I was delighted to hear that Albert Pujols will finish his MLB career where it started as he will don a St. Louis Cardinals uniform after signing a one-year contract worth $2.5 million. With the DH now in the NL, Pujols will serve in that role.
Pujols, 42, played with the Cardinals from 2001 to 2011 winning three NL MVPs and two World Series rings with the Redbirds before signing with the Los Angeles Angels as a free agent prior to the 2012 season. Pujols had some good years in Anaheim, but was not the preeminent player he was in St. Louis. His tenure with the Angels ended last season as he split 2021 with the Angels and cross-town rival Dodgers.
I am looking forward to Pujols being back in a Cardinals uniform for several reasons.
Among other things, Pujols will surely jump into MLB's Top 10 all-time hit leaders. He enters 2022 in 12th place with 3301 hits. With 15 more hits, Pujols will pass Eddie Collins and with 20 more hits he will move past Paul Molitor. Pujols would then need 100 more hits to surpass Carl Yastrzemski and 101 hits to eclipse Honus Wagner. If Pujols collects 135 hits then he surpasses Cap Anson. Should there be 165 hits from Pujols then he passes Derek Jeter for the 6th place on the all-time hit list. This could be a tall order depending on how often he plays. But it will be fun to watch.
It will also be fun to watch and see if Pujols can join the 700 HR club. Pujols need 21 more HR to accomplish that feat. If he does then he will join Hank Aaron, Babe Ruth, Barry Bonds and Alex Rodriguez as the only members of that club. Of course, many consider Bonds and A-Rod's membership to be dubious. There are no such questions where it concerns Pujols though.
Pujols begins 2022 with 2150 career RBIs. Should he collect 65 RBIs in 2022 then he will pass Babe Ruth for second place on the all-time RBI list. Hank Aaron will remain atop the all-time RBI list with 2297. But being sandwiched in between Ruth and Aaron is a pretty good place to be.
It will also be good to see Pujols reunite with his old teammates Yadier Molina and Adam Wainwright who were with Pujols when the Cardinals won World Series titles in 2006 and 2011.
Cardinals fans will be delighted to cheer Pujols every chance they get and he will get a good measure of respect from opposing fans with well deserved standing ovations.
For these reasons alone, Albert Pujols return to the St. Louis Cardinals will be the best thing about the 2022 MLB season.
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