"I am done. I love the game, but I had enough. You got to ask yourself, when is enough?" - Future Hall of Famer Albert Pujols has no regrets as he enters his first year of retirement
This spring, for the first time in 22 years, Albert Pujols will not be taking the field for an MLB team. Last year, the 42-year-old future Hall of Fame player decided to call it quits after a storied career.
Pujols began playing for the St. Louis Cardinals in 2001. That year, he was named the NL Rookie of the Year after pummeling 37 home runs and 130 RBIs. After leading the Cards to World Series victories in 2006 and 2011, Pujols shocked and offended Cardinals fans when he decided to depart the team after the 2011 Fall Classic victory.
After a decade of playing for the Los Angeles Angels and Los Angeles Dodgers, Pujols returned to the Cardinals in 2022 for one final hurrah before his retirement.
During the 2023 Spring Training, USA Today baseball writer Bob Nightengale caught up with Pujols at the Los Angeles Angels training facility in Tempe, Arizona. Nightengale was wondering if Pujols is missing MLB baseball as he enters his first season of retirement.
Retired Albert Pujols enjoying the good life after Hall of Fame baseball career usatoday.com/story/sports/m…
"Retired Albert Pujols enjoying the good life after Hall of Fame baseball career" - @ Bob Nightengale
Pujols' reply was simple and straightforward, the 43-year-old said:
"Seriously, I don't miss it dude. It was fun, I had a great career, but I am burned out."
Pujols, who hit his 700th career home run last year with the St. Louis Cardinals, continued:
"I am done. I love the game, but I had enough. You got to ask yourself, when is enough?"
For Pujols, six Silver Slugger Awards, three MVP Awards, and World Series rings were enough.
Pujols also went through some personal tribulations this past offseason with his wife of 22 years. He remarried Dominican media personality Nicole Fernandez in a lavish ceremony. Fernandez is the daughter of Lionel Fernandez, the former president of Pujols' home nation, the Dominican Republic.
"Everybody screaming they want the old Hov
But the new improved Hov hit like Albert Pujols"
Jay-Z with Albert Pujols and Nicole Fernandez at the #SuperBowl https://t.co/XPSgqaLhBN
""Everybody screaming they want the old Hov. But the new improved Hov hit like Albert Pujols"" Jay-Z with Albert Pujols and Nicole Fernandez at the #SuperBowl" - @ JAY-Z Daily
Albert Pujols retired in the best way possible
Although his 2011 departure from the Cardinals angered and surprised fans, they were all too happy to take him back this year. He retired with 703 home runs and 2,218 RBIs in his career, it is safe to say that he was one of the best of his generation.