Albert Pujols received a style of managing final winter and can get one other this spring. The longer term Corridor of Famer would really like it to finally be a full-time job.
Pujols will handle the Dominican Republic workforce within the World Baseball Traditional in March. Final winter, he led Escogido to the championship within the Dominican winter league.
“Baseball is my ardour,” Pujols mentioned. “That’s what I like. I like to show and be across the guys.”
MLB groups have taken discover of Pujols’ managerial aspirations. He interviewed for 3 openings this offseason, speaking with the Baltimore Orioles, Los Angeles Angels and San Diego Padres.
Although Pujols didn’t get employed, he discovered the interview course of to be a studying expertise.
“I loved it,” Pujols mentioned. “(Groups) needed to be taught extra about me, and so they instructed me how ready I used to be, which made me really feel good. I discovered how lengthy the method takes. I interviewed for 19 hours, each on Zoom and in particular person. It was an extended course of, however I loved it. I loved sitting on the desk with the proprietor, the GM, the workforce president, and simply studying about their franchises and the way they needed to show them round. It was an incredible expertise.”
Pujols completed nearly every part a participant might throughout his profession, which spanned 22 seasons from 2001-22, most notably hitting 703 dwelling runs, which ranks fourth in MLB historical past. Solely Hank Aaron had extra RBI than Pujols’ 2,218 and Pujols’ 3,384 hits are tenth all-time.
But Pujols has lengthy been intrigued by the managerial facet of baseball, as he performed below skippers like Corridor of Famer Tony La Russa, Mike Scioscia, Dave Roberts and Oliver Marmol. The expertise in winter ball solely heightened Pujols’ need to handle after main a workforce to the Caribbean Sequence and mentoring a rising expertise in Tampa Bay Rays All-Star third baseman Junior Caminero.
“I feel you at all times need to be planning forward,” Pujols mentioned. “I used to be at all times that participant who was trying to the day I retire and serious about what my subsequent job could be. I needed to remain across the sport. I labored with many nice managers all through my profession, and I discovered lots.
“I took a few years off from baseball. I didn’t wish to be on the sphere, however I’m able to go now and hoping I get an opportunity to be a supervisor.”
Pujols was at all times recognized for his competitiveness whereas taking part in. He has been capable of channel that into {golfing} since he retired.
Subsequent week, Pujols will participate within the celeb portion of the Hilton Grand Holidays Event of Champions, which kicks off the LPGA’s 2026 tour on the Lake Nona Golf & Nation Membership in Orlando.
So, what does Pujols discover harder, hitting a 95-mph fastball coming at him or a golf ball sitting on a tee?
“I feel lots of people would say hitting a baseball is lots tougher than hitting a golf ball,” Pujols mentioned. “I might say the alternative. Hitting a golf ball, to me, simply sitting there, is hard. You will have an excessive amount of time to assume.”
All quotations obtained firsthand except in any other case famous.
