Albert Pujols is a Hall of Famer, an incredible hitter and arguably had one of the greatest primes of any slugger in the game. The accolades speak for themselves, 667 home runs, 2112 runs batted in, three MVP awards, and two World Series Championships. It will be hard to explain to future generations who Pujols was or if they will even be able to remember him.
In the past few years, it became clear that the end was near for a fading star. Pujols was on the decline and it was only a matter of time before he would be forced to retire. This season was going to be his last with the Angels and we were expecting a nice transition into the sunset. Then the Angels designated Albert Pujols for assignment. It was a cold and abrupt ending that almost reminds us of the cut-throat atmosphere that is the Major Leagues. It reminded us that nobody is safe from being released, not even a 667 career home run hitter. Moreover, it had us baseball fans scrambling to try to think of how we’d remember Albert Pujols and his rise and fall. Once one of baseball’s best might have a few swings left in him but ultimately, looks like he won’t play again.
Analytics Have Rapidly Altered Fielding and the Shift
The shift changed a lot of careers but Pujols can be seen as arguably one of the more affected hitters. When Pujols was on the Cardinals and even a few years into his ten-year deal with the Angels, it was seen as preposterous to put three fielders on the third-base side of the infield. After all, how is a first baseman going to cover all that ground? The Rays, followed by the rest of the analytical world, figured out that this shift turned hits into easy groundouts. Around the turn of the previous decade, we saw more teams daring right-handed sluggers to swing late or hit to the opposite field and by default, more outs would follow.
Right-handed sluggers were forced to adapt and for many, it wasn’t easy. The options for a slugger were swinging late or shortening the swing to avoid pulling the ball into the shift, risking a drop in home run numbers. Or one can continue to swing for the fences risking hitting into easy outs. It never seemed like an adapt or fade-out-of-the-game type of situation. Rather, many wanted to continue to pile up the home runs and though they can keep their swing and be successful. Pujols was one of those sluggers. Call him stubborn but why would he change the way he was hitting his entire career when it landed him three MVP awards?
Pujols was One of Many Who Couldn’t Beat the Shift
Almost overnight, the numbers dipped for Pujols. His batting average never eclipsed .300 when he was with the Angels, his slugging percentage was .480 in 2015 but never higher since then. Pujols became a liability at the plate with the occasional homer but common groundouts to the shortstop side. Additionally, pitchers didn’t have to change their approach to beat Pujols, considering how a hard-hit grounder could turn into an easy out. In addition, the injuries started to pile up.
The injuries only made a bad situation worse and aging didn’t help the cause either. Eventually, Pujols could only field first base and barely. Suddenly, Pujols could only be the designated hitter and the rapidly declining average didn’t help his case. Pujols sadly went from a must-watch player to an unwatchable one.
Lessons Learned From Albert Pujols
General Managers and players alike have taken many notes from Albert Pujols and the mistakes the Angels made, particularly, by signing him to a ten-year deal costing the team $24 million per year. The signing might ultimately be remembered as one of the more consequential considering how weary teams have been since. Likewise, many younger players have to build their careers with precaution.
From the front office perspective, we saw teams start to avoid the long-term deal, specifically towards the slugger. Since the Albert Pujols signing, there have been teams to take the bait. The Mariners signed Robinson Cano, the Orioles signed Chris Davis, Boston signed Pablo Sandoval. The one tool players, especially for power, have clearly not been worth the long-term deals. The power turns into a liability, especially once the power starts to fade with the inevitable aging. Any individual tool can decline with age but power-hitting requires health and pivoting ability that takes a serious hit with getting older.
Versatile Players
The first lesson was versatility or the ability to wear a lot of hats. A power hitter is a great addition to the middle of any batting order. The problem is when a power hitter, or any player, lacks the ability to play multiple roles for a team. A five-tool player is a rare and valuable asset to have. Albert Pujols had one tool for the majority of his career, he was a power hitter. As his power started to dwindle, there was less urgency to have him on the roster. This should be a cliche but we see many prospects being brought up to the majors and turn into star players solely on their power-hitting, or any individual tool. Kyle Scharber is a more recent example of this plight, yet the Cubs constantly demanded adjustments to his play.
Most importantly, beating the shift is pivotal to winning ballgames. It’s understandable why a hitter doesn’t want to change their swing, it’s been their successful attribute since little league. The problem is that if a hitter doesn’t adapt, they will be driven out of the sport, regardless of how great they may be (case in point, Albert Pujols). Hitting for power is still going to be an integral part of baseball but many sluggers must shorten their swing. The lesson can be learned from Anthony Rizzo and Freddie Freeman, both hit for power but on unfavorable counts, shorten their swing and choke up on the bat. Freeman won the National League MVP last season with a .341 batting average.
