The return of Albert Pujols to St. Louis is just a couple of days away but his highly anticipated homecoming will be bittersweet.
Truthfully, more bitter than sweet.
It’s been eight Major League Baseball calendar years since Pujols took his first-ballot Hall of Famer talents to Southern California, spurning the Redbirds’ eleventh-hour offer to remain a Cardinal.
Pujols parlayed the feelings of being disrespected into a 10-year, $240,000,000 contract with the Anaheim Angels. The fateful failure to sign him after the team won the memorable 2011 World Series against the Texas Rangers – a signing that the Cardinals should have orchestrated themselves years sooner – was the first in a series of missteps by the front office and owner.
Who can forget the three-homer game Pujols had in Arlington, helping the Cardinals claim their eleventh championship? It would be their last since his departure.
The Cardinals can try to put a different spin on the negotiations in order to save face, but Pujols was the face of this franchise and among the best players in the game. He should have been the highest paid Cardinal for all of his accomplishments but was surpassed in salary by Scott Rolen, Jim Edmonds and Matt Holliday, whom he lobbied management to acquire.
Let’s be clear. It wasn’t what the Cardinals eventually offered Pujols, but when they offered it! They simply should have torn up the previous contract and made certain that one of Major League Baseball’s most feared hitters never donned another jersey, and ended his career where it started just as the Padres’ Tony Gwynn and Yankees’ Derek Jeter did.
Pujols absence took away an intimidating presence in the batting order that’s still missing, regular trips to the postseason and at least two chances to win additional championships.
Perhaps Jose’ Oquendo becomes a manager instead of Mike Matheny? Maybe Albert helps convince the owner to sign Max Scherzer or JD Martinez?
The self-made, Gold Glove wielding first baseman, no stranger to the finer points of the Cardinal Way, would have seen to it that the club adhered to the teachings of former greats and would have enjoyed passing tips on to the "Baby Birds" in waiting.
That’s what de facto captains do.
And for those who claimed that a long-term deal with Albert would have blocked someone’s ascent to the “Bigs” to eventually take Pujols’ place, who on earth, let alone in this organization’s farm system, would that have been?
Whose talent remotely resembled or had the makings of a major star-in-waiting? Weren’t those same words uttered in the case of Yadier Molina? All the Cardinals did was give the standout catcher an extension at $20,000,000 per year. No one is bemoaning Yadi’s place, production or unofficial title of “field general” on this ballclub as he ages, nor should they.
That Pujols won’t retire a Cardinal should still leave a sore spot with many diehard fans of baseball inside and outside of Cardinal Nation.
Pujols will be the headliner of the three-game series this weekend (June 21st – 23rd) in his long-awaited return to Busch where he starred and made history after having the most prolific first decade ever of anyone in the majors.
He’ll have a contingent of baseball’s brightest shining talents in tow, including perennial All-Star outfielder Mike Trout, considered by most the best player in the game today, and wunderkind Shohei Ohtani, the Japanese trailblazer who doubles as a pitcher and designated hitter.
The interleague matchup should be loads of fun! Pujols can be expected to receive thunderous ovations every time his name his called – be it when the lineup card is announced, he steps to the plate or makes a great play in the field. Rest assured, there’ll be a smattering of boos as well.
There’s a special place in the hearts of Cardinal fans for Albert Pujols and always will be. What’s done is done. That was then, this is now. Retirement is fast approaching. It’s time to merely enjoy the moment and the greatness of one of the top two players in Cardinal history. The impending return of Albert Pujols, too long in the making, will be emotional for all, conjure up fans’ thoughts of what might have been, a celebration of the man, the player, his body of work, his career, his impact - yet bittersweet. Truthfully, it’ll be more bitter than sweet.
Thanks for all of the great memories, Albert!
