Ken Griffey Jr. after 2000 was a shadow of the player he was in the '90s. We all still remember him as the Kid though and don't really think of his Reds legacy as defining him. Same goes for Pujols.
Rich Affinito Albert had plantar fasciitis and had the tendon totally cut because the pain was so extreme. He’s been playing on a near useless foot for years. It’s remarkable he can still play.
yeah and griffey didn't retire until april 2010! it was really sad the way he went out, he literally gave the game EVERYTHING. imo that is a loss of dignity b/c he wasn't able to "ride off into the sunset"
Griffey was better post 2000 than Pujols has been since 2012. Since 2012 Albert is slashing .258/.314/.450./764 in 4375 ABs. Griffey between 2001-10 was .260/.350/.483/.833 in 3449 ABs. And Junior had only 19 fewer home runs despite almost 1000 fewer at bats.
Spending an entire decade as the best and most consistent hitter in the game gives you a long leash so his legacy was basically cemented long before the ink was dry on that Angels contract.
Totally agree. His career with the Cardinals was probably enough for the HOF. He gave the Angels 5 decent (but totally overpaid) years. Having your age 37-41 seasons suck is no big deal and no one would hold it against him.
Francisco Ilabaca Nobody should blame Pujols for the Angels being willing to shell out that kind of money. I felt the same way when Cano left the Yankees after all the years of quality baseball they got out of him.
He's a strong case on why you don't give 10 years contracts to players anymore. I guess you can do it to some players, but not a plain contract, at least there's must be some kind of production clause involved considering the decline after 5 or 6 years into it.
Greatest hitter of a generation. Ten straight years of 300 average plus 30 hrs and 100 rbi beating records of Ruth with 8 and Gehring with 9. And i forgot what have you done with your life?
Just discovered it. This is awesome @Foolish Baseball . I am Dominican, we need to translate it to Spanish so the non-english speaking Dominicans can enjoy it. A whole different lens of enjoying/seeing baseball. A truly scientific game.
did it ruin his legacy? HELLLLL NO! albert was one of the greatest hitters of his generation, you can't blame the guy for getting paid and getting old. the championships, the batting accolades, and his stellar play in the 2000's solidified that
It's a dream scenario. Win every award and honor possible, hit free agency, and get paid the big bucks to under-perform. He'll be ultimately rememebred for the good times, too.
Magical 2022 season. Most fun I have had as a cardinals fan. My idol growing up back with the cards and hitting his 700th home run. Definitely the most productive free agent signing for St. Louis.
For those of you who dont realize just how dominate Pujols is and was here is a few stats. He is 15 all time in hits with 3166 He is 8th all time in doubles with 653 He is 6th all time in HR with 651 He is 3rd all time in RBI with 2049 3X MVP ROY 2X Gold Glove 6X Silver Slugger Only Player in history with 650+ Doubles and Home Runs. * If he plays out his contract through 2022 averaging 250 ABs a season which is less than 80 gp per season he will most likely finish #1 in RBIs #4 in HRs and top 10 in hits. Hey may not be the player he once was but let him chase these records!
The only great players I can think of that went out on top are Ted Williams, David Ortiz, and Sandy Koufax (maybe Lou Gehrig if you take in account he was playing with ALS). I have memories of them tripping around in the outfield, striking out and looking bad doing it, being thrown out at first from the OF, and getting shelled on the mound. Those memories do not tarnish or diminish those careers or legacies.
If you’re a comedian, and there’s no one better at what you do, do people keep coming to the show when you’re no longer funny? He’s in the performance industry, perform or go home
As a Tigers fan, I’ve seen that labored run so much that I’ve become immune to cringing at it. Whether it was Victor Martinez, or Jhonny Peralta, or even Miggy on two bad ankles. That labored run to score from first brought back memories from a time we were good.
@stevnff Less a revival and more of a "Hey, I'm not completely done yet.". A revival would put him at a level way higher than what he played last year.
I don't think his struggles with the Angels damages his legacy. Mainly because I totally forgot he was still playing for the Angels. I feel that I'm not alone here. So his legacy should be fine.
This may be me speaking as a Cardinals fan, but I totally forgot about him after he wen to LA. I was at a Rangers vs Angels game a few weeks ago and was surprised when they announced him coming up to bat. Completely forgot he was still playing.
695! Foolish has stated this is his least favorite video atleast once, and the Renaissance Pujols has had in the last month and a half is probably not helping.
I'm an Angel fan so I care. Horrible contract to an over the hill player who's most likely 5 years older than he says. Not his fault though, this is all on the Angels management.
For me, Pujols’s legacy is that he’s the greatest player of the 2000s. His devastating fall could never destroy what he was able to consistently do in the oughts
@@FoolishBaseball The thing is, if he was only a league average player [albeit a consistent one with, say, a Career AVG (to pick one state) of .276] and he descended to his current level, it wouldn't raise an eyebrow - and he is still hitting enough HRs etc to be a serviceable option. However, he's fallen from the top of the mountain, which makes things appear worse than, perhaps, they really are.
He was so good for 10 straight years consistently giving you .330 avg 35 home runs 130 rbi every season it doesnt matter if hes broken down. He still has a chance to finish with 700+ home runs and 2200 rbi. Hes a legend and it will always stay that way.
