Los Angeles Angels: Where should Albert Pujols rank among all-time greats?
Los Angeles Angels slugger Albert Pujols is most likely a first-ballot Hall of Famer, but where does he rank among all-time MLB greats?
During his tenure in St. Louis, which covered a total of eleven seasons, Albert Pujols was on pace to shatter many records, not only for the birds on the bat, but all-time in MLB history.
During the off-season between the 2011 and 2012 seasons, Pujols signed a large contract offer from the Los Angeles Angels, leaving St. Louis where he was idolized and beloved, where he no doubt had a larger than life statue in the works for him, most likely next to Stan “The Man” Musial in the Cardinals legends display outside of Busch Stadium.
Here is a list of all his major accomplishments, with both teams, during his 16 plus MLB seasons, thus far:
- Member of the 600 home run club
- 2 time World Series champion (2006, 2011)
- 10 time All-Star (2001, 2003–2010, 2015)
- 6 time Silver Slugger Award (2001, 2003, 2004, 2008–2010)
- 2 time Rawlings Gold Glove Award (2006, 2010)
- 3 time NL MVP (2005, 2008, 2009)
- NL Rookie of the Year Award (2001)
- NLCS MVP (2004)
- NL batting champion (2003)
- 2 time NL home run leader (2009, 2010)
- NL RBI champion (2010)
- 2 time Hank Aaron Award (2003, 2009)
- Most RBI ever by a foreign born player
To go along with that list of elite accolades, the career statistics of Pujols over his illustrious 17 year career are even more eye-popping:
- Games played: 2,560
- At-bats: 9,675
- Runs: 1,719
- Hits: 2,957
- Home runs: 613
- RBI: 1,913
- Career Batting Average: .306
These daunting numbers speak for themselves, but if you compare his career in the Arch City with that of his time in the City of Angels, there is a major disparity in mostly every single major statistical category.
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In his first ten seasons in St. Louis, Pujols began his career by at least hitting .300, plating 100 runs, and driving in 100 RBI each season.
In his time with the Angels the past five plus seasons, he’s only hitting .262, with just 884 of his 2,957 hits, 116 home runs, and a plethora of injuries, which has forced him into a permanent role as a DH, after being a Gold Glove winning first baseman.
He has not hit anywhere near .300 one time for the Angels, with his base-on-balls rate dipping almost as fast as his career batting average.
The only statistic that is anywhere near his former production with the Cardinals are his home runs, where he still puts on a show with his mammoth blasts in sunny So-Cal.
Pujols is quickly approaching 3,000 hits, 700 HRs, and 2,000 RBI, but where does he stand in the conversation as an all-time great?
I would estimate that he will be a first ballot Hall of Famer, but his legacy is definitely tainted since his departure from the Show Me State, where he could have been possibly one of the top 5-10 greatest players ever. Period.
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What’s strange is that Albert Pujols has yet to play a game in St. Louis since his departure from the squad in 2011, and time is running out for that to happen.
They say time heals all wounds and I would imagine the best fans in baseball would be quick to forgive and forget, giving the slugger the largest ovation to an opposing player ever within the confines of Busch Stadium.
Let’s hope we get a chance to see that moment take place, before Pujols retires and walks straight into the Hall of Fame.