I think Albert struggled with the change in organization and hitting philosophies. Getting paid might have also removed some of the pressure to earn that superstar status. But, no disrespect to the Angels here, if Albert had stayed in St Louis he might have had a more consistent career because he had voices he respected in his head.
@@clark7662 Playing for a competent team which actually is competitive in their division and plays to win also helps. When you're actually playing for something meaningful other than stats, you tend to do better.
Angel's knew he wasn't going to be a 10 year success. He brought excitement to the Angel's fanbase and he's been fun to watch. If the Angel's want to win, find some pitchers.
@@mooknick242 Pujols didn't "rob" the Angels. He just took the money that Arte Moreno willingly, if foolishly offered. As was pointed out in this video, Albert's age-falsification was common knowledge at the time of the signing. Arte Moreno has a habit for going for the "big-name" signing, hoping to compete with the far more popular Dodgers. Now that Pujols is gone, watch Arte trade for 38 yr old Miguel Cabrera and pick up the last few years of that awful contract -- hell, Arte might even give Miggy an extension. There's a reason the Angels never make the playoffs, even with Mike Trout: Arte.
As a baseball fan from the UK, I will always remember watching Albert hit his 598th homer at the Big A when we were on holiday in Anaheim. I think he's great.
It's not a video about Pujols' age, but about why the Angels released him now instead of the year before or the year after...which he also never explained.
To be fair, it was kind of a side note to the major story. He was discussing what Sampson said but there’s really no proof to prove that Pujols is lying. You can point out other players who have, but doesn’t mean it’s true. Kind of stupid.
What a great guy and wow, what a hitter. In Texas we called him the Astro killer when the Astros were in the National League. I was born an Astros fan, thanks to my mother, who taught me how to play baseball. Thanks Mom Happy Mothers Day!
As someone who lives in STL and used to go to a ton of games all the fans knew that he was probably a couple of years older than what he said. But the reason the Cards did not resign him didn't have only to do with age so much as terrible knees and a really bad back. Like shockingly bad. That was something he had been dealing with for the last 2 seasons he was with the Cards and it showed with how stiff he had become at the plate at times. These were permanent injuries also, not the type of thing someone really recovers from. Everyone in STL thought he might, might, have 5 more good seasons when he left at the most before his body broke down. As it was the Cards offered him 8 years and 200 million, and that was because he was our guy. Sad to say but there was a little relief from some fans when he did not take it. But for the 11 years we had him in his prime he was the best hitter in baseball. Love you Pu-nuts.
Haha I wish we had you in our front office 10 years ago! We knew that we wouldn't be getting 10 years of HOF Albert Pujols numbers. But we all thought, as you indicated, that we might get 5 good years out of him, and the last couple/few we would basically just paying for nothing. And we were all ok with eating the back end of the deal, as long as we got his usual production in the meantime. The problem is, we didn't even get ONE really good year out of him. The entire contract was a total bust. And for the last few years he's been the worst player on the team. Just look at those anemic On Base and Slugging numbers. Pee-yeew! Just miserable! But, even so, that shouldn't take away from how truly great he was in St. Louis. He will always be one of the greatest right-handed hitters of all time. It's just toi bad we didn't get to see any of that over here.
@@bmschmitzer - In comparison to his first 11 seasons, no one but someone like Mike Trout can compare. But as disappointed as some have been with the last 10 years, the last two are a bust and don't even count. Even without the pandemic last year and the limited number of games this year, like you said the last few were expected to be bad. So let's look at the first 8 with the Angels. He had at least 93 RBI's in 6 of those 8 seasons (over 100 RBI in 4 seasons), and in the remaining 2 seasons his season was shortened due to injury. And think about this: Pujols' plate appearances with the Angels comprises only 40% of his total plate appearances for his career. If we carry his stats just with the Angels and average them over his entire number of plate appearances for his career (ignoring the stats with the Cards), he would have had 550 HR's and 1900 RBI's. Those numbers would still put him in the hall of fame.
@Marcus Aurelius, Pal I mean this with all due respect, but some Cardinal fans still have yet to understand the entire truth, because by the time the truth came out, several seasons had past since Albert left, and everything you stated about his injuries were showing itself, so by the time the truth was revealed, most Cardinal fans I think felt like the Cardinals dodged a bullet. Truth be told, I won’t say they dodged a bullet, but they were out from under a bad contract. However, the truth remains that some fans still believe that Albert walked away from the Birds for the best offer, when that’s NOT true!!! Deidre Pujols went on JOY 99.1, and did an interview with Sandi Brown I think was her name. She confirmed what Trey Wingo had said right after Albert signed, when Wingo said this smells all wrong, there’s something we don’t know and may never know. You see Trey if you remember was very vocal about how David Eckstein was treated...that all said, Deidre bluntly said, the offer that Mozeliak was running around saying Albert turned down, 10 years at 210 million, with 30 million deferred, WAS NEVER OFFERED!!! Had that offer made it to Albert, he would have signed. Albert was prepared to take less to stay in the Lou, just like he had done in two other contract negotiations. You see people, NOT saying you, but some folks forget that in 2006, Albert took 8 million dollars less per year, to stay in St. Louis, when the Sox, Dodgers, and Yanks were prepared to open the vault. The man was the best player in MLB, but wasn’t in the top 20 in paid wages, he wasn’t even the highest paid player on his team towards the end of his last Cardinal contract. When the story came to light about what Deidre had said, Mozeliak said, there was some miscommunication issues during that time. REALLY??? You either sent an offer or you didn’t!!!! Mozeliak better thank the man upstairs everyday, because if Albert had still been the player he was, when Deidre told the truth, can you imagine how the sports radio shows would have been buzzing, with fans screaming for Mozeliak to be fired???!!!! Instead the story quickly faded, it didn’t gain traction, because Alberts wheels had fell off. Thus, fans like yourself that may not have had the opportunity to hear the truth, still feel like Albert left us for greener pastures. I must give it to you, because you were very respectful in your insight, unlike most who still don’t know the truth. For those who have hope like myself that the Cardinals bring Albert back for that respected swan song, you may as well get over it...NO WAY Mozeliak wants to revisit those contract talks of 2012. He would be a bigger idiot than he already is, if he did bring Albert back.
It's too bad how much he slipped. As a Cardinals fan I remember watching him all those years with the Cardinals and he was ridiculous. Mind blowing good hitter during his prime years. Dude was a monster. Scariest hitter in the league for years. Looking back it's so fortunate that the Cardinals didn't re-sign him. I hope he retires as and goes into the Hall of Fame as a Cardinal.
Obviously he's back now, but just in regards to your comment about the cards not resigning him, it sucks cuz we all know they did offer him an extension. He just wanted more money than what they were offering unfortunately. He got greedy. Some even say his wife may have played a part in wanting to leave stl for sunny LA lol. All speculation of course but I damn sure wish he stayed in stl. His numbers would no doubt probably be better and I'm willing to bet the cards would have at least ONE championship, maybe even 2 in that 10 year span that he was in LA had he stayed. Glad hes back and having success now, but still will always be a lingering "what if."
The problem with the Angels isn’t Pujols and his contract, it’s their pitching. I understand why Angels released Pujols but at the same time you didn’t become any better or worse now that he’s no longer apart of the team.
@@ceave With his under .200 career batting average - you know it! 😫 Sometimes you can't help but to question your sanity when you admit to being an Angels fan.
It’s just a message to trout or shohei, stop producing and we will dog you out . Show up at the stadium and your shit is in a trash can and you aren’t allowed into the locker room. It was never LA fans job to support Pujols lack of productivity the last couple years . That’s why I didn’t want him to leave . When he came back in 2019 he realized what a mistake he made . He’s a hero in the Lou and treated like a nobody in LA
Played with a guy in the Pirates organization that bragged about being 5 years older than what he was listed as. Took on the identity of someone from his town in the dominican to do so. So this doesn't surprise me.
Albert Pujols' numbers may have declined the last few years, but let's get one thing straight...the man has more love and respect for the game of baseball than 99% of all major leaguers! His body is just so warn down that he couldn't keep up with the young kids anymore, but that didn't stop him from having one of the greatest attitudes and an amazing team presence. He was a confidant to every player in that dugout and the level of respect they have for him is unmatched. We will miss you here in So Cal Albert...we'll see you soon in the hall of fame!
LOL, theh guy is an elitist jerk who acts like he is the sole arbiter of the game. I will never forget that clown whining like a child that the Brewers showed up the Cardinals by untucking their shirts after a walk of HR by Bruan when anyone with a brain knew the Brewers did it after every win in tribute to Mike Cameron's father who used to untuck his shirt after a hard day of work. Screw him.