Jack Argie I wrote that right when the notification popped up and I clicked on it. Someone else had the same idea. Great minds do think alike, and all baseball fans have great minds!
No, this will not damage his legacy. Just like nobody remembers Jordan's time with the Wizards, nobody will remember Lebron's time with the Lakers or Pujols' time with the Angels.
Codie Fitz I would say that LeBron is finished. He went from the best player in the world to maybe the 10th best player in just 1 year. That is not a good sign when you consider his age.
Problem is that Pujols is in year #8 with the Angels. If he plays out his contract, he'll basically have split his time between St. Louis and Los Angeles. The examples you brought up are mere pit stops in a player's a career. With Pujols, we're talking about a long amount of time.
As an Angels fan, we love having Pujols. He is still shattering records all the time, good chance he'll still get 700 hr's. He is a hall of famer, a playing legend. And also, the angels aren't in LA, they're in Anaheim.
No way his decline related to age hurts his past greatness. He's still a first ballot HOF'er and once you're in that category nothing really matters what happened at the end of your career.
700 or bust baby! 7 more to go!!!!! LFG!!!! Seriously he left LA and became a 900 OPS hitter again at 42, WTF?!? How much better would Trout have been if he didn’t play his whole career there? It’s like that Jersey immediately takes .150 OPS from everyone who wears it! Look at Pujols, Rendon…
Great touch with the bit about wRC+ vs HR and RBI. I remember being told how "productive" he was just because he got to 100 RBI and shaking my head. Great video tho keep it up!
Fun fact : Brandon Phillips got 103 RBI while slashing for .266/.310/.396 line and hitting 18HR in 2013. That was entirely because he had both Shin-soo Choo and Joey Votto hitting ahead of him.
When I think about Pujols here are my top memories. 1. His home run off the train tracks against Brad Lidge 2. His 3 home run World Series game 3. Watching him have 3 MVP seasons on my favorite team 4. Him blasting a ball to Mars in RFK stadium at my first Cardinals game. Yeah watching his decline has stung a bit, but his legacy is as one of the greatest players to ever step to the plate and I will hear no slander.
@@isaelvaldez9916 I think you might need to look up what worth means. Sure, you can argue that he deserved the money, and people were willing to give it to him, but he wouldn't have produced for anyone and just because you have a legacy doesn't mean you're a WORTHwhile investment.
If he retired after 2011 he would've still been a HoFer. He was already one of the greatest 1Bs of all time at that point. Stint at Angels is seriously hurting his career total statline, but he still is a 1st ballot lock.
Rusty Staub played for the Expos, the Mets and the Tigers, among other teams. He was a gifted hitter, which is evident when you realize that he NEVER beat out a hit. He had to drive the ball deep and still hustle to make sure he made it to first. A joke about him during his playing days was that he was the only player in history to ground into a 7-3 putout.
Fun fact : Casey McGehee played second base in some games in 2017 for the NPB's Yomiuri Giants, because all the other middle infielders(except for regular SS Sakamoto, who won batting title that year) in his team were hitting below the mendoza line. Just imagine playing middle infield with him.
"The best decision the Cardinals ever made was extending Albert Pujols. The second-best decision the Cardinals ever made was not extending Albert Pujols." - Baseball's Not Dead
As a Cards fan who loved following Albert while he was a Cardinal, I have very mixed feelings about this. I still want him to do well, and as the video says, exit with dignity. But the analysis here is excellent, and the truth of it makes me sad. I wish he took the Cardinals' offer in 2011, as I think the decay of his legacy began there. Hall of Fame players who played with one team are remembered especially fondly. It just makes it worse that his bad years are all cleanly bundled up in his Angels tenure, so it's almost like he only had half a career.
After playing thru planter fasciitis I give him a pass for losing most if not all of his speed. Just walking thru that shiiiii was almost impossible for my 18 years old brother, can’t imagine how it effected Pujols in his 30s while still playing baseball on it everyday.
Any video about Pujols wouldn’t be complete without him hitting a homerun off the Pirates at PNC Park and you didn’t disappoint. That’s what I will never forget about him, ruining lots of Pirates games 2001-11. He has hit 30 in his career at PNC. Besides the two Busch Stadiums and Angel Stadium (his home stadiums), the only ballpark he’s hit more at is Minute Maid Park where he’s hit 31. The Astros have been a division opponent all but one year of his career (2012) and yet the Pirates were so bad against Pujols at home, he hit so many against the Pirates there that it took him until 2018 to surpass that number against the Astros at their ballpark. I still was a bit disappointed seeing him sign with the Angels, I really wanted the Pirates to enjoy his declining years. I wanted to see the Cardinals make a really bad decision and sign him for too much money and have that around their necks for a decade. Oh well, its not like the Cardinals just traded for Paul Goldschmidt...
Another problem is he's listed as 6'3 when he's really about 6'0-6'1. I've been repeatedly measured at 6'1 and was slightly taller than him when I met him.
