St Louis Cardinals

Albert Pujols' 700th home run ball has sold at auction for $360,000:

Final sale price for the Albert Pujols 700th Home Run Baseball: $360,000 💸 pic.twitter.com/DPiLirhVMf

— Goldin (@GoldinCo) November 6, 2022

Pujols hit a pair of home runs against the Los Angeles Dodgers on Sept. 23 to become the fourth major leaguer to hit 700, joining Barry Bonds, Hank Aaron and Babe Ruth. The 700th homer came off Dodgers reliever Phil Bickford and gave the Cardinals a 5-0 lead en route to an 11-0 win.

The moment Albert Pujols joined the 700 Home Run Club!

(via @MLB)pic.twitter.com/RLUAg9pgNA

— FOX Sports: MLB (@MLBONFOX) September 24, 2022

Marlowe Leal, who caught No. 700, ultimately kept the ball after it was authenticated at Dodger Stadium. He then co-signed with Goldin Auctions to sell the prized possession. The entire 33-bid history for the ball can be found here.

Pujols didn't mind that he wouldn't get the keepsake.

"Souvenirs are for the fans. I don’t have any problem if they want to keep it. If they want to give it back, that’s great. But at the end of the day, I don’t focus on material stuff."

-Albert Pujols on his 700th HR ball pic.twitter.com/0F1OViv1y0

— B/R Walk-Off (@BRWalkoff) September 24, 2022

The since-retired superstar ended his career with 703 career home runs. He enjoyed a fantastic finish to his career in 2022 thanks to 24 home runs in 109 games during his age-42 season.

St. Louis Cardinals legend Albert Pujols' performance in the second half of the season proved that he still has a lot left in the tank, but he won't be backing off his retirement plans.

According to MLB Network's Mark Feinsand, Pujols officially signed his retirement papers on Monday, solidifying the end of his playing career after 22 seasons.

Pujols announced in March that the 2022 season would be his last. He returned to St. Louis, the franchise with whom he spent the first 11 seasons of his career, for his final year after spending time with the Los Angeles Angels and Los Angeles Dodgers. He was already considered a future first-ballot Hall of Famer, but his resurgent performance put him in rarified air.

The 42-year-old finished his career with 703 home runs, becoming the fourth player in MLB history to join the 700-club. This past season, he slashed .270/.345/.550 with 24 home runs, 17 of which came after the start of August, and 68 RBI.

Pujols helped lead the Cardinals to a National League Central title, but the team fell to the Philadelphia Phillies in the wild-card round of the playoffs.

St. Louis drafted Pujols in 1999, and he made his major-league debut in 2001. He made an immediate impact, earning NL Rookie of the Year. Over the course of his legendary career, Pujols earned 11 All-Star selections and three NL MVP awards. He helped lead the Cardinals to World Series championships in 2006 and 2011.

Coming off an MVP-caliber season, Nolan Arenado is staying with the St. Louis Cardinals after he opted into his deal with the club.

Per The Athletic's Katie Woo, Arenado has informed the Cardinals he will play out the five years and $144 million remaining on his contract rather than test the free-agent market.

This move was expected, as Jon Heyman of the New York Post reported in September that Arenado intended to opt in. But it wouldn't have been a surprise if the seven-time All-Star elected to test the market given how much leverage he would have this winter.

Arenado and his Cardinals teammate Paul Goldschmidt were front-runners for the National League MVP award throughout the 2022 season.

Arenado was second in the NL in FanGraphs wins above replacement (7.3) thanks to his combination of offensive value and sure-handed work at the hot corner.

The 31-year-old could be on his way to winning a 10th consecutive Gold Glove award. He was named one of three finalists at third base, along with Ke'Bryan Hayes of the Pittsburgh Pirates and Ryan McMahon of the Colorado Rockies, last week.

The Cardinals acquired Arenado in a sweetheart deal with the Rockies in February 2021. The Rockies also gave St. Louis $51 million in the trade.