Damn you made this quick, definitely the end of an era. Albert Pujols may not have had his best years as an Angel but as a fan, I loved his presence on the team. it’s a sad day to see him go, especially on these terms
Our Stl got the best of Albert. We got to witness our gens rendition of a Babe Ruth type of guy. Pujols will always be remembered as a St. Louis Cardinal.For stats and fame. 😘
@@rosemarierubano5894 Albert OWNED my Reds....and yet I always respected his ability on AND off the field. With Votto fracturing his Thumb and out for awhile, we could use a First Baser...but Red's Organization are so damn cheap they wouldn't sign another Star EVEN if offered coupons and All you can eat at Denny's For Life! Puljols did what he had to do to keep playing. I'd bet he has done well with the money he has earned too The hardest part for ANY player is to know that The Fat Lady, who is about to Sing, is LQQKING directly at YOU. Cheers Rosemarie
@@TheStuport yes. The fat lady may have cleared her throat. ..I wish he would come home , but many fans are upset still. You couldn't tell that though because of the welcome he got when the Angels came to play last summer. We love him. He gave us the.best.years of his playing career.
I was wondering that as well. If I'm going to sign someone to a 10 year/ big money contract I would go out of my way to find out his age if in question...
Yesssss!!! It’s on RUclips I believe... definitely worth a watch. From prison to professional baseball! Leflore did what most people would think to be impossible. His story is amazing.
@@ktat01 unfortunately, the story gets bad fast. LaFlore became a bad influence to the young players in Detroit and was traded to Montreal. He brought his “posse” with him to Montreal who’s influence on their young players ruined the career of Ellis Valentine and nearly Tim Raines’ before LeFlore left for Chicago. I heard (not verified) that while in Chicago, both his sons drowned in the same swimming pool at different times. I also heard that about 15 years ago, he was an airport bag handler until his leg was amputated. Ron LeFlore was my favorite player after the team was dismantled before 1974.
Many and I would say _most_ players are told to retire rather than retire when highly productive. Pete Rose, Willie Mays and even Babe Ruth are examples. There aren't a lot of players who take the David Ortiz route who retire when at the top of their game. I'm not sure whether I respect that or not or whether it is something that qualifies as worthy of respect no matter what the decision. But I can understand getting every once out of your career.
Willie and the Babe were great up until their last year, so there's some leeway for them Rose, on the other hand, kept playing for the explicit purpose of breaking the Cobb record
@@Tteaspoon1031 He'll probably sign a nominal one day contract and retire a Cardinal. As an Angels fan, it was special to watch him pass those career milestones, but I think it would be fitting to see him retire as a Cardinal.
Whether he lied about his age or not, signing him to a 10-year deal for that kind of money at that stage in his career was an idiotic move by the Angels. Even at his "given" age he would have been 42 when the contract ended and he was already showing signs of decline during his last seasons in St. Louis.
As an Angels fan that has seen him play countless times now the fans absolutely loved him. I knew he wasn’t the Albert of his mvp days but it was sa joy seeing him break records and reach milestones wesupported him every single season. I think it’s shameful what we did and I ve been pushing for Arte Moreno to sell the club for years.
This isn’t a charity, respect doesn’t earn you a spot on the team. There’s been a lot of legends of this sport, none of them have ever had a free pass. And it was mutual
I find it fascinating that the Angel fans have so much Love for Albert Pujols. What is it about him that the fans loved? He immediately played far below the level of which the Angels were paying him. That progressively got worse and then became unbearable starting in 2017. Pujols has single handedly kept the Angels from contention. They can't afford to sign anyone with his mammoth contract. Watch the Angels sign a top flight starting level pitcher in 2022 now that they have washed there hands of Pujols.
@@lifepeace9490 Albert has been an above average hitter until like 2018 when he really dipped. Also he is a flat out legend, if you love the game it’s a pleasure to watch. The man is class act on off of the field, he has done countless charity work around Anaheim. He was like the father of the clubhouse and I can’t see why you wouldn’t want to watch him play for your team.
@@JM-js7nq Understood. I guess for me my teams success, winning and losing is paramount. Pujols contract forced the Angels to play him daily and be unable to trade him. The Angels lack of success is directly related to the contract of Albert Pujols.
in 2017 Pujols slugged .386 with 23 homeruns. My argument against Pujols takes into consideration his contract. At 24 million per year you could replace Pujols with numerous players which certainly would have brought the Angels more on the field success.
Um, Maybe he is the age that he says he is. Maybe they don't know his actual age, maybe it does not matter but the knee problems and the plantar fasciitis does. Maybe he has played intensely for many years and his body is just worn out. Maybe they should take into account the massive amount of hits that the shift has take away from him. Let's not just assume that he is lying, there is no reason for that.
Honestly, it's not sad to see it end this way. Most players Pujols' caliber retire before it gets to this point. He didn't. I'm not saying this as a slight against him either. It is his right to play as long as someone is willing to let him. In fact I respect that. Rickey did the same thing and even when no MLB team wanted to pay him, he went back to play in the minors. How can you get mad at someone who loves playing that much? To some people, that IS going out on their own terms. Kicking and screaming. Good job Albert. You got every AB you could out of this league. Good luck with whatever you do next.
Good luck with whatever you do next Lmao He went back to the Lou and hit for a 154ops+ lmao My man took the time machine with Marty mcfly and crushed the angels fans hearts even worse I love it
Julio is the oldest player to ever hit a home run and that’s the fake age. So imagine how old he really was…. It was 47 or 48 but if he’s older that is even more impressive. Dude was well over the half century mark cracking a home run lmao
Sadly that is the true..but he doesn't need to play more if he doesn't want to...he got everything he needs..Money to live a decent life and Numbers to be a hall of fame .
look he could have had one or two more descent seasons here and went to shit wouldn't make a difference he sold tickets like Mark McGuire did STL baseball is about loyalty and that is what makes us the best baseball town
He was truly "The Machine" when he played in St.Louis, but I think the Cardinals knew after the 2010 season his best days were behind him. The Angels got Albert past his prime!
@@nonsense1558 since he was half man half machine, his human side started to affect his production with his injuries and age while the machine part was still hitting that ball no matter what hahahaha
I really don't think his fall off is any evidence of age fraud. Most players are borderline useless after about 34/35. In his age 34 season he hit 27 HRs with a 126 OPS+, and at age 35 he hit 40 HRs with a 118 OPS+. The first below average offensive season he had was actually his age 37 season in 2017. If he was older than he claimed, I'd think he would have reached that point a few years earlier.
i live in the st Louis area. albert was a force. the 11 years he was in st louis were close to the best 11 years ever for any hitter. I'd like to compare his '01-'11 numbers to barry bonds's best 11 consecutive year numbers. say, '94-'04. albert was the only modern player to come close to bonds. to say he was exceptional would be an understatement.
A lot of people where bitter when he left the Cardinals, and still are. He was such a great defensive first baseman! His baseball IQ was incredible! Such a smart base runner! Oh yes, and the best batsmen people my age had ever watched! And he seamed like a gentleman and a nice guy.
Me too. Between him, Josh Hamilton and CJ Wilson. Over the course of 12 months, they threw a mountain of money at those 3.....and all 3 contracts went bad.
Not a disaster for him 😆 💰 plus top 20 in the major categories like homers, runs, RBIs, Hits, Total Bases, Doubles, Runs Created, Extra Base Hits, WAR position players, At Bats, Games Played, Plate Appearances.
Only thing Albert needed was to wear a Cardinals uniform again. He is hungry for 1 more ring. Going out his last season with his boy Yadi couldn't be a better story and couldn't be more motivating for him and the team. And he has seriously stepped up his game as of late. At this rate he will easily hit 700 HRs
@@brainyjanie8186 Ozzy was awesome. Used to look forward to the All Star Game. Loved seeing Sandberg at second with Ozzie at short. Those 2 were amazing.
Junior Felix got off to a great start with the Blue Jays in 1989, but lasted only 6 years in the major leagues, leading to widespread suspicion that he may have been as much as 10 years older than his official age.
Angels then signed Mike Trout to a long-term contract. He's a great talent, but the organization fails to understand that it takes a balanced team (you know, even a serviceable pitching staff) to win championships. At least Pujols won championships with the Cardinals. At this rate, the Angels aren't getting close to contending for a championship anytime in the near future.
