TEMPE, Ariz. − He is one of only four players in history to hit 700 home runs, along with Babe Ruth, Hank Aaron and Barry Bonds.
Now, Albert Pujols is daring to go where no 700 HR Club member has gone before.
Pujols, 45, wants to become the first to be a major-league manager.
“For me, I’ve always been serious about everything that I do in this game,’ Pujols told USA TODAY Sports, “and now I’m serious about managing. This game has done so much for me, and now, I want to give back.
“I’m ready.’
Life after retirement
Pujols, the 11-time All-Star, three-time MVP, two-time World Series champion who hit 703 homers and drove in 2,218 runs, retired after the 2022 season. He wasn’t sure what he wanted to do next, but knew he wanted to stay in the game. He became a special assistant to MLB commissioner Rob Manfred. He worked as an analyst for the MLB Network. And he showed up every spring as a guest instructor for the Los Angeles Angels as part of his 10-year, $10 million personal services contract.
Then, last February when Jose Miguel Bonetti, one of the owners of Leones del Escogido of the Dominican Republic Professional Baseball League, telephoned Pujols once again trying to persuade him to manage. It was a short winter-ball season. He could be home in the Dominican Republic where his wife, Nicole Fernandez, the daughter of former Dominican president Leonel Fernandez, was born and raised.
Why not?
The next thing Pujols knew, he’s leading Leones del Escogido to the playoffs, then the Dominican League championship, then the Caribbean Series championship. Now, the Dominican Republic national team, under GM Nelson Cruz, is hiring Pujols to manage its star-studded group for the 2026 World Baseball Classic.
Pujols can’t wait, but there could be one little snag to those plans.
He might be tied up managing a major-league team next spring.
“He’s ready,’ said Hall of Fame manager Tony La Russa, who managed Pujols 11 years in St. Louis. “And he’s going to be great.
“You talk about integrity. You talk about his IQ. You talk about his discipline. I call him APP, Albert Perfect Pujols. When a guy has that much to offer and has so much love for the game, the game benefits when he wants to stay active and share.’’
Says Angels GM Perry Minasian: “I remember the old-school managers back in the day whether it was Tom Kelly or Sparky Anderson or Tommy Lasorda or Whitey Herzog, there was a presence when they walked into the room. The volume in the room would go a little lower. The shoulders of the players would go back a little more. And Albert has that presence wherever he goes.
“He’s just a winning guy, he’ll be great whatever he wants to do.’
Mentors convinced Pujols will be successful
There’s a long list of All-Star and Hall of Fame players who have struggled as managers. Many of the managerial greats actually had short or mediocre playing careers. But it’s a lazy narrative to suggest bench players make the best managers. There are plenty of cases where All-Stars became Hall of Fame-caliber managers. Joe Torre was a nine-time All-Star and batting champion, leading the Yankees to four World Series enroute to the Hall of Fame. Dusty Baker was a two-time All-Star, two-time Silver Slugger and a Gold Glove winner, leading five different teams to the postseason winning three pennants and a World Series title. Lou Piniella was an All-Star and two-time World Series champion, and led three different teams to the playoffs and a World Series championship.
“The key is not whether you’re a great player or not, but whether you have that love for the game,’ La Russa said. “Torre, Dusty, they love the game. And Albert loves the game. He always had the mental side commitment, and was inquisitive, always talking about the game.
“I don’t want to be critical, but there are guys who were great players in our game, gave it all they got, and then needed to back off. So, if you have somebody with the kind of greatness like Albert, and is still motivated to stay close to the game, it’s a win-win for all of us.’’
San Diego Padres manager Mike Shildt, who has known Pujols since 2005 in their days together in St. Louis, is convinced that Pujols will be an overwhelming success.
“I truly believe he’s doing to be a tremendous asset to any organization,’’ Shildt said. “A lot about managing is caring about people, and Albert does that. He has such attention to detail. He’s very clear in his messaging, a very principled guy with a great reputation. Really, he’s almost out of central casting for a manager.
“You always observed his talent, but you appreciated the work and how this guy competed. Some guys are naturally gifted, but Albert used his brain and talent to become one of the best right-handed hitters in the history of the game. I never saw this guy give away anything in work or competition. I remember one spring it’s 7 in the morning and he’s fielding grounders from [coach] Dave McKay. He says, ‘Albert, you may want to ease into this.’ Albert says, ‘What do you mean? It’s time to go. It’s time to work.’ There was another time when it was the first spring-training game of the year, I look around, and there’s Albert sitting there, grinding a towel over his head with that grimace, stalking the pitcher like he was stalking his prey.
“So, when he told me last year that he was going to manage in winter ball, I knew it wasn’t some gimmick. He was going to take it seriously. It was clear he had a tremendous experience, and now he’s ready to take the next steps. He has such love and passion for the game that it’s important for the game to recognize and support a guy like Albert with his legacy.’
Pujols wants to give back to the game
The way Pujols sees it, it’s a way to give back. He certainly doesn’t need the money, earning about $350 million in his playing career. He will cruise into the Hall of Fame when he’s eligible for induction in 2028. And he has plenty going on in his life with four kids and new wife without putting in 12-hour days at the ballpark.
