Albert Pujols Career Finale

[Just Regular]

https://www.espn.com/mlb/story/_/id/34432650/albert-pujols-hits-two-home-runs-passes-stan-musial-second-total-bases

Albert had a 130 OPS+ before going nuts tonight.

His STL career low OPS was 148 over the course of his age 21-31 seasons there.

His LAA career high OPS was 138 over the course of his age 32-41 seasons there.

I guess tonight's 2 HR bring a 700 watch into play.

[CharmCityHokie]

11 hours ago, Just Regular said:

https://www.espn.com/mlb/story/_/id/34432650/albert-pujols-hits-two-home-runs-passes-stan-musial-second-total-bases

Albert had a 130 OPS+ before going nuts tonight.

His STL career low OPS was 148 over the course of his age 21-31 seasons there.

His LAA career high OPS was 138 over the course of his age 32-41 seasons there.

I guess tonight's 2 HR bring a 700 watch into play.

It'll be interesting to see what he does if he doesn't hit 700 this season. IF he gets to say 698 or 699, he seems like a guy who might try to play one more season to see if he can get it, and StL seems like they have a soft spot for their legends (They allow Yadi Molina to do whatever he wants at this point, they will pay Wainwright for as long as he wants to pitch). If he gets close I'd bet they'd give me a contract to come back and swing for the fences one more season.

All that being said, I have a feeling he'll go on a tear and get there this season.

[OsFanSinceThe80s]

Pujols just might reach 700 home runs before the season ends if he doesn't get dinged for  a positive drug test first.

 

[O's84]

His numbers will continue to get better as long as he doesn't do some of this:

 

[Sports Guy]

Hope he can get to 700.

I think people forget how great he was because he was so subpar for the last several years.

Good to see him ending strong.

[Just Regular]

Some other Age 32 and after "decline phases" of the company he's hanging around with:

Bonds - 5893 PA of 205 OPS+

Aaron - 6086 PA of 152 OPS+

Ruth - 5030 PA of 200 OPS+      (before looking it up, I wouldn't have guessed End of Ruth was Bonds-strong)

A-Rod - 3725 PA of 123 OPS+

Pujols - 5488 PA of 109 OPS+

Mays - 5830 PA of 152 OPS+

Griffey - 3568 PA of 113 OPS+     (injuries I feel eroded Griffey moreso than Pujols, who is probably "the compiler" in this group)

A-Rod edge down to 696-693 in career HR, will be curious to see if Pujols leapfrogging 5th to 4th is an event MLB contrives to work him into.

 

[Frobby]

What has gotten into Pujols?  At the end of June he looked absolutely done.  OPS by month: 

April .833

May .661

June .425

July: .944

August 1.374

By the way, next to Yankee fans, Cardinals fans have to be the most spoiled fans in baseball.  Nothing ever goes wrong for that team.  

 

[Can_of_corn]

What indeed?

[oh-wee-ohs]

The home run derby clicked his power stroke it seems. 

[Gurgi]

Hope he hasnt been hanging out with Tatis.

[OsFanSinceThe80s]

19 hours ago, Gurgi said:

Hope he hasnt been hanging out with Tatis.

Maybe Pujols just feels more comfortable in a Cardinals uniform. Pujols has a 149 OPS+ for the season and he hasn't put up this kind of production since his first Cardinals stint.

It does make you wonder though.  

 

 

[CharmCityHokie]

23 hours ago, OsFanSinceThe80s said:

Maybe Pujols just feels more comfortable in a Cardinals uniform. Pujols has a 149 OPS+ for the season and he hasn't put up this kind of production since his first Cardinals stint.

It does make you wonder though.  

 

 

I don't want go down a rabbit hole of hypotheticals but I do wonder if Pujols blew a drug-screen in the last month of his last season, if MLB would try and sweep it under the rug for the sake of baseball's image. 

That being said, I do not suspect anything nefarious is up with Pujols, he's one of the greatest hitters of all time and he's on a heater. Miggy Cabrera had two months this summer where he was hitting like .320+ before showing he was actually still old. 

[waroriole]

Just like Hank Aaron, he never hit 50 in a season. 

[Frobby]

On 9/1/2022 at 9:37 PM, waroriole said:

Just like Hank Aaron, he never hit 50 in a season. 

So I have something in common with both of them!

[waroriole]

Just 3 away from 700