I love how all this call MLB analyst says Pujols numbers were ridiculous bad as an angels player but they don't say nothing about players like upton who has a pretty good contract and has been way worse than Pujols and how about Rendon I haven't seen him doing nothing yet and the list goes on and on, besides trout Pujols has been the best producer in that team even as an old man
i would say upton produces just been hurt recently rendon has been hurt basically the whole season ohtani is hr leader and walsh is hitting pretty good too offense isn’t a problem it’s pitching
He was still driving in at least 90 rbi a year until 2018. So to say he was never good in Anaheim is absurd. He simply wasn’t as good as he’d been with St. Louis. And yes, the contract was ridiculous.
RBIs aren't that impressive when you have Mike Trout hitting in front of you. Any player is going to wrack up a ton of RBIs with a .438 OBP in front of them. Pujols was bad in 2019, .305 OBP, .430 SLG. His OPS+ was 90, meaning he was 10% worse than average hitter. He was worth 0.2 WAR, meaning he was barely playing above replacement level (replacement level is basically a AAA player).
@@Il_Exile_lI Still gotta hit him in, not like a manager couldn’t have moved Pujols down further in the lineup also if he thought that was best. 90 OPS+ is a little below average but it’s not that bad, also I’m pretty sure he had a negative WAR in 2019, but really no sense in comparing him to theoretical replacement level players (that stat is flawed because a replacement level player is valued at 0 but is calibrated to produce at less than 0.)
Let's go big Al!! 700 any day now!! Still raking, even with the age faking. Would be crazy to find out he is actually 45 and his real name is something else.
I think you are being WAY too critical of Albert Pujols & how his career with the Angles has played out. The last 2 years in LA haven’t been great but outside of that he has been pretty productive in an Angles uniform at the plate. Especially when you factor in his age. Obviously he wasn’t as good as he was with the Cardinals bc at the time he had a 10 year run that was one of the most dominate stretches in history, which allowed him to win 3 MVPs. It’s very hard to top that, especially when you are getting up there in age. Albert Pujols has had a great career, he is a top 10 hitter of all-time & his time as an LA Angle was underrated.
I played against Pujols in High School and Legion. He was a year younger than us but it wasnt a secret he had rumors the moment he showed up at Fort Osage. The guy was 15 years old and had full stubble and built like a man not a kid in puberty. Regardless he produced and age got him up the ranks faster but it makes it sweeter we beat him more than he beat us.
@@JRVideo22 did I say the beard was the only factor, his "cousin" who lived with him wasn't a cousin and also was caught lying about everything on his birth certificate. I'll still give him praise but he didn't get to where he was legit
He played 10 years with the Cardinals and was, as the story states, one of the best hitters in baseball when he left. 10 years with those numbers is a career most MLB players would dream of. His performance with the Cards alone will get him into the HoF. The Angels were foolish to offer him that kind of money, and you can't blame Albert for taking it. He'll come back to St Louis where he is still revered as a player and humanitarian. It wouldn't surprise me if he finishes his career as a bating coach with the Cards. They'll welcome him back to St Louis with open arms!
Absolutely. I thought when he left the Cardinals to join the Angels he was seriously underpaid in proportion to his production on the field, and he was arguably in his prime when he signed with the Angels. But signing a ten year deal considering his age was ridiculous. I would have offered him a five year deal with a massive guaranteed signing bonus with an option for a sixth year on top of that. Anybody who saw other Hall of Famers should have expected his production to go down dramatically as his age creeped up towards the 40 year mark. It was obvious with Reggie Jackson in the 1980's, Ryne Sandberg and Ricky Henderson in the 1990's, Ken Griffey Jr. in the 2000's, and even Barry Bonds with the steroid allegations hanging over his head was reduced to just being only effective at the plate, as his defense deteriorated considerably over time. He had once been a perennial Gold Glove winner, but by the end of his career he was a defensive liability. He only continued to play left field because he was playing in the National League. I believe he ultimately signed with the Angels when he did because the Cardinals didn't want to give him a ten year deal based on what I commented about earlier.
3:30 "Pujols is probably a retired player" That aged as well as Albert's knees Actually, if Pujols is the age all his records say he is, he really just had a normal aging process; peaking at about 27 (actually 28/29), starting decline at 32/33...part of the reasons his Angels numbers look so bad is because offense levels dropped across the league at the same time; if you account for that, his decline is actually normative, almost ideally so, especially for a big-body first baseman with increasingly bad knees...
Plus his first five years were actually great. The contract and the last five years is what made it bad. Though, he was 37/38. If anything, this proves that Pujols is 100% natural and never was on PEDs.
I don't believe that. I think age just caught up to him. If he stopped caring, I think he would have opted to retire instead of being DFA'd. I don't think he's being realistic thinking another team is going to sign him, though.
It’s very common for Latin American players to use their christening date instead of their birthdate. This has been common knowledge for years for anyone involved with the panam tournaments.
"Why did the Angels RELEASE Albert Pujols?" Because I forgot that, even if he didn't get released, it was supposed to (possibly) be in his last year of his Angels contract
I was swear to god I was thinking the same thing. But who knows. D1 athletes look 30 in high school too. Especially Alabama football recruits. No surprise they dominate against kids
Soto does NOT look young IMO and definitely not 22. Im 40 and if he's claiming 22, then I'm 18. Sports contracts are so much more juicy when you're "young" with alot of playing time left. I wouldn't be surprised if their were some crooked ass agents out that are accomplices in the scheme. Bigger contract, bigger cut.
As an Angles fan for many decades, Albert didn't put up the numbers like he had as a Cardinal but was a well respected and beloved teammate. Yes, it's all about the pitching if you're going to make the playoffs. As for Mike Trout, he is still the best player on the planet.
Why? Also, how do you restructure? Keep him on your payroll for longer? He's making 30 million this year to play significantly below replacement level.
they should have allowed Albert to say a 'proper goodbye to all his MANY fans" they way this ended is so 'cold'.....this proves that baseball is a business first...and the human element is way down on the ladder.
That's the dumbest take I've ever heard. Pujols has been terrible for years and he's the worst hitter in this lineup. If it weren't for his contract he would've been released years ago. The Angels even TRIED to keep him around by only playing him vs the opponents' less talented starting pitchers, but he was so bad they couldn't even do it. He was THAT bad. The only thing worse is your ridiculously stupid opinion.
@@juliewilsonriola9471 No, what this "proves" is that you don't know what the hell you're talking about. The guy is the worst player on the whole team and his lack of ability is killing them.. How (and why!) should they go about letting him "say a proper goodbye"? And, more importantly, what the hell does that even mean?? What, you think they should just keep running him out there and hurting the team's chances to win every night? Completely stupid sports take from someone totally devoid of anything remotely resembling common sense.. Good riddance, Albert! And thanks for nothing!
People will always appreciate u after u gone he was the not only one to blame that’s facts. in my eyes he is a hall of famer numbers don’t lie they should of him kept or traded him so he could enjoy his final season having his memorable ceremony’s just like other legends had what a shame.
Hitters get hot. Sometimes early in carear. Sometimes in the middle. Sometimes they flare out. He has been a great player, outstanding to teammates and fans. His time at his peak was short and sweet.
@History Eraser Button youre right....its been ten yrs since his time in STL. He was there for probably 10 yrs or so. So ill give you that. Just seems like it came and went so fast
Bad analogy with Ortiz. He was using steroids to put up those numbers at that age, like Bonds and so on. At least Pujols' numbers actually declined with age and injury. You have to respect that.
As an Angels fan when they first signed him I thought it was the most bloated contract in baseball history and his time in Anaheim has just been ok but he did have a great presence in the club house and his years in St. Louis have made him a legend. The fact that he has probably lied about his age for all these years to me makes it even more incredible some of the numbers he has put up. If you look up his stats during his Angels years he's had some respectable years so I'm sorry it ended in this way but he's certainly a first ballot HOFer...
Good analysis. I know some Cardinals fans who were very upset with him when he left but perhaps they can take solace in his decline after joining the Angels.
Was it in the late 90's when that little league team got in major trouble for using a teenager and pretending he was the same age as the kids he was playing against? I remember that happening but I can't remember when.
The kids name was Almonte. Danny Almonte. I don't blame the kid tho. The adults put that kid on the mound with full knowledge he was about three years older than the kids he was playing with and against. At that age, three years is huge, 12 yr olds facing a 15yr old. It was a bad look for those adults.
@@jjcnyc6313 Oh I agree totally. The sad thing is that most kids playing baseball are just having fun and it's their parents that are living vicariously through them and trying to make them the next Mickey Mantle. So it's not just exclusive to other countries where they do things like this in baseball.
I’m a huge Cardinals fan and I’d love the Cardinals to sign him for one year so he can retire as a Cardinal. I wouldn’t mind scraping a season to retire one of the greats. We love you Albert. Thank you for the great ride that you gave us.
