Los St. Louis Cardinals y el futuro miembro del Salón de la Fama Albert Pujols están discutiendo una reunión y las conversaciones han retomado, informa Katie Woo de The Athletic. Woo explica que Pujols no sería un jugador de todos los días con St. Louis, sino que serviría como bate de banco diestro y titular a tiempo parcial.
Pujols, ahora de 42 años, sigue siendo un arma contra los lanzadores zurdos, registrando una línea de bateo de .294/.336/.603 con 13 jonrones en solo 146 apariciones en el plato contra los zurdos en 2021. No debería enfrentar a los derechos (.180/ .223/.266 en 2021) y en este punto de su carrera no tiene valor defensivo o corridor de bases, pero como bateador situacional contra los zurdos, Pujols puede tener un impacto real.
La Liga Nacional está adoptando al bateador designado esta temporada. Pujols no desbancará a Paul Goldschmidt en la primera base, pero podría compartir turnos al bate como designado con Paul DeJong, Edmundo Sosa y el recientemente contratado Corey Dickerson. El mejor prospecto, Nolan Gorman, también podría ser un factor en algún momento. El punto es que Pujols tendrá que aceptar un rol reducido para regresar a St. Louis.
Para Pujols, un regreso a St. Louis también le daría la oportunidad de unirse al club de los 700 jonrones. Actualmente ocupa el quinto lugar en la lista de jonrones de todos los tiempos y es poco probable, pero no del todo imposible, subir a la posesión exclusiva del tercer lugar esta temporada:
- Bonos de Barry: 762
- Hank Aarón: 755
- Babe Ruth: 714
- Alex Rodriguez: 696
- Alberto Pujols: 679
Los incondicionales de los Cardinals, Yadier Molina y Adam Wainwright, han dicho que esta será su última temporada, y que Pujols se una a ellos para una gran gira de despedida sería una maravillosa historia de béisbol. Por supuesto, St. Louis debe priorizar los movimientos que los ayuden a ganar, no la nostalgia. Pujols tiene un valor limitado en estos días, aunque su habilidad para castigar a los zurdos es una habilidad útil.
El año pasado, los Cardinals tuvieron marca de 90-72 y perdieron el Juego de Comodines de la Liga Nacional ante los Dodgers. El manager Mike Shildt fue despedido después de la temporada, y el nuevo capitán Oliver Marmol ha indicado que quiere una lista flexible en lugar de pelotones estrictos.
Pujols jugó 11 temporadas en St. Louis entre 2001 y 2011 y es simplemente uno de los mejores bateadores que jamás haya existido. Fue autor de una línea de bateo de .328/.420/.617 con los Cardinals y es un bateador de por vida de .297/.375/.544 con 3,301 hits.
St. Louis abrirá la temporada regular de 2022 en casa contra los Pirates el 7 de abril.
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