So the likely World Series bound Dodgers have a roster spot for Albert, but the St. Louis Cardinals can't figure out a way to make it work?
Got it.
Can't disrespect a scrappy white guy like Matt Carpenter.
He's still on the team because he hit one home run off the fall pole and another bounced out of an outfielder's glove and over the wall.
Tell me Albert wouldn't be a better bat off the bench than that.
I think the issue the Cardinals can't get over is that Marp does still provide some positional flexibility (and hits LH). We currently have Sosa and something called "Max Moroff" as infield backups with Edman being a starter. With Pujols only playing 1B and not even being a platoon partner for the starting 1B who should play every day, there isn't really any room on the bench for him given the revolving door of injuries we've had thus far.
It would have made some sense to DFA Webb and go with fewer pitchers. But the downside of that is that our starters have a tough time clearing 5 IP because they are walking freaking everyone. Even Pujols could draw a walk against our staff.
I wanted it to happen, not really caring if we screwed up the roster to do so. It isn't like this is a World Series caliber roster as currently constructed. But I can see why the Cardinals are at least trying to make the best roster decisions (even though the results are still having Webb and several steaming piles of crap on the bench).
So the likely World Series bound Dodgers have a roster spot for Albert, but the St. Louis Cardinals can't figure out a way to make it work?
Got it.
Can't disrespect a scrappy white guy like Matt Carpenter.
He's still on the team because he hit one home run off the fall pole and another bounced out of an outfielder's glove and over the wall.
Tell me Albert wouldn't be a better bat off the bench than that.
I think the issue the Cardinals can't get over is that Marp does still provide some positional flexibility (and hits LH). We currently have Sosa and something called "Max Moroff" as infield backups with Edman being a starter. With Pujols only playing 1B and not even being a platoon partner for the starting 1B who should play every day, there isn't really any room on the bench for him given the revolving door of injuries we've had thus far.
It would have made some sense to DFA Webb and go with fewer pitchers. But the downside of that is that our starters have a tough time clearing 5 IP because they are walking freaking everyone. Even Pujols could draw a walk against our staff.
I wanted it to happen, not really caring if we screwed up the roster to do so. It isn't like this is a World Series caliber roster as currently constructed. But I can see why the Cardinals are at least trying to make the best roster decisions (even though the results are still having Webb and several steaming piles of crap on the bench).
For sure. And if I'm being honest, as much as I'd love to see him end his career in a Cards uniform, I'd also be afraid of my Cardinal memories of Albert ending on a sour note if he gets frustrated with his playing time and complains about it, or if he really stinks up the joint and the Cards then have to make the tough decision about releasing him. It's also not the same franchise it was when he left. No TLR, new GM, new coaches, so the warm and fuzzies Albert might get from coming back might not quite be there either.
More than anything, I'm kinda glad that Pujols' tenure with the Angels ended on a sour note, increasing the chances that he settles back into the St. Louis community when he retires. His charitable work is outstanding, and I selfishly want that based out of St. Louis and associated with the Cardinals.
I know that Pujols the upper-tier-HoF caliber player is long gone. Thus watching actually play with the Cardinals again is likely to just be disappointing. But Pujols the person can still come back into the family, and I would be really happy to see that.
i can see him hitting a dinger tonight and providing a little more of that "magic" that makes me people write articles about how good pujols has been. then he proceeds to go 0-39