@@donaldsheeley184 That is natural. Every player chooses green. That’s just economics when it comes to anything in life. If a job offers you more you take it whether it’s thousands or millions. Besides look at that player that left St Louis for less money and went to the Cubs. I forgot his name the African right fielder. Cards offered him more and he left for less to be on the Cubs.
Samson is also a notorious fabricator of stories. He came out about how he would himself would start a ton of stories to affect what teams would go for a player he wanted sign or wanted to get rid of. Not saying that Pujols didn't lie about his age but consider the source you were citing.
People have considered the source. It doesn't do anything for Samson to lie about that now that he's no longer involved and Pujols is at the end of his career. Also, if Samson was lying, it would make Pujols about the only Dominican at the time who didn't lie about his age/name/etc.
@@blackwatch6649 That is a good point. My point is that unlike the other players Samson alluded to who needed to make the majors to escape poverty in the DR, Albert was already here.
Scuttlebutt in St. Louis in 2011 is that Cards didn't sign him to the long contract he wanted because they suspected he was older than he admitted.... That was 10 years ago......
The Cardinals are a far better run organization than the Angels. They were smart enough to only offer him a five year deal while Arte Moreno was truly stupid to sign him to a ten year deal. Truly one of the worst deals any baseball team has given a player, but that's par for the course with Arte Moreno's Angels. Arte has thrown ridiculous amounts of money and has nothing to show for it.
The angels released him because Jared Walsh was emerging as the future at first base and shohei ohtani locked down the DH spot. Ohtani used to rest before and after starts but now he hits more regularly now. The angels were a .500 team that was never healthy, for most pujols tenure there, so they had room to play him and let him reach milestones. Angels fans knew the last few seasons were basically a courtesy call. Had he stayed in St. Louis he would have been a part time player 3 seasons ago. He got a LOT of playing time despite producing like a poor man’s Adam Dunn.
Amen…. I remember the 2011 World Series like it was yesterday He hit 3 home runs in one game. Lol. Only three other men ever did that. And babe Ruth did it twice….. guys were also only throwing 80 mph back then but still lol
He had his time to be his best. Pujols still loves the game. I have respect for his talent, which, has been undeniable. Baseball saved him from poverty from what I saw in this video. He still loves the game. Now he is with the Dodgers. It remains to be seen if he will be back next season.
Boy, was I wrong about thinking Albert was a "retired man" and I couldn't be happier he proved me wrong. 700🔥
I think Albert struggled with the change in organization and hitting philosophies. Getting paid might have also removed some of the pressure to earn that superstar status. But, no disrespect to the Angels here, if Albert had stayed in St Louis he might have had a more consistent career because he had voices he respected in his head.
good man, Great to admit you were wrong, but you should revisit, this for the 2022 season 703, amazing!
@@relentlessmadman absolutely
Appreciate u acknowledging 😂😂😂😂 still a good vid but the title will throw ppl off lol
@@clark7662 Playing for a competent team which actually is competitive in their division and plays to win also helps. When you're actually playing for something meaningful other than stats, you tend to do better.
Angel's knew he wasn't going to be a 10 year success. He brought excitement to the Angel's fanbase and he's been fun to watch. If the Angel's want to win, find some pitchers.
They should have some money to spend next year. Get the best free agent pitcher you can find.
i guess u might as well say hes been fun to watch but the reality is he robbed the angels, gave them one halfway decent season
STOCKHOLD SYNDROME
@@mooknick242 Pujols didn't "rob" the Angels. He just took the money that Arte Moreno willingly, if foolishly offered. As was pointed out in this video, Albert's age-falsification was common knowledge at the time of the signing. Arte Moreno has a habit for going for the "big-name" signing, hoping to compete with the far more popular Dodgers. Now that Pujols is gone, watch Arte trade for 38 yr old Miguel Cabrera and pick up the last few years of that awful contract -- hell, Arte might even give Miggy an extension. There's a reason the Angels never make the playoffs, even with Mike Trout: Arte.
@@jackm4457 rob....took....same thing when your talking about the worst contract ever.
As a baseball fan from the UK, I will always remember watching Albert hit his 598th homer at the Big A when we were on holiday in Anaheim. I think he's great.
A video about Pujols' age, and not one word about how old he says he is, and how old he really is.
...And the uploader wants you to sub!
😆🤣😆🤣
What a scrub.
It's not a video about Pujols' age, but about why the Angels released him now instead of the year before or the year after...which he also never explained.
@@tonyr.3435 the dude sounds like a Red Sox apologists..Ortiz was a juicer
40 years
To be fair, it was kind of a side note to the major story. He was discussing what Sampson said but there’s really no proof to prove that Pujols is lying. You can point out other players who have, but doesn’t mean it’s true. Kind of stupid.
Doesn't matter for someone that had his injury playing that long with it. I give him respect.
Hes an amazing player regardless.
He's 60. Miraculous what he did in his 40s.
😂😂😂
Funny
Hahahaha
He is his own father.
@@nerychristian I thought he was his own grandpaw?
The Cardinals made their best decision of the decade when they let him go vs. paying the ridiculous money he was wanting.
The cardinals best decision is the angels worst decision. Its frustrating being an angels fan and watch mike trout talent go to waste.
Lifelong Cards fan and no one I knew could see how good a decision it was.
Crazy to think the Marlins offered Albert more than the Angels did. They dodged a bullet with that one.
Not about the money. They offered him more with a shorter contract. He wanted LENGTH. He saw the 10 years and that’s what he wanted
“Ridiculous money”
And today a 10 year 240 million dollar deal for a top player is Pennies lmao
He'll be remembered more for his talents than his departure. No worries
That’s good for him who told him to leave the cardinals.... after two chips 3 MVP’s.... 🤦🏻💭
@@elmascavidal1797 $$$$
Not to angels fans
He had a nice run.
As for the Angels, well, buyer beware.
Yep.
That 10 year contract sounded ridiculous in 2012. And it’s a miracle he was serviceable up to 2017.
F a c t s
5 homers this season buddy
Exactly. It was well known that he had plantar fasciitis as well. Definite overpay for mostly decent but not great production until the very end.
Come to think of it, he Pujols was the only first grader who has to shave.
He's a Mt. Rushmore player. Still breaking records. Keep it going AP!
I feel like his elbow and knee/foot injuries are a much bigger factor in his decline than a possible 2 year age difference
Yeah his plantar fasciitis has always been a pretty big problem
Agree
Yeah it's like people forget ,he's had nagging injuries.
I'm guessing his age isn't HELPING those injuries...
@@MuffinMcFluffin He had elbow problems WITH the Cardinals and he was under 30...
I laughed when you mentioned tejada. He looked 40 when he was a rookie.
How about Fernando Valenzuela 😂
Facts😂😂
Greg Oden looked 73 at Ohio State.
That’s cold, man. GO could play but had foot problems like many tall and large folks have.
What a great guy and wow, what a hitter. In Texas we called him the Astro killer when the Astros were in the National League.
I was born an Astros fan, thanks to my mother, who taught me how to play baseball. Thanks Mom
Happy Mothers Day!
As someone who lives in STL and used to go to a ton of games all the fans knew that he was probably a couple of years older than what he said. But the reason the Cards did not resign him didn't have only to do with age so much as terrible knees and a really bad back. Like shockingly bad. That was something he had been dealing with for the last 2 seasons he was with the Cards and it showed with how stiff he had become at the plate at times. These were permanent injuries also, not the type of thing someone really recovers from. Everyone in STL thought he might, might, have 5 more good seasons when he left at the most before his body broke down. As it was the Cards offered him 8 years and 200 million, and that was because he was our guy. Sad to say but there was a little relief from some fans when he did not take it. But for the 11 years we had him in his prime he was the best hitter in baseball. Love you Pu-nuts.
Haha I wish we had you in our front office 10 years ago! We knew that we wouldn't be getting 10 years of HOF Albert Pujols numbers. But we all thought, as you indicated, that we might get 5 good years out of him, and the last couple/few we would basically just paying for nothing. And we were all ok with eating the back end of the deal, as long as we got his usual production in the meantime. The problem is, we didn't even get ONE really good year out of him. The entire contract was a total bust. And for the last few years he's been the worst player on the team. Just look at those anemic On Base and Slugging numbers. Pee-yeew! Just miserable! But, even so, that shouldn't take away from how truly great he was in St. Louis. He will always be one of the greatest right-handed hitters of all time. It's just toi bad we didn't get to see any of that over here.
No they tried to resign him they angels offered a big contract
@@hunterton1003 Yes, bigger and longer than the Cards were willing to go based on knowledge of Pujols injuries and age. Thats what I said.
