Let's Not Forget About Albert

As Aaron Judge continues his assault on the American League home run record, there's another equally remarkable home run record that we're going to see this season.  What once seemed impossible now seems incredibly likely.  Albert Pujols will get to 700.  And the fact that they'll both happen in the same season makes it that much more extraordinary.

When Albert returned to the Cardinals this year for one final season, it was seen as a nostalgic farewell tour.  Going back to his original team to say goodbye to baseball and thank you to Cardinals fans.  He'd DH a couple times a week, but certainly wasn't going to be the Albert Pujols who played for the Cardinals a decade ago.  The Albert Pujols who'll wear a Cardinals hat on his Hall of Fame plaque, have his number retired and get a statue outside Busch Stadium.

That Albert Pujols, of course, is long gone.  The current Albert Pujols is 42 years old and a part-time player.  Which, at this point in his career, is completely acceptable.  If used correctly, he can thrive in that role.  Which is exactly what we're seeing.  He's still got it!

You'd be forgiven if you thought he was done when he got cut by the Angels last year.  There are a number of reasons why his tenure in Anaheim ended so acrimoniously (his contract, needing to get Jared Walsh at-bats, Ohtani being locked in at DH, Albert not producing when he actually did play), but he would've called it a career if he thought he was done.  He clearly didn't think he was.  And he was right!

One of the most remarkable things I saw today about his pursuit of 700 is that he doesn't really care.  He's at peace with his decision to retire, whether he gets there or not.  In other words, he's not thinking about it.  Which I think is a big reason why he's gonna get there.

He entered this season 21 home runs shy of 700.  When he was in his prime, he could hit 21 home runs at the drop of a hat.  But, entering this season, it was a reasonable question to ask whether he'd be able to hit 21 this year or not.  For starters, would he get enough at-bats?  And would he be consistent enough in those at-bats to warrant somewhat-regular playing time?  Well, I think we know the answer to both of those questions!

And, frankly, the pursuit of 700 home runs aside, just seeing Albert Pujols's career renaissance is remarkable enough!  He went to the Dodgers last year with something to prove.  And he proved it!  So we should've known that his Cardinals reunion this season would end up being so much more than just a farewell tour.

As a part of that farewell tour, Albert was one of Rob Manfred's commissioner's selections for the All*Star Game.  He certainly didn't put up All*Star-like numbers in the first half, but there wasn't a single person who had a problem with the selection either.  In fact, most people viewed it as more of a lifetime achievement award that was completely warranted for a retiring future Hall of Famer.

Since the All*Star Break, though, Pujols has been on an absolute tear!  And suddenly 700 wasn't just possible, it was likely!  In August, he hit .361 with eight home runs...after hitting seven home runs total over the first four months of the season!  He's cooled down a little bit in September, but still has four more, and now he's only two away.

Just think about that.  Three men in the history of Major League Baseball have hit 700 home runs.  Barry Bonds, Hank Aaron and Babe Ruth.  Albert Pujols will become the fourth.  He won't catch Ruth for third place all-time, but so what?  Seven hundred is the nice, round number.  It's the number that Alex Rodriguez couldn't reach.  He was at 696 when he and the Yankees decided that was it in August of 2016.  (Who was called up to replace A-Rod on the Yankees' active roster the next day?  Why, that would be Aaron Judge!)

It's not just that he's gonna get there.  It's how!  Albert's had a career renaissance now that he's back in St. Louis.  He isn't the Albert Pujols of old.  But he's been good enough to warrant the "are you sure you still want to retire?" conversation.  At the beginning of the season, some thought his place on the team was nothing more than ceremonial and questioned if he warranted a guaranteed roster spot.  

Well, Albert hasn't just warranted a guaranteed roster spot, he's been a valuable piece in the Cardinals' lineup.  He can still mash lefties, just like he always has, and is the regular DH whenever St. Louis faces a left-handed starter.  And this is a lineup that features a pair of MVP candidates in Paul Goldschmidt and Nolan Arenado, mind you!  The Cardinals lead the NL Central and are rolling towards the playoffs and Albert hasn't just been along for the ride, he's been a huge part of it!

His pending retirement may actually be a big part of the reason why we're seeing a glimpse of the Albert Pujols of old.  He doesn't have that massive contract he's trying to justify, AND he knows this is the end.  There's no pressure, so he can go out there and do what he's done extraordinarily well for two decades!  That's how you can tell he's not thinking about 700.  If he was thinking about it, he wouldn't be anywhere near it.

Instead, Cardinals fans are being treated to so much more than just a farewell tour.  They get to watch Albert's pursuit of 700, and it's captured their attention just as much as Mark McGwire's pursuit of 62 in 1998.  Twenty-five years later, another slugger is on the verge of 62.  The fact that Aaron Judge and Albert Pujols are on their home run quests in the same season is pure coincidence.  But it's also what's made 2022 such a remarkable season.