“But at the end of the day, man, you want to give back,’ Pujols said. “This opportunity came really quick for me because I wasn’t looking for it.’’
When Bonetti approached him for the third time to manage, Pujols still wasn’t sure he was ready. He was out of the game only for a year. He was newly married. And he knew there would be a whole lot of pressure to succeed.
Bonetti persisted, calling and calling. He finally convinced Pujols to go to lunch for a serious conversation. By the time Pujols put down his knife and fork, he agreed.
“I wasn’t curious about how much I’d like it,’’ Pujols said, “because when you’re in the game as long as I’ve been, this is all you know. So, I knew I’d like it. And I’m the kind of person if I’m going to try something, I’m going to take it seriously. I wasn’t going to waste my time.
“For me, it was the competition that I really loved. And doing it in your country, the team that you grew up rooting for as a little boy, it was pretty sweet. It meant so much for me and everyone in the Dominican.’
And, yes, that familiar feeling of being in the middle of a championship celebration sure felt good, even if there was no bottle of champagne to be found.
“Down there, they don’t use champagne,’’ Pujols said. “It’s just beer and water. They don’t use champagne. It’s too expensive.’
Anyone who has been around Pujols wasn’t surprised in the least that he delivered a championship. Angels owner Arte Moreno fired off a congratulatory text message to him after the game. It simply re-affirmed Minasian’s belief that Pujols could be a great manager.
“I always felt his baseball acumen is second-to-none,’ Minasian said. “His desire to win is second-to-none. And his ability to connect with all different kind of players, and make players believe in themselves is a hell of an attribute.
“Just the person, take the baseball part of it out, is impressive. The honesty. The belief. Everything. I think he can do whatever he wants in this game.’’
Next stop: 2026 World Baseball Classic
Next stop: The World Baseball Classic. It could feature a Who’s Who lineup of Manny Machado, Juan Soto, Julio Rodriguez, Jose Ramirez, Vladimir Guerrero Jr., Elly De La Cruz, Julio Rodriguez, Fernando Tatis, Rafael Devers and Ketel Marte.
“That,’ Pujols said, “is going to be awesome. A lot of responsibility because you’re representing not just one team, but an entire country. I’m pretty pumped up.’’
Just hearing Pujols’ introductory speech to this array of talent could be worthy of a documentary. The Angels players still are raving about Pujols’ 45-minute meeting with their hitters on Monday, with La Russa stopping in and had pitchers even sneaking into the meeting.
“It was so good,’ Angels three-time MVP Mike Trout said. “He talked about approach, preparation, routine, and how important it was to carry that routine out. For a guy with all of that knowledge, and being in the trenches for that long, and being on teams that won, it was great to hear his message.
“I think he’s going to be a great, great manager.’
Pujols called his speech a collection of knowledge from his early years with the Cardinals, listening to stories from Lou Brock, Stan Musial, Bob Gibson, Red Schoendienst, Joe Buck and Mike Shannon. They took the time to talk to him, and now he’s paying it forward.
“Now I have the responsibility to help these young players,’ Pujols said. “That’s my job. I need to share that same knowledge. I love to talk about the game and talk about the blessings that the Lord has given me in my career.
“I told them, ‘You see how much passion comes out of me talking to you guys, and it’s because I was taught by so many other great players before me. They opened that path and helped me to get to where I am today.’’
Pujols will now wait to see if anyone calls this summer or in the off-season with any managerial vacancies. If someone is interested, they’ll know where to find him.
“I’m open, you know,’’ Pujols said. “Right now, I have the responsibility with the World Baseball Classic, but if any opportunity opens up and somebody call me and wants to interview me, I will evaluate it for sure.
“I’d love the opportunity to give back to the game of baseball. I know I don’t have the experience as a manager, but 23 years in this game, you go through a lot. I’m talking about experience from baseball, being on the field and in the locker room. It’s not going from a university to try to be a manager and not having any baseball experience. Old-school mentality can help young mentality. I’ve learned from some of the best managers in the game. I believe with my experience, and the way I can communicate with players, I can have success.
“I just need someone to take a chance on me. I don’t know how long it’s going to take, but I’ll be in the corner waiting. If they give me the opportunity, I can promise you that I’m going to do my best to prepare the team to win a World Series. Is that a guarantee? No. But I can guarantee that I will prepare the guys to play the game just like I did with that mentality and toughness.’
It’s not all that different from three-time World Series champion Buster Posey becoming the San Francisco Giants’ president of the baseball operations. Or All-Star pitcher Chris Young to becoming GM of the Texas Rangers and leading them to the 2023 World Series title. Or for Hall of Famer Derek Jeter to become CEO of the Miami Marlins for four years.
“I love it,’ said Los Angeles Dodgers manager Dave Roberts, who managed Pujols in 2021. “It’s just really rare that a guy who accomplished so much on the field wants to continue to grind in coaching and managing.
“But I think the game needs him. I think he needs the game as well, clearly.’
Certainly, for what Pujols has given to the game, it’s time for the game to give back to him, too.
“People that have given so much to the game,’ Minasian said, “and still have a lot to give even after playing, is going to have a positive effect on any organization.
“The game is better with Albert Pujols in it.’
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This post appeared first on USA TODAY