@@bmschmitzer - In comparison to his first 11 seasons, no one but someone like Mike Trout can compare. But as disappointed as some have been with the last 10 years, the last two are a bust and don't even count. Even without the pandemic last year and the limited number of games this year, like you said the last few were expected to be bad. So let's look at the first 8 with the Angels. He had at least 93 RBI's in 6 of those 8 seasons (over 100 RBI in 4 seasons), and in the remaining 2 seasons his season was shortened due to injury. And think about this: Pujols' plate appearances with the Angels comprises only 40% of his total plate appearances for his career. If we carry his stats just with the Angels and average them over his entire number of plate appearances for his career (ignoring the stats with the Cards), he would have had 550 HR's and 1900 RBI's. Those numbers would still put him in the hall of fame.
@Marcus Aurelius,
Pal I mean this with all due respect, but some Cardinal fans still have yet to understand the entire truth, because by the time the truth came out, several seasons had past since Albert left, and everything you stated about his injuries were showing itself, so by the time the truth was revealed, most Cardinal fans I think felt like the Cardinals dodged a bullet. Truth be told, I won’t say they dodged a bullet, but they were out from under a bad contract.
However, the truth remains that some fans still believe that Albert walked away from the Birds for the best offer, when that’s NOT true!!!
Deidre Pujols went on JOY 99.1, and did an interview with Sandi Brown I think was her name. She confirmed what Trey Wingo had said right after Albert signed, when Wingo said this smells all wrong, there’s something we don’t know and may never know. You see Trey if you remember was very vocal about how David Eckstein was treated...that all said, Deidre bluntly said, the offer that Mozeliak was running around saying Albert turned down, 10 years at 210 million, with 30 million deferred, WAS NEVER OFFERED!!! Had that offer made it to Albert, he would have signed. Albert was prepared to take less to stay in the Lou, just like he had done in two other contract negotiations. You see people, NOT saying you, but some folks forget that in 2006, Albert took 8 million dollars less per year, to stay in St. Louis, when the Sox, Dodgers, and Yanks were prepared to open the vault. The man was the best player in MLB, but wasn’t in the top 20 in paid wages, he wasn’t even the highest paid player on his team towards the end of his last Cardinal contract.
When the story came to light about what Deidre had said, Mozeliak said, there was some miscommunication issues during that time. REALLY??? You either sent an offer or you didn’t!!!! Mozeliak better thank the man upstairs everyday, because if Albert had still been the player he was, when Deidre told the truth, can you imagine how the sports radio shows would have been buzzing, with fans screaming for Mozeliak to be fired???!!!! Instead the story quickly faded, it didn’t gain traction, because Alberts wheels had fell off. Thus, fans like yourself that may not have had the opportunity to hear the truth, still feel like Albert left us for greener pastures. I must give it to you, because you were very respectful in your insight, unlike most who still don’t know the truth.
For those who have hope like myself that the Cardinals bring Albert back for that respected swan song, you may as well get over it...NO WAY Mozeliak wants to revisit those contract talks of 2012. He would be a bigger idiot than he already is, if he did bring Albert back.
It's too bad how much he slipped. As a Cardinals fan I remember watching him all those years with the Cardinals and he was ridiculous. Mind blowing good hitter during his prime years. Dude was a monster. Scariest hitter in the league for years. Looking back it's so fortunate that the Cardinals didn't re-sign him. I hope he retires as and goes into the Hall of Fame as a Cardinal.
injuries
yessir
@@E_xe2 :)
Obviously he's back now, but just in regards to your comment about the cards not resigning him, it sucks cuz we all know they did offer him an extension. He just wanted more money than what they were offering unfortunately. He got greedy. Some even say his wife may have played a part in wanting to leave stl for sunny LA lol. All speculation of course but I damn sure wish he stayed in stl. His numbers would no doubt probably be better and I'm willing to bet the cards would have at least ONE championship, maybe even 2 in that 10 year span that he was in LA had he stayed. Glad hes back and having success now, but still will always be a lingering "what if."
Pujols is having a Great year as a Cardinal in 2022....Hes the Bomb! 👍👍
The problem with the Angels isn’t Pujols and his contract, it’s their pitching. I understand why Angels released Pujols but at the same time you didn’t become any better or worse now that he’s no longer apart of the team.
The thing is that if they can prove he lied about his age they can void whats left of his contract.
Enter Drew Butera. That's gonna make them contenders, right?
@@ceave With his under .200 career batting average - you know it! 😫 Sometimes you can't help but to question your sanity when you admit to being an Angels fan.
It’s just a message to trout or shohei, stop producing and we will dog you out . Show up at the stadium and your shit is in a trash can and you aren’t allowed into the locker room. It was never LA fans job to support Pujols lack of productivity the last couple years . That’s why I didn’t want him to leave . When he came back in 2019 he realized what a mistake he made . He’s a hero in the Lou and treated like a nobody in LA
Amen…. That bullpen has been garbage for years too
So happy you were wrong. One more year and he’s home, motivated and hungry. 700 homers here we come!
Played with a guy in the Pirates organization that bragged about being 5 years older than what he was listed as. Took on the identity of someone from his town in the dominican to do so. So this doesn't surprise me.
The DR is the most corrupt nation on earth, its very easy to get forged papers there.
@@BoleDaPole definitely, also had another player who received mail under a different name. I can’t imagine the org didn’t know about it.
I played with a kid in little league from Africa that looked 20 years old when we were all 12that didn't know his actual age
Played with an American kid whose father was bribing government officials to get government contracts
played with a guy in little league who was from Taiwan and he was 50.
To have his numbers and been bad for this long tells the story, he was amazing.
Pujols is having a Great 2022 Season ... Look at his stats...👍👍
@@bige8496 I have on my team just for that reason.
@@macthomas6381 Honesty if he has a good off season I can clearly see him playing at a high level again next year....Hes in Beast Mode right now...
Albert Pujols' numbers may have declined the last few years, but let's get one thing straight...the man has more love and respect for the game of baseball than 99% of all major leaguers! His body is just so warn down that he couldn't keep up with the young kids anymore, but that didn't stop him from having one of the greatest attitudes and an amazing team presence. He was a confidant to every player in that dugout and the level of respect they have for him is unmatched. We will miss you here in So Cal Albert...we'll see you soon in the hall of fame!
I won’t. That contract is part of the reason the Angels haven’t made the playoffs in forever.
LOL, theh guy is an elitist jerk who acts like he is the sole arbiter of the game. I will never forget that clown whining like a child that the Brewers showed up the Cardinals by untucking their shirts after a walk of HR by Bruan when anyone with a brain knew the Brewers did it after every win in tribute to Mike Cameron's father who used to untuck his shirt after a hard day of work. Screw him.
How can he have love and respect for the game if he lies to get a job?
Damn you made this quick, definitely the end of an era. Albert Pujols may not have had his best years as an Angel but as a fan, I loved his presence on the team. it’s a sad day to see him go, especially on these terms
YEAH HIS FARTING ON THE BENCH BROUGHT ATMOSPHERE TO THE TEAM!
Our Stl got the best of Albert. We got to witness our gens rendition of a Babe Ruth type of guy. Pujols will always be remembered as a St. Louis Cardinal.For stats and fame. 😘
@@rosemarierubano5894 Albert OWNED my Reds....and yet I always respected his ability on AND off the field. With Votto fracturing his Thumb and out for awhile, we could use a First Baser...but Red's Organization are so damn cheap they wouldn't sign another Star EVEN if offered coupons and All you can eat at Denny's For Life! Puljols did what he had to do to keep playing. I'd bet he has done well with the money he has earned too The hardest part for ANY player is to know that The Fat Lady, who is about to Sing, is LQQKING directly at YOU. Cheers Rosemarie
@@AmericanGod1 Only 10 year olds use ALL CAPS so that explains it...
@@TheStuport yes. The fat lady may have cleared her throat. ..I wish he would come home , but many fans are upset still. You couldn't tell that though because of the welcome he got when the Angels came to play last summer. We love him. He gave us the.best.years of his playing career.
so the MLB doesn’t even check birth certificates but I have to submit mine for AAU
😂😂😂
I was wondering that as well. If I'm going to sign someone to a 10 year/ big money contract I would go out of my way to find out his age if in question...
Well if the didn't check Obama for his birth certificate they weren't going to check Alberts
You can get a BC in the DR that says anything on it.
They check birth certificates but in third world countries it might as well be wrote on a McDonald’s receipt.
When Ron LeFlore retired, he admitted he was 4 years older than he claimed to be during his MLB career.
