Because of his stellar play with the St. Louis Cardinals from 2001 to 2011, Albert Pujols reached celebrity status in the city.
Before leaving to Los Angeles to sign for the Angels, Pujols had won two World Series, nine All-Star berths, three MVP awards, the Rookie of the Year award in 2001, the National League Championship Series MVP award in 2004, two Gold Glove awards, six Silver Slugger awards, a batting crown, two home run crowns, and one RBI crown.
He was, quite likely, the single most dominant hitter of the 2000s decade.
Now, after several years with the Angels and a few months with the Los Angeles Dodgers, Pujols will be returning to St. Louis on a one-year deal worth $2.5 million, with some incentives.
Cardinals fans are excited about the chance of watching their idol play, even if he is not at his best anymore.
Age is unforgiving, and Pujols is 42.
While he managed to slug 17 homers last year, he put up a .717 OPS.
LaRussa Is Genuinely Happy For Pujols
It doesn’t matter: he is coming back to St. Louis, and expectations aren’t that high at this point: just his presence in the clubhouse is a win for the whole organization.
One of his former managers expressed happiness to see him go to St. Louis, too.
“White Sox manager Tony LaRussa on Albert Pujols returning to the Cardinals: ‘I’m ecstatic for him. I’m ecstatic for the organization’, USA Today Bob Nightengale tweeted on Monday.
White Sox manager Tony LaRussa on Albert Pujols returning to the Cardinals: ‘I’m ecstatic for him. I’m ecstatic for the organization’
— Bob Nightengale (@BNightengale) March 28, 2022
LaRussa was the manager of the Cardinals during Pujols’ entire tenure in St. Louis, having taken over in 1996 and leaving in 2011 as he decided to retire.
He eventually came back, though.
The two men shared wonderful moments together, and LaRussa’s quotes are those of a genuinely happy man.
It seems like everyone is happy with Pujols returning to St. Louis.
It was just meant to be.
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