioned. “What he does with that clubhouse outdoor of his ability set is implausible.”
The deal brings Pujols again to the place he changed into one of the most recreation’s maximum robust and threatening all-around hitters. The NL Rookie of the 12 months in 2001 hit a minimum of .300 with a minimum of 30 homers and 100 RBIs in each and every of his first 10 seasons in St. Louis.
A wildly widespread participant in St. Louis, Pujols performed his ultimate recreation for the Cardinals on Oct. 28, 2011, a Sport 7 win over Texas within the International Collection.
Pujols gained the ones 3 MVP awards and made 9 All-Superstar groups with the Cardinals prior to signing a 10-year, $240 million maintain the Angels in 2012. He used to be waived by means of the Angels ultimate Would possibly whilst hitting .198, and signed with the Dodgers, for whom he hit 12 homers and drove in 38 runs in 85 video games.
With use of the designated hitter extending to the Nationwide League, the Cardinals discovered a have compatibility with Pujols as opening day on April 7 towards Pittsburgh at Busch Stadium approached.
“This reunion with Albert is an excellent alternative for now not most effective him and the Cardinals, but in addition for our nice fanatics, the St. Louis neighborhood, our avid gamers and workforce, and everybody hooked up to the St. Louis Cardinals group,” Cardinals chairman Invoice DeWitt Jr. mentioned in a observation.
“We look ahead to seeing Albert within the `Birds at the Bat’ as soon as once more, and dressed in his acquainted uniform No. 5,” he mentioned.
NOTES: Pujols would earn $150,000 for International Collection MVP, $100,000 each and every for All-Superstar, Gold Glove, League Championship Collection and MVP, and $50,000 each and every for Silver Slugger and completing 2nd and tenth in MVP balloting. … RHP Blake Parker has agreed to a minor league contract and been invited to primary league camp. Parker, 36, used to be 2-1 with a three.09 ERA in 47 video games with Cleveland ultimate yr. He’s 16-11 with 34 saves and a three.47 ERA in portions of 9 seasons with seven groups.