Post 9/11 is when this became an issue
Yesssss!!! It’s on RUclips I believe... definitely worth a watch. From prison to professional baseball! Leflore did what most people would think to be impossible. His story is amazing.
@@ktat01 unfortunately, the story gets bad fast. LaFlore became a bad influence to the young players in Detroit and was traded to Montreal. He brought his “posse” with him to Montreal who’s influence on their young players ruined the career of Ellis Valentine and nearly Tim Raines’ before LeFlore left for Chicago. I heard (not verified) that while in Chicago, both his sons drowned in the same swimming pool at different times. I also heard that about 15 years ago, he was an airport bag handler until his leg was amputated.
Ron LeFlore was my favorite player after the team was dismantled before 1974.
I couldn’t get through 15 minutes of that movie. It’s no Pride of the Yankees lol.
Many and I would say _most_ players are told to retire rather than retire when highly productive. Pete Rose, Willie Mays and even Babe Ruth are examples. There aren't a lot of players who take the David Ortiz route who retire when at the top of their game. I'm not sure whether I respect that or not or whether it is something that qualifies as worthy of respect no matter what the decision. But I can understand getting every once out of your career.
It's the money. get it when you can and make it work for you.
It's probably hard for them to go. Some of them do enjoy playing the sport, especially in the older days.
Willie and the Babe were great up until their last year, so there's some leeway for them
Rose, on the other hand, kept playing for the explicit purpose of breaking the Cobb record
Well ortiz was on juice so that helps too smh
I'm Glad He's A Dodger Player Now.. Hell Ya...👍🇺🇸
Tio Albert
Lol
When the St. Louis Cardinals let him go they got that right
There’s a debate here in St. Louis on whether they should bring him back. What a waste that would be. We got a pretty decent first baseman already.
@@Tteaspoon1031 He'll probably sign a nominal one day contract and retire a Cardinal. As an Angels fan, it was special to watch him pass those career milestones, but I think it would be fitting to see him retire as a Cardinal.
They offered him 8 years at $200 million. Pujols showed where his loyalty was ($$$$$).
The won the ship the same year I think
@@big0514 Cardinals did win the World Series then released Pujols
Whether he lied about his age or not, signing him to a 10-year deal for that kind of money at that stage in his career was an idiotic move by the Angels. Even at his "given" age he would have been 42 when the contract ended and he was already showing signs of decline during his last seasons in St. Louis.
As an Angels fan that has seen him play countless times now the fans absolutely loved him. I knew he wasn’t the Albert of his mvp days but it was sa joy seeing him break records and reach milestones wesupported him every single season. I think it’s shameful what we did and I ve been pushing for Arte Moreno to sell the club for years.
This isn’t a charity, respect doesn’t earn you a spot on the team. There’s been a lot of legends of this sport, none of them have ever had a free pass. And it was mutual
I find it fascinating that the Angel fans have so much Love for Albert Pujols. What is it about him that the fans loved? He immediately played far below the level of which the Angels were paying him. That progressively got worse and then became unbearable starting in 2017. Pujols has single handedly kept the Angels from contention. They can't afford to sign anyone with his mammoth contract. Watch the Angels sign a top flight starting level pitcher in 2022 now that they have washed there hands of Pujols.
@@lifepeace9490 Albert has been an above average hitter until like 2018 when he really dipped. Also he is a flat out legend, if you love the game it’s a pleasure to watch. The man is class act on off of the field, he has done countless charity work around Anaheim. He was like the father of the clubhouse and I can’t see why you wouldn’t want to watch him play for your team.
@@JM-js7nq Understood. I guess for me my teams success, winning and losing is paramount. Pujols contract forced the Angels to play him daily and be unable to trade him. The Angels lack of success is directly related to the contract of Albert Pujols.
in 2017 Pujols slugged .386 with 23 homeruns. My argument against Pujols takes into consideration his contract. At 24 million per year you could replace Pujols with numerous players which certainly would have brought the Angels more on the field success.
Everyone knew he was likely lying about his age. AmaZing they gave him a 10 year deal.
Um, Maybe he is the age that he says he is. Maybe they don't know his actual age, maybe it does not matter but the knee problems and the plantar fasciitis does. Maybe he has played intensely for many years and his body is just worn out. Maybe they should take into account the massive amount of hits that the shift has take away from him. Let's not just assume that he is lying, there is no reason for that.
who else is watching this video after albert Pujols hits his 700th homerun
Honestly, it's not sad to see it end this way. Most players Pujols' caliber retire before it gets to this point. He didn't. I'm not saying this as a slight against him either. It is his right to play as long as someone is willing to let him. In fact I respect that. Rickey did the same thing and even when no MLB team wanted to pay him, he went back to play in the minors. How can you get mad at someone who loves playing that much? To some people, that IS going out on their own terms. Kicking and screaming.
Good job Albert. You got every AB you could out of this league. Good luck with whatever you do next.
Good luck with whatever you do next
Lmao
He went back to the Lou and hit for a 154ops+ lmao
My man took the time machine with Marty mcfly and crushed the angels fans hearts even worse I love it
I have newspapers from when we were in high school back at Fort Osage where they were questioning his age
Thats bcs of how many homers ye hit
wow I’d love to see those
Julio Franco didn't even try to hide it haha.
Unless he was like 62 when he retired.
He was lol
I LOVE Julio Franco THE 401K King - Play till you have amassed enough money to retire....
Julio is the oldest player to ever hit a home run and that’s the fake age. So imagine how old he really was…. It was 47 or 48 but if he’s older that is even more impressive. Dude was well over the half century mark cracking a home run lmao
Albert Pujols 1 of the greatest of all time
should have never left St.Louis and will always be welcome to come home the fans have not and will not forget him
Sadly that is the true..but he doesn't need to play more if he doesn't want to...he got everything he needs..Money to live a decent life and Numbers to be a hall of fame .
@Andrew beavers He left St L.because there is a moment when it is no more about playing it is about Money ..Money wise.
@Andrew beavers no he didn’t he said this multiple times in multiple conference
I said that. HE HAD JUST WON A WORLD SERIES B4 LEAVING STL. I didn't understand the move
look he could have had one or two more descent seasons here and went to shit wouldn't make a difference he sold tickets like Mark McGuire did STL baseball is about loyalty and that is what makes us the best baseball town
Look back now 2022 September 24 he hit his 700th home run he is now a legend bro I am sad that he is going to retire this year😢
His whole career with the Cardinals is a hall of fame worthy career
easily.
He was truly "The Machine" when he played in St.Louis, but I think the Cardinals knew after the 2010 season his best days were behind him. The Angels got Albert past his prime!
Exactly
@@nonsense1558 since he was half man half machine, his human side started to affect his production with his injuries and age while the machine part was still hitting that ball no matter what hahahaha
One year later, goin for 700!
I remember there a lot of articles saying he would be the best player ever around 2006. He slumped so bad once he left St. Louis.
Heard the same
Thing about trout
And he can’t even stay on the field to have a decline lmao
And now he is having a great season because he’s on a great team, imagine that. Go Blue!
Albert Pujols pulled a Danny Almonte with the age 😂
I really don't think his fall off is any evidence of age fraud. Most players are borderline useless after about 34/35. In his age 34 season he hit 27 HRs with a 126 OPS+, and at age 35 he hit 40 HRs with a 118 OPS+. The first below average offensive season he had was actually his age 37 season in 2017. If he was older than he claimed, I'd think he would have reached that point a few years earlier.
Hes still one of my favorite players, im a Cardinals fan and grew up watching him play for us until he went to the Angels
i live in the st Louis area. albert was a force. the 11 years he was in st louis were close to the best 11 years ever for any hitter. I'd like to compare his '01-'11 numbers to barry bonds's best 11 consecutive year numbers. say, '94-'04. albert was the only modern player to come close to bonds. to say he was exceptional would be an understatement.
Was he a tool with fans in St. Louis? Because on the road he never signed autographs for fans by dugout with Cards or Angels.
A lot of people where bitter when he left the Cardinals, and still are. He was such a great defensive first baseman! His baseball IQ was incredible! Such a smart base runner! Oh yes, and the best batsmen people my age had ever watched! And he seamed like a gentleman and a nice guy.
I remember when they signed him to that contract i laughed and said out loud this will be a disaster.
Me too. Between him, Josh Hamilton and CJ Wilson. Over the course of 12 months, they threw a mountain of money at those 3.....and all 3 contracts went bad.
You had it right!!
Not a disaster for him 😆 💰 plus top 20 in the major categories like homers, runs, RBIs, Hits, Total Bases, Doubles, Runs Created, Extra Base Hits, WAR position players, At Bats, Games Played, Plate Appearances.