Never understood why just because a player gets old and a bit worse his legacy is ruined… I’m more than happy at the fact alby is still playing… dude batting .500 for his last 16 at bats, he def ain’t what he used to be but I don’t think he detriment to any team… plus the amount of fans that show up just to see this legend is bringing in more money, I bet he plays for a couple more years gets his 700hr and solidifies himself as one of the best players of our generation
@@atreus4277 I was a weekend warrior in my 40s. I lifted weights, ran sprints, lost weight and I was still slow af. 10x the work, and literally half as fast as I was in my 20s. I'm amazed he is still playing at his age.
Don't think it tarnished his legacy. When we all imagine Albert, we think of that 2000s Machine. And in the last few years, he's been able to reach those special numbers that old men like Peter Gammons and other baseball writers live for and, in the process, put his whole career into the sort of echelon that'd be comparable to a pitcher getting to 300 wins today. Very few people are going to look at 3000 hits or 2000 RBIs historically and say, "Yeah, but he was so slow and didn't get enough WAR to live up to that contract." He was the best player for a decade and then got those final tallies to really bring that idea of him as the Machine home to roost. You were right, too, he was just fun to watch (insert cliché "even as a ___ fan" (Pirates in this case)). Will never forget that bomb against Lidge. RIP, Brad.
Exactly. Who cares about his war and non .300 avg. The fact he is still an above average run producer who DOESNT strike out alot is enough to keep his career going. He isnt hurting the angels with his play
I think if he does well this year he will play well into the next decade....id love to see him make a run at A-rod/hank but it would require 3 more good years after this to happen. Which is totally possible unless he suffers a major injury
@@FoolishBaseball You're a genius but I think you went backwards there. He would be older than 21 as he started as well, if he's older than he says now
I had some fun with the Baseball Savant running splits and picked the 2017 versions of Billy Hamilton, Chase Utley, Ichiro, and Pujols. It's crazy how in 2017, Utley (38 during the '17 season) and Ichiro (43) were no more than 5-6 feet behind Hamilton when he reaches 1B. Poor Pujols was only 72 feet up the line.
I think his personality and his total dominance in the early 2000s has already cemented his legacy. And hopefully he has 1 more very respectable year which would be so so so awesome
I remember the 2011 off-season as basically the cardinals having the choice of either bidding high enough to keep Pujols or being able to afford Wainwright, probably wouldn’t be able to keep both long term. Considering Waino was still their ace this season, I think they made the right choice Edit after 2022 season: apparently the Cardinals devil magic flows through Pujols. If he never left, who knows, he might’ve reached 800 HR
Albert pujols now 4th all time in homers, hitting the ball like he’s 30 again, and 3 away from the legendary 700 homers. He might be slow, but he’s also a legendary hitter. Let’s go Albert!
The Reds offered Pujols 10yrs/225 Million during his free agency, and the front office believed at the time he would sign there. Would have changed baseball history, and probably sunk the Reds even worse.
I think Pujols' speed, or lack there of, to first base can be attributed to the amount of time he takes to finish his swing and get out of the box. If you look at the 4.38 clip, he is out of the box almost on impact. For some of his slower runs, he makes contact and finishes his swing, adding a couple tenths of a second on his time
Finally been waiting for this video since im a cards fan! Loved pujols when he was on the Cardinals! I agree though, he is way too slow and isn't very good at all now.
Plantar Fasciitis has always been an issue with Albert. As a Cardinals fan; I have so many memories of him though. I'll never forget those great NLCS series against the Astros. The best time was when he took Lidge deep off the train at Minute Maid park.
15:08 The 4.38 seconds is simply due to the fact he didn't finish his swing and was leaning towards first base, nearly getting a head start on his run. You aren't factoring enough things in, like the length of the swing.
He did it. 700. I’ll miss his love of the game, more than his talent
I won't miss the league forcing pitchers to let him ruin their ERA to get 700 because he sucks ass.
Ken Griffey Jr. after 2000 was a shadow of the player he was in the '90s. We all still remember him as the Kid though and don't really think of his Reds legacy as defining him. Same goes for Pujols.
Rich Affinito Albert had plantar fasciitis and had the tendon totally cut because the pain was so extreme. He’s been playing on a near useless foot for years. It’s remarkable he can still play.
yeah and griffey didn't retire until april 2010! it was really sad the way he went out, he literally gave the game EVERYTHING. imo that is a loss of dignity b/c he wasn't able to "ride off into the sunset"
I remember him more from his reds days
Which is probably only because that's when I grew up and I'm from ohio
Noah Kroeger talk to the people who can’t remember him in St Louis.
Griffey was better post 2000 than Pujols has been since 2012. Since 2012 Albert is slashing .258/.314/.450./764 in 4375 ABs. Griffey between 2001-10 was .260/.350/.483/.833 in 3449 ABs. And Junior had only 19 fewer home runs despite almost 1000 fewer at bats.
Spending an entire decade as the best and most consistent hitter in the game gives you a long leash so his legacy was basically cemented long before the ink was dry on that Angels contract.
exactly. plus he's a nice guy
I agree, but you gotta be a little provocative. Get the people going.
Totally agree. His career with the Cardinals was probably enough for the HOF. He gave the Angels 5 decent (but totally overpaid) years. Having your age 37-41 seasons suck is no big deal and no one would hold it against him.
Francisco Ilabaca Nobody should blame Pujols for the Angels being willing to shell out that kind of money. I felt the same way when Cano left the Yankees after all the years of quality baseball they got out of him.
