Albert Pujols gets a big reception from the crowd after hitting his first hit since returning to the Cards. There is a time and a place.
Albert Pujols received a text message minutes after he hit the first hit of his second act with the St. Louis Cards.
As Pujols was getting ready to make his spring training debut, his wife, Deidre, posted on social media that she was going to have surgery to remove a brain tumor.
Pujols arrived in camp on Monday knowing that his wife was going to have surgery.
He said that if you open your head, you are always concerned about it. They do surgery as much as we do swings in the cage.
Pujols doesn't plan to leave camp early and return to California to be with his wife because Deidre's mother and family were there to support her. Between the end of camp and the start of the season, he might be able to see her.
Pujols agreed to a one-year contract with the Cards, giving him a chance to end his career in the place where it started. He returned to St. Louis with 679 career home runs after a decade in Los Angeles.
Pujols said that he has always been able to deal with both life and baseball.
Pujols said that when it was time to lock in, he focused on what he needed to do.
Pujols won World Series titles in 2006 and 2011. In each of the first 10 seasons of his career, the National League rookies of the year hit at least.300 with at least 30 homers and 100 RBIs.
He signed a 10-year, $240 million deal with the Angels in 2012 but was released last May after hitting.198. He hit 12 homers and drove in 38 runs for the Dodgers.
The first at-bat by Pujols came with the bases loaded and no outs in the top of the first.
Pujols said there was no pressure.
With the stage set for a storybook return, Pujols grounded into a double play, which is what he has done more than any other player in baseball's history. Pujols is one of the most feared hitters in history and has hit into 413 career twin killings.
A foul out to third followed.
Pujols finally broke the ice in the fourth, hitting a line drive to the right side through a hole created by an infield shifted for him to pull.
Pujols said it felt good to be back in a real game.
If all goes well, Pujols will play on Friday against the New York Mets.
Manager Oliver Marmol said that Pujols will play first base in a game before St. Louis breaks camp.
Pujols believes he will be able to fine-tune his swing in the batting cage, something he would do during a normal spring training.
He would like to get some at-bats in before we break here, but playing every day is probably not needed for him to be ready.
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