@@franklopez7019 yeah he's also #1 for worst contract ever
@@theb3654 but that’s not his fault lol Its the owners. That happens all the time. Contracts are risks no? What happened with Chris Bosh ?? tell me..
Only thing Albert needed was to wear a Cardinals uniform again. He is hungry for 1 more ring. Going out his last season with his boy Yadi couldn't be a better story and couldn't be more motivating for him and the team.
And he has seriously stepped up his game as of late. At this rate he will easily hit 700 HRs
look at albert now!
Anybody else here and laughing? Albert has blasted 700 and is still the GOAT 🐐
My all time favorite but not the goat
Willie mays is the greatest all around player to ever play
Greatest Cardinal of my generation hands down
Ozzie Smith was mine. 👍
@@brainyjanie8186 Ozzy was awesome. Used to look forward to the All Star Game. Loved seeing Sandberg at second with Ozzie at short. Those 2 were amazing.
@History Eraser Button Yadi imo is the best catcher in MLB ever.
Noooooo yadi was nice of defense but pudge was wayyyy better on defense and piazza wayyyy better with the bat.
Bench was the all around king son
Junior Felix got off to a great start with the Blue Jays in 1989, but lasted only 6 years in the major leagues, leading to widespread suspicion that he may have been as much as 10 years older than his official age.
And Felix also played for the Angels 1991-1992, lol.
This reminds me of benchwarmers, I am 10 in crayon 😆.
Im 12 Lol.
.....John 14:6
@@hyapastrebe52 Oh yeah 12 😆
Angels then signed Mike Trout to a long-term contract. He's a great talent, but the organization fails to understand that it takes a balanced team (you know, even a serviceable pitching staff) to win championships. At least Pujols won championships with the Cardinals. At this rate, the Angels aren't getting close to contending for a championship anytime in the near future.
I love how all this call MLB analyst says Pujols numbers were ridiculous bad as an angels player but they don't say nothing about players like upton who has a pretty good contract and has been way worse than Pujols and how about Rendon I haven't seen him doing nothing yet and the list goes on and on, besides trout Pujols has been the best producer in that team even as an old man
i would say upton produces just been hurt recently rendon has been hurt basically the whole season ohtani is hr leader and walsh is hitting pretty good too offense isn’t a problem it’s pitching
He was still driving in at least 90 rbi a year until 2018. So to say he was never good in Anaheim is absurd. He simply wasn’t as good as he’d been with St. Louis. And yes, the contract was ridiculous.
He hasn’t been that bad, had 93 RBI’s the last full season (2019) with a .734 OPS, a little below average sure
Besides trout, better than the rest of the team and not only in 2019 the whole decade he was the best run producer after trout
RBIs aren't that impressive when you have Mike Trout hitting in front of you. Any player is going to wrack up a ton of RBIs with a .438 OBP in front of them. Pujols was bad in 2019, .305 OBP, .430 SLG. His OPS+ was 90, meaning he was 10% worse than average hitter. He was worth 0.2 WAR, meaning he was barely playing above replacement level (replacement level is basically a AAA player).
@@Il_Exile_lI Still gotta hit him in, not like a manager couldn’t have moved Pujols down further in the lineup also if he thought that was best. 90 OPS+ is a little below average but it’s not that bad, also I’m pretty sure he had a negative WAR in 2019, but really no sense in comparing him to theoretical replacement level players (that stat is flawed because a replacement level player is valued at 0 but is calibrated to produce at less than 0.)
Let's go big Al!! 700 any day now!! Still raking, even with the age faking. Would be crazy to find out he is actually 45 and his real name is something else.
Tom Brady lied about his age, he is actually 143 years old. He invited the football.
Did he invite the football to a game?
I think you are being WAY too critical of Albert Pujols & how his career with the Angles has played out. The last 2 years in LA haven’t been great but outside of that he has been pretty productive in an Angles uniform at the plate. Especially when you factor in his age. Obviously he wasn’t as good as he was with the Cardinals bc at the time he had a 10 year run that was one of the most dominate stretches in history, which allowed him to win 3 MVPs. It’s very hard to top that, especially when you are getting up there in age. Albert Pujols has had a great career, he is a top 10 hitter of all-time & his time as an LA Angle was underrated.
They kept him because Arte is too cheap to do buyouts. He wanted his money's worth.
Arte worse owner in professional sports.
100% correct.
I played against Pujols in High School and Legion. He was a year younger than us but it wasnt a secret he had rumors the moment he showed up at Fort Osage. The guy was 15 years old and had full stubble and built like a man not a kid in puberty. Regardless he produced and age got him up the ranks faster but it makes it sweeter we beat him more than he beat us.
i could grow a full beard at 16. facial hair doesnt mean much
@@JRVideo22 did I say the beard was the only factor, his "cousin" who lived with him wasn't a cousin and also was caught lying about everything on his birth certificate. I'll still give him praise but he didn't get to where he was legit
@@jott1717 you realize if he’s 44-45 having the season he’s having its even more impressive lol
@@JRVideo22 dude I think it's cool it's not like it's not happening
He's been in the MLB since like 2002 you cant expect him to still be playing lights out in 2021
He played 10 years with the Cardinals and was, as the story states, one of the best hitters in baseball when he left. 10 years with those numbers is a career most MLB players would dream of. His performance with the Cards alone will get him into the HoF. The Angels were foolish to offer him that kind of money, and you can't blame Albert for taking it. He'll come back to St Louis where he is still revered as a player and humanitarian. It wouldn't surprise me if he finishes his career as a bating coach with the Cards. They'll welcome him back to St Louis with open arms!
Boy was this video wrong lmao
Signing a 32 year old to a 10 year contract is never going to be a good decision, I don't care who it is.
Absolutely. I thought when he left the Cardinals to join the Angels he was seriously underpaid in proportion to his production on the field, and he was arguably in his prime when he signed with the Angels. But signing a ten year deal considering his age was ridiculous. I would have offered him a five year deal with a massive guaranteed signing bonus with an option for a sixth year on top of that. Anybody who saw other Hall of Famers should have expected his production to go down dramatically as his age creeped up towards the 40 year mark. It was obvious with Reggie Jackson in the 1980's, Ryne Sandberg and Ricky Henderson in the 1990's, Ken Griffey Jr. in the 2000's, and even Barry Bonds with the steroid allegations hanging over his head was reduced to just being only effective at the plate, as his defense deteriorated considerably over time. He had once been a perennial Gold Glove winner, but by the end of his career he was a defensive liability. He only continued to play left field because he was playing in the National League. I believe he ultimately signed with the Angels when he did because the Cardinals didn't want to give him a ten year deal based on what I commented about earlier.
I think he was actually 35-37 when the angels signed him.
Hahaha at him being 32 lol.
Not even Brady?
add arod to it and i love arod
3:30 "Pujols is probably a retired player"
That aged as well as Albert's knees
Actually, if Pujols is the age all his records say he is, he really just had a normal aging process; peaking at about 27 (actually 28/29), starting decline at 32/33...part of the reasons his Angels numbers look so bad is because offense levels dropped across the league at the same time; if you account for that, his decline is actually normative, almost ideally so, especially for a big-body first baseman with increasingly bad knees...
Plus his first five years were actually great. The contract and the last five years is what made it bad. Though, he was 37/38. If anything, this proves that Pujols is 100% natural and never was on PEDs.
The Angles gave him big money and he stopped caring.
that's what happens when you give people big money these days
I don't believe that. I think age just caught up to him. If he stopped caring, I think he would have opted to retire instead of being DFA'd. I don't think he's being realistic thinking another team is going to sign him, though.
Albert is a great example of why guaranteed contracts are hurting baseball. I think going to the NFL model would be better.
It’s very common for Latin American players to use their christening date instead of their birthdate. This has been common knowledge for years for anyone involved with the panam tournaments.
Who's watching in 2022 where Puljols is playing better for the Cardinals than he ever played with the Angels
Hating on Pujols, a first ballot HoF, by some random youtuber?
"Why did the Angels RELEASE Albert Pujols?"
Because I forgot that, even if he didn't get released, it was supposed to (possibly) be in his last year of his Angels contract
In few years Soto age will be a trending topic. Hard to believe he's 22 years old
What! I had no idea Soto was supposed to be 22. I thought the guy was like 30.
Soto does look pretty young. Just well built. I would guess he is like 25.