As part of the deal, the Cardinals added an additional year to the back of Arenado's contract and gave him opt-outs after 2021 and 2022.

Things worked out well for the Cardinals by doing so. Arenado was instrumental in their winning the National League Central for the first time since 2019.

Despite the possibility of securing another lucrative contract if he became a free agent, Arenado will still be one of the highest-paid players in MLB.

Per Spotrac, Arenado's $32.5 million average annual salary is tied with Texas Rangers shortstop Corey Seager for ninth among all players.

There's also the risk of teams being wary about paying a player at his age big money. Arenado will turn 32 in April. He hasn't shown any signs of slowing down, but things can change quickly for athletes over the age of 30.

The Cardinals seem to have a great thing going, even with Adam Wainwright, Yadier Molina and Albert Pujols retiring after the season, but Arenado and Goldschmidt proved in 2022 they are the driving forces for the organization.

Arenado's opt-in means the Cardinals will have both of their superstars under contract together through the 2024 season, after which Goldschmidt can become a free agent.

One of the greatest pitchers in St. Louis Cardinals franchise history is reportedly not ready to call it a career.

Derrick Goold of the St. Louis Post-Dispatch reported Adam Wainwright will return to St. Louis next season.

Before the 2022 season started, the 41-year-old signed a one-year deal to remain with St. Louis. He addressed the possibility of retirement and left the door open on returning for another year.

"I would be willing to tell you that I think it’s probably my last year, but I’m not going on record to say it is my last year,” he said in March. “I just don’t want to put [retirement] out there until I know, and I don’t know that. ... But I’m still having a really, really good time pitching. I’m still executing, and I feel I can do it at a high level, so I’m not crossing that bridge."

Wainwright backed that up with a strong season, going 11-12 with a 3.71 ERA and 143 strikeouts.

The three-time All-Star has spent his entire MLB career with the Cardinals. He began as a reliever, briefly assuming the team's closer role. He closed out St. Louis' series-clinching victories in the 2006 National League Championship Series and World Series. The next season, he transitioned back to starting pitching and quickly emerged as the team's ace.

Wainwright has finished in the top three in Cy Young Award voting four times and twice led the NL in wins. He also won two Gold Gloves and a Silver Slugger award, as well as the Roberto Clemente Award in 2020.

His 2,147 career strikeouts are second in franchise history behind only Hall of Famer Bob Gibson's 3,117. For his career, the 6'7" righty has a record of 195-117, a 3.38 ERA and 1.22 WHIP. His 213 wins alongside veteran catcher Yadier Molina are the most by a pitching battery in MLB history.

By returning for another season, Wainwright will be hoping the Cardinals are able to push for a return to the World Series in 2023. Alongside fellow starters Miles Mikolas and Dakota Hudson, he should be able to help St. Louis remain in contention in the NL next year.

The Philadelphia Phillies will be greeted on their return to the Major League Baseball postseason by the franchise that ended their last foray into the playoffs.

The St. Louis Cardinals will host the Phillies in the National League Wild Card series 11 years after the two sides met in the NLDS, a series that marked the end of Philadelphia's last championship window.

Philadelphia comes into Busch Stadium as the No. 6 seed in the NL, but it can pose a challenge with its pitching through Zach Wheeler and Aaron Nola.

St. Louis has been sputtering a bit on the offensive side of the ball, and it could be the most susceptible team of the four wild-card round hosts to an upset.

The Phillies' path to an upset lies behind the starting pitcher duo of Wheeler and Nola.

Nola produced one of the more underrated seasons in the majors, as Sports Illustrated's Alex Carr and MLB.com's Jason Catania noted.

It's shocking how Aaron Nola's season flew under-the-radar this year.

205 innings pitched, 235 K's, a .096 WHIP, a 2.58 FIP... one could make a pretty convincing argument that this was his best campaign to date.

He played a major part in the Phillies quenching their drought.