@@FoolishBaseball alright kanye, calm it down now
Almost 4 years later and I'm here to tell yall I'm happy he's still playing.
Yeah, this is pretty funny here in September of 2022, with Albert at 697 HR's today. (9/11/22).
Right on
2200 RBI now
698 as of today 9/16/22.
@@vorlon1 came here for this
Dudes a hall of fame lock, was an absolute monster. I don't think the Angel's signed him for the wheels.
They didn't sign him to hit .258, with an on base percentage of .314 either, but that's what they got.
He hasn't accomplished too much since he sold out to the Angels.
They signed him hoping he'd hit 30+ homers per year
He's a strong case on why you don't give 10 years contracts to players anymore. I guess you can do it to some players, but not a plain contract, at least there's must be some kind of production clause involved considering the decline after 5 or 6 years into it.
Too bad he juiced up to 06
Albert runs like he is running from something in a scary dream
Blake Dimos I want to see you out there
Jakee Appleseed he probably can because even I can and I’m slow
lol i see that
Greatest hitter of a generation. Ten straight years of 300 average plus 30 hrs and 100 rbi beating records of Ruth with 8 and Gehring with 9. And i forgot what have you done with your life?
Probably his recurring nightmare where Brad Lidge is chasing him with a chainsaw.
By FAR the most underrated baseball channel on RUclips
Hard to call nearly 30k subs underrated, but I'll take it!
@@FoolishBaseball you just hit 30k
Just discovered it. This is awesome @Foolish Baseball . I am Dominican, we need to translate it to Spanish so the non-english speaking Dominicans can enjoy it. A whole different lens of enjoying/seeing baseball. A truly scientific game.
RecardoGuillermo faxxx so underrated
But what about jomboy media
At this point I'd bet Bartolo colon could beat Pujols to first base.
Don’t remind me of how much I miss him cmon
Damn you! You posted my thought even before I thunk it!
Large Attractive is a speed demon.
Bartolo would take a cab.
If you had Taco Bell in right field
Lol this is why his speed is rated a 0 in MLB the show 😂
Rich Affinito I totally agree!
Rich Affinito fr
End of the day, he'll finish his career with 600+ home runs, 3,000+ hits, and 2,000+ RBIs. And that's all anyone will remember.
And the steroids he took
@@kapo2012fb Baseless accusation.
@@ericbone3266 is it really when he played in the steroid era... funny how when testing got put in place ... this numbers dropped
@@kapo2012fb No evidence, no speculation.
Fuck it, everyone did steroids. Wipe all mention of the last twenty years from the books.
@@kapo2012fb Babe Ruth's numbers dropped when he got older too. Maybe he stopped taking steroids? Or maybe he just got older?
Please tell me that the “this isn’t your average slowness, this is....advanced slowness” was a reference to spongebob 😂😂
Brett Johnson it definitely was
Perhaps...
That's the first thing I thought of.
Spongebob is a omnipresent source of humor for gen z.
did it ruin his legacy? HELLLLL NO! albert was one of the greatest hitters of his generation, you can't blame the guy for getting paid and getting old. the championships, the batting accolades, and his stellar play in the 2000's solidified that
absolutely, I’d embarrass myself too if I was making hella $$$
It's a dream scenario. Win every award and honor possible, hit free agency, and get paid the big bucks to under-perform. He'll be ultimately rememebred for the good times, too.
@@FoolishBaseball stop trying to ruin Albert's legacy
Too late, already did. The entire baseball community has seen this video.
@@FoolishBaseball I understand what ur point was to ruin his legacy fuck u bitch he is still one of the greatest hitters to ever play the game.
Magical 2022 season. Most fun I have had as a cardinals fan. My idol growing up back with the cards and hitting his 700th home run. Definitely the most productive free agent signing for St. Louis.
For those of you who dont realize just how dominate Pujols is and was here is a few stats.
He is 15 all time in hits with 3166
He is 8th all time in doubles with 653
He is 6th all time in HR with 651
He is 3rd all time in RBI with 2049
3X MVP
ROY
2X Gold Glove
6X Silver Slugger
Only Player in history with 650+ Doubles and Home Runs.
* If he plays out his contract through 2022 averaging 250 ABs a season which is less than 80 gp per season he will most likely finish #1 in RBIs #4 in HRs and top 10 in hits.
Hey may not be the player he once was but let him chase these records!
It STILL doesn't mean a damn thing when we're talking about his age.
2x World Series Champion
Dominant?
The only great players I can think of that went out on top are Ted Williams, David Ortiz, and Sandy Koufax (maybe Lou Gehrig if you take in account he was playing with ALS). I have memories of them tripping around in the outfield, striking out and looking bad doing it, being thrown out at first from the OF, and getting shelled on the mound. Those memories do not tarnish or diminish those careers or legacies.
If you’re a comedian, and there’s no one better at what you do, do people keep coming to the show when you’re no longer funny? He’s in the performance industry, perform or go home
As a Tigers fan, I’ve seen that labored run so much that I’ve become immune to cringing at it. Whether it was Victor Martinez, or Jhonny Peralta, or even Miggy on two bad ankles. That labored run to score from first brought back memories from a time we were good.
