Mr. Pujols has officially done it. Against Las Angeles, no less.
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What a way to do it! Watched the game on Apple TV+ broadcast which was shockingly well done.Â
Shaping up to be a very memorable season. And with a probable playoff run coming up, who knows?Â
He's currently number 3 for all-time RBIs, and could well pass Ruth for second before the season is done. Also important to note that Pujols isn't tainted by the steroid era, the way that Bonds is. Really an amazing player.Â
If he hadn't left STL for more money on the Coast, he would have had bridges named after him.
If he hadn't left STL for more money on the Coast, he would have had bridges named after him.
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^^I don't think it's impossible he still could get bridges named after him. He came back just in time and in just the style needed to soothe a lot of the pain. I kind of understood why he left, even if I wasn't happy about it. I understand why Mo didn't sign him for that kind of cash too, mind. But all in all I'm please with the way things are going. (Though I'd still gladly throw out the DH and all the crap changes that have popped up since plague struck.)
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I dunno, truly a legendary player and honestly his ability to get to 700 is really BECAUSE he went to LA (because of DH position) so it hard to begrudge the decision, but they'll have to build the Molina Bridge first IMHO. And we don't build bridges too often..
I could definitely see renaming a City Park or a Greenway after either of them in the nearer term.
I could definitely see renaming a City Park or a Greenway after either of them in the nearer term.
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^Oh, don't mind me. I'm not saying it's likely. (And I understand the DH helped him and it's why we have him back. I still don't like it.) But he's pretty beloved. Same for Molina, as you quite correctly observe. Parks seem likely. Possibly parks with nice ball-fields. (And we ought to do some outreach to both Puerto Rico and the Dominican Republic. Get some St. Louis Cardinal parks in both places, if we haven't already. Would be a nice thank you for the gifts they've shared with us.)
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I thought we learned our lesson about naming public places for our 'living' hero's after the Mark McGwire / hwy 70 fiasco. That being said, Yadi is my guy and I wouldn't object to him or Albert getting some kind of permanent recognition.symphonicpoet wrote: ↑Sep 26, 2022^Oh, don't mind me. I'm not saying it's likely. (And I understand the DH helped him and it's why we have him back. I still don't like it.) But he's pretty beloved. Same for Molina, as you quite correctly observe. Parks seem likely. Possibly parks with nice ball-fields. (And we ought to do some outreach to both Puerto Rico and the Dominican Republic. Get some St. Louis Cardinal parks in both places, if we haven't already. Would be a nice thank you for the gifts they've shared with us.)
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I wouldn't say that was a fiasco necessarily. There are/were definitely much worse people to have named a road after. More shortsighted than anything, given that just 2 years later, Bonds would hit 73.  Maybe stop naming things after people that are still alive (and then maybe give it 10-15 years after that). Also, having I70 named after Brett on one end of the state and McGwire on the other end was kind of quirky.ÂFrankRider wrote: ↑Sep 27, 2022I thought we learned our lesson about naming public places for our 'living' hero's after the Mark McGwire / hwy 70 fiasco. That being said, Yadi is my guy and I wouldn't object to him or Albert getting some kind of permanent recognition.symphonicpoet wrote: ↑Sep 26, 2022^Oh, don't mind me. I'm not saying it's likely. (And I understand the DH helped him and it's why we have him back. I still don't like it.) But he's pretty beloved. Same for Molina, as you quite correctly observe. Parks seem likely. Possibly parks with nice ball-fields. (And we ought to do some outreach to both Puerto Rico and the Dominican Republic. Get some St. Louis Cardinal parks in both places, if we haven't already. Would be a nice thank you for the gifts they've shared with us.)
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Pujols left for Los Angeles and Anaheim, where he quickly figured out players like Kobe Bryant, Clayton Kershaw, and Mike Trout were going to be more celebrated than him. He also never won a single playoff game in Anaheim, losing the only three he ever played in.
The rejuvenated Pujols kind of makes sense to me. It's clear he relishes the limelight and, perhaps even more important, playing in meaningful games. That energizes most professional athletes.Â
It makes one wonder, had the designated hitter been in the National League in 2012 and not 2022, would Pujols have finished his career as a lifelong Cardinal and with the most homers in MLB history? Â
Who knows? Maybe. The plantar fasciitis and other ailments may have still nabbed him, but it's just hard to believe that he would have become a laughingstock with nicknames like Albertross here in St. Louis.
The rejuvenated Pujols kind of makes sense to me. It's clear he relishes the limelight and, perhaps even more important, playing in meaningful games. That energizes most professional athletes.Â
It makes one wonder, had the designated hitter been in the National League in 2012 and not 2022, would Pujols have finished his career as a lifelong Cardinal and with the most homers in MLB history? Â
Who knows? Maybe. The plantar fasciitis and other ailments may have still nabbed him, but it's just hard to believe that he would have become a laughingstock with nicknames like Albertross here in St. Louis.
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If Pujols did just 10% better in LAA vs his actual he would have about 730 homers and be there all time RBI leader with about 2300
You could argue that he could have gotten 15-20% more homers if he was healthy the entire time but a lot of this can be said for a few players…ie Griffey
You could argue that he could have gotten 15-20% more homers if he was healthy the entire time but a lot of this can be said for a few players…ie Griffey
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Don't forget that COVID impacted his career numbers too. If there was a full season in 2020, he probably has another 10-15 HRs.
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I'm quite content to name him one of the greatest hitters of all time. When you're up there with the likes of the Bambino and A-Rod you're absolutely doing something right. He's a lot closer to Aaron than even to household names like Ty Cobb. He's legit. And if LA didn't figure it out and cheer on what they had . . . well . . . all the better for us, I suppose. (I suppose the Angels are kind of an "also ran" when they're so close to the Dodgers. That probably didn't help.)