With Albert Pujols officially a member of the St. Louis Cardinals again, Cards’ fans everywhere are rejoicing.
Their former franchise icon is back wearing the Birds on the Bat for one final year and a chance to ride off into the sunset with Adam Wainwright and Yadier Molina.
But it’s time to look back on his first tenure with St. Louis.
In his first 11 years, all with the Cardinals, Pujols hit .328, mashed 445 home runs, won NL Rookie of the Year in 2001, was an All-Star ten times, was a three-time MVP, and a two-time World Series champion.
As we look back on his first season in the big leagues, we see that the Cardinals lineup was already loaded, but the emergence of Pujols made their lineup an absolute powerhouse.
— Chelsea Janes (@chelsea_janes) March 28, 2022
A Juggernaut
With names such as Edgar Renteria, Jim Edmonds, and Mark McGwire, there’s no doubt this lineup was already powerful, but Pujols turned it into a juggernaut.
Pujols went deep 37 times, drove in 130 runs, and batted .329 on his way to winning Rookie of the Year in 2001, but that was just the start.
He would soon become the centerpiece of the Cards’ “MV3” that featured him, Edmonds, and Scott Rolen.
That big three was on full display in 2004 when the Cardinals won 105 games and reached their first World Series since 1987.
The three power bats also were key contributors on the 2006 squad that won it all.
Now, Pujols returns to where it all started for one last dance.
He has a chance to go out alongside Wainwright and Molina.
Things may have changed over the many years since Pujols last put on a Cards’ jersey, but the goal remains the same, and what better way for the three of them to go out than to win another title?
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