Albert Pujols closing in on 700 home runs, insists he’s still retiring
PHOENIX — We sat down for 20 minutes Saturday afternoon, and Albert Pujols insisted he wouldn’t change his mind about retiring after this season, no matter how close he was to the glorious 700-home run club.
Well, as it turns out, it may be a moot point.
The St. Louis Cardinals icon promptly went out and hit two home runs into the Phoenix night at Chase Field – just missing a third – as part of a 4-for-4 night that saw him pass Hall of Famer Stan Musial for the second-most total bases in baseball history.
It no longer may be whether Pujols can possibly reach 700 home runs, but rather: how soon will he do it?
“Yes,’’ Cardinals manager Oliver Marmol said, “he’ll do it.’’
The way Pujols is hitting these days, with five home runs in his last five games for 692 overall, who would dare disagree?
He didn’t have a single homer in June and had only six the first half of the season, but he’s hit six home runs alone since Aug. 10, more than the combined total of seven entire teams.
Pujols, who has 13 homers for the year, is now five home runs shy of eclipsing Alex Rodriguez for fourth place on the all-time home run list, and eight away from 700 where only three men have ever gone before: Barry Bonds (762), Hank Aaron (755) and Babe Ruth (714).
Pujols, 42, is suddenly looking like the same guy who terrorized the National League in his first 11 years. He went 4-for-4 with two homers and two singles in the Cardinals’ 16-7 laugher over the Arizona Diamondbacks, becoming the first player to produce four hits and two homers at the age of 42 or older.
While the rest of the baseball world may be feeling the effects of the dog days of summer, Pujols suddenly is invigorated. He’s hitting .438 the second half with a ridiculous .918 slugging percentage. The all-time slugging percentage record for a second half is .908 by Barry Bonds when he hit a record 73 homers in 2001.
“It’s just unbelievable watching him,’’ Cardinals All-Star third baseman Nolan Arenado said. “When we got him, I knew he was going to help us win games, but honestly, I don’t know where we’d be without him.’’
Well, the Cardinals have got just a couple of months to figure it out because no matter what transpires the rest of the season, Pujols insists he’s calling it a career after the Cardinals’ final game.
“I’m still going to retire, no matter whether I end up hitting 693, 696, 700, whatever,’’ Pujols told USA TODAY Sports. “I don’t get caught up in numbers. If you were going to tell me 22 years ago that I would be this close, I would have told you that you’re freakin’ crazy. My career has been amazing.’’
So, nothing will change your mind?
“If I can’t hit 70 homers, I’m not coming back,’’ Pujols said, laughing. “No, I’ve had enough. I’m glad I made the announcement this was it when I signed. Really, I wouldn’t change a thing.’’
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Pujols, who didn’t even have a job when spring training started, came awfully close to spoiling this Hollywood story. He had three other job offers, and at least one that was going to pay him significantly more than the $2 million the Cardinals eventually offered, with others promising more playing time.
But once the Cardinals called, the job search was over.
He packed his bags and was in the Cardinals’ camp by the next morning, preparing for his farewell tour.
“I took obviously a lot less money and less promises,’’ Pujols said, “but this is where I want to be. This is where I wanted to finish my last year, and thank God he allowed me to have this door open to come here to finish my career.”
While everyone else might have thought it was simply going to be a ceremonial joy ride into the night, Pujols had other ideas.
“It’s been awesome having the opportunity to come back to St. Louis where everything started for me 21 years ago,’’ he said. “This organization believed I can help. It wasn’t just come back to celebrate my last year, it was knowing I can help. That means a lot to me.
“It’s pretty special to help this organization win every way I can, and enjoying my last path through this city.’’
It was the Los Angeles Dodgers, Pujols said, that re-energized him. He was released by the Los Angeles Angels last May in the final year of his 10-year, $240 million contract. The Dodgers, even with no DH in the National League last year, decided to give him a chance. Pujols became a pinch-hitter deluxe, hitting .254 with 12 homers in 189 at-bats to help lead the Dodgers to the postseason.
“I had so much respect for that organization, so much respect for the players, and was so blessed to have the opportunity to be back in the playoffs,’’ Pujols said. “It kind of really excited me to come back and play this year because they gave…
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