@@nerychristian exactly he’s still young but he looks more like 25
I was swear to god I was thinking the same thing. But who knows. D1 athletes look 30 in high school too. Especially Alabama football recruits. No surprise they dominate against kids
Soto does NOT look young IMO and definitely not 22. Im 40 and if he's claiming 22, then I'm 18. Sports contracts are so much more juicy when you're "young" with alot of playing time left. I wouldn't be surprised if their were some crooked ass agents out that are accomplices in the scheme. Bigger contract, bigger cut.
As an Angles fan for many decades, Albert didn't put up the numbers like he had as a Cardinal but was a well respected and beloved teammate. Yes, it's all about the pitching if you're going to make the playoffs. As for Mike Trout, he is still the best player on the planet.
I'll be an even better teammate for a fraction of the $240 million.
You can’t release a guy like that. You can restructure a deal but you can’t release a first ballot hall of famer.
Why? Also, how do you restructure? Keep him on your payroll for longer? He's making 30 million this year to play significantly below replacement level.
they should have allowed Albert to say a 'proper goodbye to all his MANY fans" they way this ended is so 'cold'.....this proves that baseball is a business first...and the human element is way down on the ladder.
You can do whatever the FUCK you wanna do
That's the dumbest take I've ever heard. Pujols has been terrible for years and he's the worst hitter in this lineup. If it weren't for his contract he would've been released years ago. The Angels even TRIED to keep him around by only playing him vs the opponents' less talented starting pitchers, but he was so bad they couldn't even do it. He was THAT bad. The only thing worse is your ridiculously stupid opinion.
@@juliewilsonriola9471 No, what this "proves" is that you don't know what the hell you're talking about. The guy is the worst player on the whole team and his lack of ability is killing them.. How (and why!) should they go about letting him "say a proper goodbye"? And, more importantly, what the hell does that even mean?? What, you think they should just keep running him out there and hurting the team's chances to win every night? Completely stupid sports take from someone totally devoid of anything remotely resembling common sense.. Good riddance, Albert! And thanks for nothing!
People will always appreciate u after u gone he was the not only one to blame that’s facts. in my eyes he is a hall of famer numbers don’t lie they should of him kept or traded him so he could enjoy his final season having his memorable ceremony’s just like other legends had what a shame.
As a angels fan pujols was still hitting homers but he was pretty slow and I hope we can get someone to help us
He a goat tho
I know, no hustle or anything to 1st base. Many time I was like he will make it, but when I camera goes to him and only see him jogging (slowly)
@@JDMillest23 that is an argument but Albert has more stolen bases than trout this year so lack of hustle is a hard argument to make.
A reliever and a starter would be nice.
@@JDMillest23 everytime😂
Hitters get hot. Sometimes early in carear. Sometimes in the middle. Sometimes they flare out. He has been a great player, outstanding to teammates and fans. His time at his peak was short and sweet.
@History Eraser Button youre right....its been ten yrs since his time in STL. He was there for probably 10 yrs or so. So ill give you that. Just seems like it came and went so fast
I hope he catches on with the Cardinals for a graceful exit.
Bad analogy with Ortiz. He was using steroids to put up those numbers at that age, like Bonds and so on. At least Pujols' numbers actually declined with age and injury. You have to respect that.
Tejada also took steroids to boost his performance whereas, Pujols who has never failed a PED test, has not.
Lance Armstrong never failed either! trust me, at one time Albert was on a type of PED same w Papi in Boston
@@CIF-pm7tk There is no doubt about it and if you will lie about your age for money what else are you lying about?
Yeah and Fernando Valenzuela was 19 during this breakthrough 1981 season.
I miss the Albert Pujols of the St. Louis Cardinals.
this aged well with him in his "final year"
As an Angels fan when they first signed him I thought it was the most bloated contract in baseball history and his time in Anaheim has just been ok but he did have a great presence in the club house and his years in St. Louis have made him a legend. The fact that he has probably lied about his age for all these years to me makes it even more incredible some of the numbers he has put up. If you look up his stats during his Angels years he's had some respectable years so I'm sorry it ended in this way but he's certainly a first ballot HOFer...
Good analysis. I know some Cardinals fans who were very upset with him when he left but perhaps they can take solace in his decline after joining the Angels.
Albert did not grow up in Dominican republic, actually he started playing baseball in Kansas City, so the theory of his age is false.
Unless you have parents that are US citizens, your BC comes from your place of birth so your point is meaningless.
Was it in the late 90's when that little league team got in major trouble for using a teenager and pretending he was the same age as the kids he was playing against? I remember that happening but I can't remember when.
The kids name was Almonte. Danny Almonte. I don't blame the kid tho. The adults put that kid on the mound with full knowledge he was about three years older than the kids he was playing with and against. At that age, three years is huge, 12 yr olds facing a 15yr old. It was a bad look for those adults.
@@jjcnyc6313 Oh I agree totally. The sad thing is that most kids playing baseball are just having fun and it's their parents that are living vicariously through them and trying to make them the next Mickey Mantle. So it's not just exclusive to other countries where they do things like this in baseball.
I’m a huge Cardinals fan and I’d love the Cardinals to sign him for one year so he can retire as a Cardinal. I wouldn’t mind scraping a season to retire one of the greats. We love you Albert. Thank you for the great ride that you gave us.
He chose the green over the Cardinal Red. Surely even with the numbers St.Louis be will always be Dizzy Dean Stan Musial and Bob Gibson
@@donaldsheeley184 That is natural. Every player chooses green. That’s just economics when it comes to anything in life. If a job offers you more you take it whether it’s thousands or millions. Besides look at that player that left St Louis for less money and went to the Cubs. I forgot his name the African right fielder. Cards offered him more and he left for less to be on the Cubs.
Samson is also a notorious fabricator of stories. He came out about how he would himself would start a ton of stories to affect what teams would go for a player he wanted sign or wanted to get rid of. Not saying that Pujols didn't lie about his age but consider the source you were citing.
People have considered the source. It doesn't do anything for Samson to lie about that now that he's no longer involved and Pujols is at the end of his career. Also, if Samson was lying, it would make Pujols about the only Dominican at the time who didn't lie about his age/name/etc.
@@blackwatch6649 But Pujols was already in the United States. He didn't need to get signed to come here because he already lived in Missouri.
@@josiahlamb Lived here, but wasn't born here. It's not as if he had a U.S. birth cetificate.
@@blackwatch6649 That is a good point. My point is that unlike the other players Samson alluded to who needed to make the majors to escape poverty in the DR, Albert was already here.
Allways be proud of your age..what a unbelievable talent..who really care just how old Albert Pujols is 🥊🇨🇦
Lying about age seems to happen in the nba as well.
2012-2016 we’re still very effective years for the angels, he definitely had more than 1 good season
We signed josh Hamilton lol ..that should tell you a lot about us
That was truly stupid. But Arte Moreno has stepped up many times and got burned. Gary Matthew's Jr, CJ Wilson, Bobby Abreu. Many more flame outs.
They should have given that money to Zack Greinke that year.
Well Hamilton did win MVP like two years before that so it wasn't that bad at the time.
Scuttlebutt in St. Louis in 2011 is that Cards didn't sign him to the long contract he wanted because they suspected he was older than he admitted.... That was 10 years ago......
The Cardinals are a far better run organization than the Angels. They were smart enough to only offer him a five year deal while Arte Moreno was truly stupid to sign him to a ten year deal. Truly one of the worst deals any baseball team has given a player, but that's par for the course with Arte Moreno's Angels. Arte has thrown ridiculous amounts of money and has nothing to show for it.
Albert with st Louis was something else. What a bust his time with the angles was
Exactly
Nobody had a more commanding presence at the plate than Albert!⚾️⚾️⚾️
@@sheepdog271 I wonder even at this age pitchers fear him or get intimidated, I wonder why? Mmmm!
The angels released him because Jared Walsh was emerging as the future at first base and shohei ohtani locked down the DH spot. Ohtani used to rest before and after starts but now he hits more regularly now.
The angels were a .500 team that was never healthy, for most pujols tenure there, so they had room to play him and let him reach milestones. Angels fans knew the last few seasons were basically a courtesy call. Had he stayed in St. Louis he would have been a part time player 3 seasons ago. He got a LOT of playing time despite producing like a poor man’s Adam Dunn.
One of the best cluth hitters ever.
Amen…. I remember the 2011 World Series like it was yesterday
He hit 3 home runs in one game. Lol. Only three other men ever did that. And babe Ruth did it twice….. guys were also only throwing 80 mph back then but still lol
He had his time to be his best. Pujols still loves the game. I have respect for his talent, which, has been undeniable. Baseball saved him from poverty from what I saw in this video. He still loves the game. Now he is with the Dodgers. It remains to be seen if he will be back next season.
He had a good career and is in the hall of fame so he should honestly just retire
agreed