— Alex Carr (@AlexCarrMLB) October 4, 2022

Aaron Nola finishes his 2022 season with 235 Ks and only 29 BB in 32 starts.

That's the most Ks in a season with fewer than 30 BB allowed in AL/NL history.

Only others to reach 200 Ks?
Kevin Gausman w/ 205 Ks in 2022
Cliff Lee w/ 207 Ks in 2012
Cy Young w/ 200 Ks in 1904

— Jason Catania (@JayCat11) October 4, 2022

Nola will likely take the mound in Game 2 after Wheeler faces the Cardinals in Game 1. He and Wheeler have strong numbers against St. Louis' two best hitters, Paul Goldschmidt and Nolan Arenado, as Corey Seidman of NBC Sports Philadelphia pointed out:

Padres up big late. Looks like it’ll be Phillies-Cardinals in the first round.

Of note: Paul Goldschmidt and Nolan Arenado are a combined 16-for-72 (.222) against Zack Wheeler and Aaron Nola with 0 HR, 14 K.

— Corey Seidman (@CSeidmanNBCS) October 5, 2022

St. Louis has more questions regarding its rotation. Miles Mikolas should start Game 1, but the other starters are up for debate.

Jack Flaherty may be taken out of the starter discussion and work out of the bullpen. The Athletic's Katie Woo called Flaherty "a pivotal weapon," no matter which role he features in during the postseason.

Jack Flaherty ends his regular season with his 600th career strikeout, whiffing Tyler Heineman on a 96 MPH fastball.

It's been a very, very trying year for Jack, but the last month has been super encouraging. He should be a pivotal weapon in the postseason, regardless of role.

— Katie Woo (@katiejwoo) October 5, 2022

The NL Central champion may need more bullpen help if Ryan Helsley is unable to start the series. Helsley suffered a jammed finger on Tuesday. The Cardinals noted they removed him as a precaution from that game against the Pittsburgh Pirates.

MLB.com's John Denton commended the Cardinals for their usage of Helsley and also noted the awful timing of the injury.

#STLCards did a great job of safeguarding closer Ryan Helsley all year, refusing to use him in 3 consecutive games & limiting the times when he pitched on back-to-back nights. No definitive word yet on the severity of the All-Star's jammed middle finger, but the timing is awful.

— John Denton (@JohnDenton555) October 5, 2022

St. Louis also has one of the bigger narratives surrounding it in the postseason. Adam Wainwright, Yadier Molina and Albert Pujols will be participating in their last playoff runs.

Pujols comes into the series with more regular-season home runs than Bryce Harper, as well as a few younger stars of the game, as CBS Sports noted.

42-year-old Albert Pujols has more home runs (24) this year than:

Freddie Freeman
Ronald Acuna Jr.
Bryce Harper
Carlos Correa
Alex Bregman
Xander Bogaerts
Christian Yelich
Jose Abreu pic.twitter.com/rbWJiiMRJB

— CBS Sports (@CBSSports) October 4, 2022

St. Louis may need its offense to come up with big hits more than Philadelphia if its hitters are at a disadvantage. Goldschmidt, Arenado and Pujols, as well as the small ball of Tommy Edman, could be called on to counter whatever Harper, Kyle Schwarber, J.T. Realmuto and the Phillies produce.

Philadelphia won the season series 4-3, and five of those games had fewer than eight runs. That could mean one big hit may alter the direction of the series.

As he approaches the end of his storied career, St. Louis Cardinals slugger Albert Pujols continues to put himself in elite company.

Pujols launched his 702nd career home run in Sunday's game against the Pittsburgh Pirates. With the solo blast, he has now tied the legendary Babe Ruth for second all-time on the RBI list with 2,214.

What? You didn't expect Albert Pujols to go out in style?

Albert Pujols hits home run 702 and TIES Babe Ruth with 2214 RBI's, 2nd all time.