VMart was crazy slow.
I am a cardinals fan, and whenever my dad and/or I heard his name, we would say Jahonny Peralta.😂
You don't have to run very fast if the ball goes into the stands....
I guess we know for sure then that Pujols isn't juicing. He's aging like baseball players used to age.
Underrated comment here, he doesn't seem to have the same steroid breakdown they usually do.
or maybe we know for sure he was lying about his age when he was drafted and he actually started declining at age 36 not 33
Seems like he stopped juicing as soon as he signed that massive contract.
Bullshit. He fell off a cliff at age 31.
Dennis Svitak wrong he fell off in his 2013 season
His decline is sad but he still one of the greatest to ever play the game.
If only he played in the asterisk era
It's not sad it's age good player but retire let a young kid in.
he's doing to himself he could've retried in 2016 but he kept trying to play
Everyone declines it's inevitable
It seems like his decline was not that bad compared to others.
Anyone here after he was DFA'ed by the Angels?
@stevnff Less a revival and more of a "Hey, I'm not completely done yet.". A revival would put him at a level way higher than what he played last year.
“This is ADVANCED SLOWNESS” you earned a 👍🏻 from me with that alone😂
Almost 4 years and he chasing his 700th home run
I don't think his struggles with the Angels damages his legacy. Mainly because I totally forgot he was still playing for the Angels. I feel that I'm not alone here. So his legacy should be fine.
This may be me speaking as a Cardinals fan, but I totally forgot about him after he wen to LA. I was at a Rangers vs Angels game a few weeks ago and was surprised when they announced him coming up to bat. Completely forgot he was still playing.
Agreed. I just think people will remember him in the Cards uniform. Will he wear a Cards hat on his HOF plaque though?
@@FoolishBaseball I would imagine he would go in as a Card, but weirder things have happened.
WilltheThrill97 That would be a travesty. No one will remember him as an Angel.
@@FoolishBaseball his heart is still in Stl, he's going as Card
Next up: Why Bartolo Colon is the best MLB player ever
You joke, but I have considered it.
Ded
Only player in history to throw 38 consecutive strikes, hit a HR, throw a behind-the-back pass, tag out a runner, and lose his helmet while swinging.
It's so funny to see him plough around the bases. He is putting in the effort, but his legs are saying "screw this"
695! Foolish has stated this is his least favorite video atleast once, and the Renaissance Pujols has had in the last month and a half is probably not helping.
Now look at him! He's having fun with the Dodgers now.
I think his prime was so amazing, his legacy is in tact. Nobody will care about his angels career
Angels career has been 100% forgettable.
@@FoolishBaseball Kinda like this 17minute ramble of yours
I'm an Angel fan so I care. Horrible contract to an over the hill player who's most likely 5 years older than he says.
Not his fault though, this is all on the Angels management.
Andrew Gabriel nah I like random shit like this about baseball
Jose Penate that’s a pretty ignorant thing to say
For me, Pujols’s legacy is that he’s the greatest player of the 2000s. His devastating fall could never destroy what he was able to consistently do in the oughts
I think that's fair. His Angels stint hasn't even been all bad. Just forgettable.
@@FoolishBaseball The thing is, if he was only a league average player [albeit a consistent one with, say, a Career AVG (to pick one state) of .276] and he descended to his current level, it wouldn't raise an eyebrow - and he is still hitting enough HRs etc to be a serviceable option.
However, he's fallen from the top of the mountain, which makes things appear worse than, perhaps, they really are.
@Charming Billy I think you're right. If I was to go back and write this, I probably would've used a better word.
@@johniscariot5582 All that was true until the 2021 season, unfortunately.
@@magicoddeffect hehehe
He was so good for 10 straight years consistently giving you .330 avg 35 home runs 130 rbi every season it doesnt matter if hes broken down. He still has a chance to finish with 700+ home runs and 2200 rbi. Hes a legend and it will always stay that way.
680 with the cardinals as of April 13, 2022
@@richturds7331 695 sept 5
Look at him now 698. And already 2200.
700 as of 9/23/22.
"Albert Pujols Might Be Too Slow for Baseball"
Dodgers: no
here after Albert proved all us haters and losers wrong and hustled out a great double
Next up: Byron Buxton is too fast for baseball!
BallGamers copying comments I see
Jack Argie I wrote that right when the notification popped up and I clicked on it. Someone else had the same idea. Great minds do think alike, and all baseball fans have great minds!
BallGamers Ahh. Sorry 😳
But maybe too slow for track :O
After that: Miguel Sano is too fat for baseball
No, this will not damage his legacy. Just like nobody remembers Jordan's time with the Wizards, nobody will remember Lebron's time with the Lakers or Pujols' time with the Angels.
Jordan was finished with the Wizards. Pujols is finished with the Angels. You’re saying Lebron is finished?
Codie Fitz I would say that LeBron is finished. He went from the best player in the world to maybe the 10th best player in just 1 year. That is not a good sign when you consider his age.