— Carter Chapley (@CarterChapley) October 2, 2022

Pujols announced in March that the 2022 season would be his last, and he's going out in style. The 42-year-old has now hit 16 home runs since the start of August to up his season total to 23. His quest for 700 home runs was the feel-good story of the season's second half, and he still has time to continue adding to his legendary resume.

Sunday's game against the Pirates is Pujols' final regular-season home game at Busch Stadium. Along with catcher Yadier Molina, who is also retiring at the end of the season, Pujols was honored prior to the game. Mayor Tishaura Jones declared that Oct. 4 will be known as Yadier Molina Day and Oct. 5 will be Albert Pujols Day in St. Louis.

"To all you in Cardinal Nation, the best fans in baseball—thank you so much for all your support, all the joy, all the tears that we have shared together," Pujols said to the home crowd. "I love you all. You guys are always gonna have a special place in my heart. God bless you all."

The Cardinals won the NL Central for the second time in four seasons and are set to be the No. 3 seed in the 2022 playoffs. St. Louis is surely hoping that Pujols' magical run continues in the postseason.

Even though he will be retiring as a player after the 2022 Major League Baseball season, Yadier Molina is going to be around the sport for the World Baseball Classic.

The Puerto Rico Baseball Federation announced Thursday that Molina will manage the island's roster during the 2023 WBC.

Yadier Molina will manage Puerto Rico’s WBC team. https://t.co/ogzT443oUZ

— Jorge Castillo (@jorgecastillo) September 29, 2022

When Molina signed a one-year contract extension with the Cardinals in August 2021, he announced the 2022 season would be his last.

"Well, it's enough," Molina told reporters regarding his decision to walk away. "I mean, 19 years is a long career, and my position is a tough one. Right now, I would like to do my best, and I'm going to train my body hard, but it's hard to keep up with this game to a high level right now when you’re 39."

Even though Molina has spent 19 years in the big leagues, he doesn't appear eager to leave baseball behind altogether.

In April, it was announced Molina was going to manage a winter ball team in Venezuela next offseason.

Puerto Rico's announcement that Molina will manage the squad in the 2023 World Baseball Classic comes amid turnover behind the scenes for the commonwealth's baseball team.

General manager Eduardo Pérez stepped down earlier this month because no one told him Molina was being hired as manager. Pérez wanted to hire Joe Espada, who is currently a bench coach for the Houston Astros, as the club's skipper.

Molina has played for Puerto Rico in the World Baseball Classic since the tournament's inception in 2006. The Puerto Rican team was the runner-up in 2013 and 2017.

The 2023 World Baseball Classic will run from March 8-21. Taiwan, Japan and the United States will host pool play. The semifinals and championship will take place at LoanDepot Park in Miami.

It was on Friday night at Dodger Stadium, precisely around 8:20 p.m. local time, that Albert Pujols finally ran out of things to prove as a Major League Baseball player. And in so doing, he provided perhaps the last and greatest gift he'll ever give to fans.

This is, of course, unless the 22-year veteran still has one more up his sleeve.

For the time being, Pujols fans the world over have every reason to be in a basking mood. The St. Louis Cardinals' three-time MVP, two-time World Series champion and future first-ballot Hall of Famer is fresh off achieving his most glorious feat yet, going where only three men had ever gone before when he launched his 700th career home run:

Baseball now has a proper Washington-Jefferson-Roosevelt-Lincoln for its Mt. Rushmore of home run hitters. It's just Babe Ruth, Henry Aaron, Barry Bonds and Albert Pujols who have cleared this benchmark, and it's likely to stay that way for a long time.

But as Pujols sees it, he still has one thing to do before he can say he went out on top.

"What I'm chasing right now is another ring," the 42-year-old said on Tuesday. "That's what I'm chasing for the city of St. Louis and for our fans, and that's why I signed back this year."

---

700 Was a Dream

Things were different back in 2001. So different, in fact, that the name "Albert Pujols" didn't carry much clout even within the confines of baseball at the outset of the year.

He only checked in as the No. 42 prospect in MLB by Baseball America's reckoning, though the publication did grant that the then-21-year-old had the "approach of a veteran" who figured to "add power as he moves up."