Problem is that Pujols is in year #8 with the Angels. If he plays out his contract, he'll basically have split his time between St. Louis and Los Angeles. The examples you brought up are mere pit stops in a player's a career. With Pujols, we're talking about a long amount of time.
tf is with LA and buying good players and making them look worse or just making them worse
Excpet Jordan was quite useful sixth/swing man on the Wizards roster at that time. Pujols is an everyday player when he's 'available'
As an Angels fan, we love having Pujols. He is still shattering records all the time, good chance he'll still get 700 hr's. He is a hall of famer, a playing legend. And also, the angels aren't in LA, they're in Anaheim.
As a Cubs fan since 06, Pujols was the best hitter I've seen. His swing stance made you feel like the ball was going far. Monster.
And the Angels finally decided he’s too slow
That, and he was hitting below the Mendoza line and couldn't slug anymore.
@@magicoddeffect this aged well.
@@turdferguson3855 His BA as of this moment is still .210, bud
@@magicoddeffect he sure been slugging homers douche.
@@magicoddeffect panties get bunched up millennial?
14:44 “kids, this is what is called foreshadowing.”
It's not a big secret that Pujols 32nd birthday was probably his 37th birthday.
No way his decline related to age hurts his past greatness. He's still a first ballot HOF'er and once you're in that category nothing really matters what happened at the end of your career.
Anyone here after release?
I just realized you are using Legend of the Mystical Ninja music in this video and im in love
Haha yes! I had to make sure someone picked this up in a comment and they did. Nice!
700 or bust baby! 7 more to go!!!!! LFG!!!! Seriously he left LA and became a 900 OPS hitter again at 42, WTF?!? How much better would Trout have been if he didn’t play his whole career there? It’s like that Jersey immediately takes .150 OPS from everyone who wears it! Look at Pujols, Rendon…
The fact this was suggested to me the algorithm after Pujols hit #700 looks like this critique hasn’t aged well
Hitting a homer doesn’t have anything to do with speed.
Great touch with the bit about wRC+ vs HR and RBI. I remember being told how "productive" he was just because he got to 100 RBI and shaking my head. Great video tho keep it up!
You gotta spoonfeed them some analytics from time to time.
Fun fact : Brandon Phillips got 103 RBI while slashing for .266/.310/.396 line and hitting 18HR in 2013. That was entirely because he had both Shin-soo Choo and Joey Votto hitting ahead of him.
Pujols is an incredibly clutch hitter though. His averages are up hitting with runners on scoring position.
@NPC #102117 And with great hitters in front of you, you have far more chances at getting RBIs. That's the point.
@@ETYPEJaguar38 Phillips was a genuinely good hitter even still. Not elite or hall of fame by any means but we still miss him in Cincy.
When I think about Pujols here are my top memories. 1. His home run off the train tracks against Brad Lidge 2. His 3 home run World Series game 3. Watching him have 3 MVP seasons on my favorite team 4. Him blasting a ball to Mars in RFK stadium at my first Cardinals game.
Yeah watching his decline has stung a bit, but his legacy is as one of the greatest players to ever step to the plate and I will hear no slander.
Now he’s with the Dodgers and playing better than ever lol
Better than ever? He was top 10 in mvp voting, winning it three times, from 2001-2011. He's barely above replacement level for the Dodgers.
@@dennisjaf1593 honey, you aren't using that word correctly. you can't just spit it out because you have no defense of what you said being correct.
Bailey cyberbullied Pujols into reaching 700, legend!
Can I just say as a STL Cardinals fan that I'm glad we didn't end up with this ridiculous contract
Orbitron facts same
Arty Moreno was a dumbsh*t for signing Pujols for ten years.
As a Nationals fan I am feeling the same way about letting Harper go to the division rival Phillies for a 13 year contract.
Whew, that was close.
Pujols deserved All the money. His worth was over US$ 300 MM. Read de headlines back then
@@isaelvaldez9916 I think you might need to look up what worth means. Sure, you can argue that he deserved the money, and people were willing to give it to him, but he wouldn't have produced for anyone and just because you have a legacy doesn't mean you're a WORTHwhile investment.
Albert probably should be in the HOF but he should retire
Chris Fazio He’s a first ballot HoFer
Keep cashin them checks!
Chris Fazio probably? He’s a 100% first ballot HOFer
10000% first ballot
If he retired after 2011 he would've still been a HoFer. He was already one of the greatest 1Bs of all time at that point. Stint at Angels is seriously hurting his career total statline, but he still is a 1st ballot lock.
Rusty Staub played for the Expos, the Mets and the Tigers, among other teams. He was a gifted hitter, which is evident when you realize that he NEVER beat out a hit. He had to drive the ball deep and still hustle to make sure he made it to first. A joke about him during his playing days was that he was the only player in history to ground into a 7-3 putout.
Love this series, one of the best up and coming channels on RUclips. With that being said, loved the use of the music from Mystical Ninja!
You saved me some pretty desperate googling for the (rather generic) name of that game ;)
@@azizk339 the bus
@@azizk339 the
3 mvp 4 runner ups, should mention that was in the era of Barry Bonds in all his roid glory.
The guy was slugging around 800 for Pete's sake.
Pujols juiced too. He went off in 2009
Shouts out to Andrew Vargha, the GOAT of finding Albert Pujols and Casey Mcgehee double plays.
Andrew has one of my favorite RUclips channels. Period.
Fun fact : Casey McGehee played second base in some games in 2017 for the NPB's Yomiuri Giants, because all the other middle infielders(except for regular SS Sakamoto, who won batting title that year) in his team were hitting below the mendoza line. Just imagine playing middle infield with him.
Loved pujols when he was on the cards.
He was the best player in baseball for a pretty lengthy stretch.
@@Joe4567.. really liking this recent stretch
"The best decision the Cardinals ever made was extending Albert Pujols. The second-best decision the Cardinals ever made was not extending Albert Pujols." - Baseball's Not Dead
Just stumbled onto your stuff last week. Love it. I know this video is old but currently, Pujols has stolen 13 bases in a row without being caught.
legendary art thief albert pujols
This man is doing so great in his last year and 7 away from 700. Fuck this decline, age aint shit when your great
Nah it's rigged
@@atreus4277 sure bro😭
...and 2 years later Pujols continues chugging on.
As a Cards fan who loved following Albert while he was a Cardinal, I have very mixed feelings about this. I still want him to do well, and as the video says, exit with dignity. But the analysis here is excellent, and the truth of it makes me sad. I wish he took the Cardinals' offer in 2011, as I think the decay of his legacy began there. Hall of Fame players who played with one team are remembered especially fondly. It just makes it worse that his bad years are all cleanly bundled up in his Angels tenure, so it's almost like he only had half a career.
4 years later its poetic that he got the return to St Louis and the send off he deserves
After playing thru planter fasciitis I give him a pass for losing most if not all of his speed. Just walking thru that shiiiii was almost impossible for my 18 years old brother, can’t imagine how it effected Pujols in his 30s while still playing baseball on it everyday.
glad to see bailey repenting for this take after the machine hit 700
Here after he was cut by the angels great career
He’s a 235 pound 39 year old player with 19 years in the league. That literally explains why he’s slow now. People get old.
41 year old*
Bob Butts he’s 39 but has contract till 41.
@@xRestart yeah okay, sure he's only 39. And I'm only 69.
@@bobbutts4402 HE LOOKS LIKE 39 LOL JUST BECAUSE HE IS BALD DOESNT MEAN HE IS OLDER
Tie in the multiple foot/leg surgeries and you got the recipe of all recipes for advanced slowness.
I remember way back when just saying "Pujols" was funny.
This was rough, I remember everyone hating Albert for leaving STL but like.. it seems like a good deal for STL now.
He’s just adding to his numbers out there in Anaheim
Yeah he has hit a lot of milestones out there.
Not his WAR.
Good luck seeing anyone go out with any dignity with all these 10 year contracts. We're going through a similar thing in Detroit with miggy
It's a tough proposition. I wonder what Bryce Harper will look like at the end of his contract? He'll be Pujols' listed age.
Josh Domke It's tough to watch. Viktor Martinez the last few years and now Cabrera. We must've angered the baseball gods here in Detroit.
@@FoolishBaseball that's exactly what I was thinking when I wrote that comment lol
@@artvandelay1099 It's not the god's work, but it's late Mike Ilitch's work. So to Detroit fans pretty close to godly.
If I was a GM I would avoid these 10 year deals like the Plague. They don't work out.
Great Homestar Runner Reference lol 5:18
Great Jooooooooeeeerrrbbb
Any video about Pujols wouldn’t be complete without him hitting a homerun off the Pirates at PNC Park and you didn’t disappoint. That’s what I will never forget about him, ruining lots of Pirates games 2001-11. He has hit 30 in his career at PNC. Besides the two Busch Stadiums and Angel Stadium (his home stadiums), the only ballpark he’s hit more at is Minute Maid Park where he’s hit 31. The Astros have been a division opponent all but one year of his career (2012) and yet the Pirates were so bad against Pujols at home, he hit so many against the Pirates there that it took him until 2018 to surpass that number against the Astros at their ballpark. I still was a bit disappointed seeing him sign with the Angels, I really wanted the Pirates to enjoy his declining years. I wanted to see the Cardinals make a really bad decision and sign him for too much money and have that around their necks for a decade. Oh well, its not like the Cardinals just traded for Paul Goldschmidt...
And now we just wait for the sequel to the Ortiz video except starring Pujols.
His legacy is what it is. The most dominant hitter of the 2000s. No amount of struggles in the 2010s can take that away from him.
Who is here after the angels released him?
this aged like milk
Another problem is he's listed as 6'3 when he's really about 6'0-6'1. I've been repeatedly measured at 6'1 and was slightly taller than him when I met him.
8:33 Sneaky Foolish Baseball, I caught that Spongebob reference 🤣
Never understood why just because a player gets old and a bit worse his legacy is ruined… I’m more than happy at the fact alby is still playing… dude batting .500 for his last 16 at bats, he def ain’t what he used to be but I don’t think he detriment to any team… plus the amount of fans that show up just to see this legend is bringing in more money, I bet he plays for a couple more years gets his 700hr and solidifies himself as one of the best players of our generation
His legacy is ruined because he just milked the Angels and didn't earn his pay. He should've been out of the league several years ago.
Welcome to 700 club!
He actually is really fast for a 250 pound 40 something year old. Let me tell you, it is really difficult for a big guy to sprint in their mid 40s.
He's a professional athlete though. His job literally entails him hauling ass down a dirt stretch and he's still slow af.