The next thing anyone knew, though, Pujols made the Cardinals on the strength of a red-hot spring. He went just 1-for-9 through his first three games, and then it was off to the proverbial races starting with game No. 4. He went 3-for-5 with his first career home run, setting the pace for one of the most dominant rookie seasons in major league history.

Fast-forward 10 years to the end of the 2011 regular season. By then, Pujols had won three National League MVPs and been an All-Star nine times. His 445 career home runs were the fourth-most for a player through his age-31 season. He was also on his way to winning a second World Series title with the Cardinals after earning his first ring in 2006.

Basically, he was so covered in greatness that it was practically dripping off him. There was not a single knock against the legacy he was writing. Not one. Not even half a one.

Then the next decade happened.

It wasn't all bad. Pujols collected his 500th home run in 2014 and his 600th in 2017. Yet both events occurred against backdrops of rapidly diminishing returns that, combined with his $240 million contract, made him an increasingly awkward presence on the Los Angeles Angels roster.

His release in May 2021 was simultaneously shocking yet arguably overdue. Even his subsequent revival with the Dodgers came paired with just a .299 on-base percentage, dooming him to a below-average OPS+ for a fifth straight year.

The writing was thus on the wall after 2021. Rather than continue to fight a losing battle, retirement was probably the best thing for Pujols.

It's not like he really needed to keep going, after all. His awards and accolades spoke for themselves. He likewise had the most wins above replacement of any first baseman not named Lou Gehrig. And while well short of a nice, round 700, his 679 home runs were the fifth-most in history and the top mark for a player born outside the United States.

If Pujols did come back for one more season, the odds of him getting the 21 home runs he needed to join the 700 home run club were never going to be good. That was four more than he hit as a 41-year-old in 2021 and three more than any right-handed batter had ever hit in his age-42 season.

---

Until, Suddenly, 700 Was Reality

And yet, Pujols made the ultimate bet on himself anyway.

Sure, the one-year deal he accepted in March to return to the Cardinals came with minimal risk on their part. Its $2.5 million price tag was a small price to pay for the heartwarming public-relations story of the prodigal son finally returning home to St. Louis.

And if it didn't work out, oh well. The team had just proved by buying out Matt Carpenter and Carlos Martínez that it could afford to swallow $2.5 million.

For Pujols, though, the prospect of an ignominious end was very much there. This was no two-bit pretender he had signed with but a proper contender in the National League. If its 42-year-old designated hitter didn't hit, well, what then?

Even now, you don't have to go back that far to find this question looming ever larger.

Pujols had initially fanned the good-vibe flames by going 7-for-18 with two home runs out of the gate in April, but his next 42 appearances saw him go just 18-for-108 with two long balls. By July 9, an all-too-familiar story had unfolded: Albert Pujols, Bad Major League Hitter.

In the days and weeks that have come since then, Pujols would have been unrecognizable if he wasn't so easily recognizable as Vintage Albert Pujols.

In 55 games dating back to July 10, Pujols clubbed 17 home runs—which aren't counting the dozens he hit during a delightful and, in retrospect, oddly prophetic turn in the Home Run Derby—and hit .315/.375/.673 overall. Per his 191 wRC+, he's been baseball's hottest hitter this side of Aaron Judge.

The effect is that of a hitter who looks nothing like the guy who was thoroughly out of gas between the ages of 37 and 41. There's now just two hitters who have ever clubbed upwards of 20 homers with an OPS+ over 140 at this age: Bonds in 2007 and Pujols this year.

So much for the dreary and unsuccessful slog toward 700 that anyone could have anticipated from Pujols this year. Even as it stands right now, this is one of the greatest final acts that any player has ever authored. And in the context of what came before it, maybe the most redemptive to boot.