@@atreus4277 I was a weekend warrior in my 40s. I lifted weights, ran sprints, lost weight and I was still slow af. 10x the work, and literally half as fast as I was in my 20s. I'm amazed he is still playing at his age.
@@atreus4277 Pujols has been the oldest player in the MLB for the last 4 seasons. It is virtually impossible to play at the MLB level after 40.
i think it might be time for an addendum to this video now that Pujols is absolutely raking
Don't think it tarnished his legacy. When we all imagine Albert, we think of that 2000s Machine. And in the last few years, he's been able to reach those special numbers that old men like Peter Gammons and other baseball writers live for and, in the process, put his whole career into the sort of echelon that'd be comparable to a pitcher getting to 300 wins today. Very few people are going to look at 3000 hits or 2000 RBIs historically and say, "Yeah, but he was so slow and didn't get enough WAR to live up to that contract." He was the best player for a decade and then got those final tallies to really bring that idea of him as the Machine home to roost. You were right, too, he was just fun to watch (insert cliché "even as a ___ fan" (Pirates in this case)). Will never forget that bomb against Lidge. RIP, Brad.
Exactly. Who cares about his war and non .300 avg. The fact he is still an above average run producer who DOESNT strike out alot is enough to keep his career going. He isnt hurting the angels with his play
I think if he does well this year he will play well into the next decade....id love to see him make a run at A-rod/hank but it would require 3 more good years after this to happen. Which is totally possible unless he suffers a major injury
39 lol. Mid 40s at youngest
So you think he was tearing up the league at 17? That'd be even more impressive.
@@FoolishBaseball You're a genius but I think you went backwards there. He would be older than 21 as he started as well, if he's older than he says now
I had some fun with the Baseball Savant running splits and picked the 2017 versions of Billy Hamilton, Chase Utley, Ichiro, and Pujols. It's crazy how in 2017, Utley (38 during the '17 season) and Ichiro (43) were no more than 5-6 feet behind Hamilton when he reaches 1B. Poor Pujols was only 72 feet up the line.
This aged well!
And to answer your question, no. Easy answer. He just had to leave the Angels to get back to his winning ways.
I think his personality and his total dominance in the early 2000s has already cemented his legacy. And hopefully he has 1 more very respectable year which would be so so so awesome
It's ironic that a guy nicknamed the machine has ended up declining as quickly as he did.
I remember the 2011 off-season as basically the cardinals having the choice of either bidding high enough to keep Pujols or being able to afford Wainwright, probably wouldn’t be able to keep both long term. Considering Waino was still their ace this season, I think they made the right choice
Edit after 2022 season: apparently the Cardinals devil magic flows through Pujols. If he never left, who knows, he might’ve reached 800 HR
What hurt his legacy was him letting his wife call the shots on contract negotiations so she could go live the Cali life style
She definitely had a big influence, but hey, they're a team.
Albert pujols now 4th all time in homers, hitting the ball like he’s 30 again, and 3 away from the legendary 700 homers. He might be slow, but he’s also a legendary hitter. Let’s go Albert!
The Reds offered Pujols 10yrs/225 Million during his free agency, and the front office believed at the time he would sign there. Would have changed baseball history, and probably sunk the Reds even worse.
Only 3 players have had .300+ career batting average, 600+ HR and 3,000+ hits. Hank Aaron, Willie Mays, Albert Pujols.
He won't be retiring with a .300 batting average unless he quits this season. Even then that's iffy.
@@themisprintguy And only 3 players have had 600+ HR , 3,000+ hits and 2,000+ RBI, Hank Aaron, Alex Rodriguez, Albert Pujols.
He's one of the greatest players of all time. Lot of people debate that but its written in the stats
@@connorsdad3480 Just saying, that .301 career average isn't rising, it'll sink below .300 before he retires.
@@themisprintguy Might sink below .300 but shouldn't fall below .290 which still keeps him in the elite group
Pujols came back home and has found his youth again
I’m a simple man:
Foolish Baseball uploads
I watch
ez
I think Pujols' speed, or lack there of, to first base can be attributed to the amount of time he takes to finish his swing and get out of the box. If you look at the 4.38 clip, he is out of the box almost on impact. For some of his slower runs, he makes contact and finishes his swing, adding a couple tenths of a second on his time
Pujols and the Angels should come to an agreement like the Yankees and A-Rod did. Let Pujols become a "special advisor" or something like that.
200 homers later.........
Finally been waiting for this video since im a cards fan! Loved pujols when he was on the Cardinals! I agree though, he is way too slow and isn't very good at all now.
Spent too long on the decline and sad athleticism. Not enough on the WOW of the 2000s.
I promise you'll get a Pujols video that remembers him at his best before the year is over.
Yeah he's definitely 41-42 right now. Which means he'll be under contact until he's what 44-45? Jeez.
Plantar Fasciitis has always been an issue with Albert. As a Cardinals fan; I have so many memories of him though. I'll never forget those great NLCS series against the Astros. The best time was when he took Lidge deep off the train at Minute Maid park.
15:08 The 4.38 seconds is simply due to the fact he didn't finish his swing and was leaning towards first base, nearly getting a head start on his run. You aren't factoring enough things in, like the length of the swing.