Pujols' final act would have been imprinted on many a memory even if he had stopped at, say, 695, 696, 697, 698 or even 699 home runs. But to get to 700 is to achieve a whole 'nother level of memory imprint. When a guy gets that far, he's assured that even casual fans will be able to recite how many home runs he hit without even having to look it up.

Bonds? 762. Aaron? 755. Ruth? 714. Pujols? 700...and counting.

---

And There's Still the Playoffs

If it's a ring that Pujols really wants, he must merely keep doing what he's been doing.

Whereas the worst fear of Pujols holding back an otherwise strong Cardinals team had more or less been coming true, the script has completely flipped since his bat caught fire. At 44-21, the Redbirds have won more games since July 10 than every team except the Dodgers and Houston Astros.

What was a 3.5-game deficit to the Milwaukee Brewers in the NL Central title is now a 6.5-game lead. And according to FanGraphs, what was a 2.7 percent chance of returning to the World Series for the first time since 2013 has now more than doubled to 6.5 percent.

Though nobody would call Pujols a secret weapon at this point, the Cardinals will be especially well positioned to go far in the playoffs if he continues carrying out his specialty of crushing left-handed pitching. He's hit .354 with a .762 slugging percentage for the year and bumped those figures up to .414 and 1.017, respectively, since July 10.

A handful of prominent National League hurlers should consider themselves warned. Not to name names, but...ahem, Clayton Kershaw, Julio Urías, Max Fried, Blake Snell and Ranger Suárez.

Should Pujols successfully lead the Cardinals to the franchise's 12th World Series championship, he'll find himself with three rings to match his three MVPs. It's not quite as exclusive as the 700 Home Run Club, but right now, the Three-Ring, Three-MVP Club has only four members: Joe DiMaggio, Yogi Berra, Mickey Mantle and Stan Musial.

If "What's on top of going out 'on top?'" is the question anyone is asking, there's your answer in theory. All Pujols has to do now is provide it for real.

---

Stats courtesy of Baseball Reference, FanGraphs and Baseball Savant.

St. Louis Cardinals icon Albert Pujols said he's not concerned about trying to recover his 700th home run ball from the fan who caught it in the left field bleachers at Dodger Stadium on Friday night.

"Souvenirs are for the fans," Pujols told reporters. "If they wanna keep it, they can. At the end of the day, I don't focus on material stuff. I think I have the bat, the uniform, helmet, things that are special to me. At the end of the day, I think that's why the fans come here—to have a special moment of history. So if they wanna keep that baseball, I don't have any problem with that."

The future Hall of Famer hit two homers in the Cards' 11-0 win over the Dodgers, one in the third inning (No. 699) and then the milestone longball in the fourth.

Mr. 700, #AlbertPujols! pic.twitter.com/ccQ4DQcXV0

— St. Louis Cardinals (@Cardinals) September 24, 2022

Derrick Goold of the St. Louis Post-Dispatch reported the fan who caught No. 700 had the ball authenticated before leaving the stadium. He was presented with offers by the Cardinals but decided to keep it, at least for now, per Fox Sports' Ben Verlander.

In 2005, Barry Bonds' 700th homer was sold at auction for $85,000, which is equivalent of just under $129,000 today when factoring for inflation.

Brandon Steiner, the founder of Steiner Sports Memorabilia, told Fox Business' Ryan Morik on Thursday he'd expect a sale price around the low six figures if Pujols' ball hits the block.

"I think it's a solid ball. Somebody in St. Louis could be more excited about that than necessarily nationwide ... I think it's a $100,000 ball, probably my guess," Steiner said.

Pujols became just the fourth player in MLB history to reach the 700-homer mark, joining Bonds (762), Hank Aaron (755) and Babe Ruth (714).

Meanwhile, a similar story will play out if New York Yankees slugger Aaron Judge eventually reaches 62 home runs this season to set the new American league record. He currently has 60.

SCP Auctions' David Kohler told TMZ Sports on Wednesday the record-setting ball could go for over $500,000 and Judge's last homer of the season, if he goes beyond 62, could reach or exceed $1 million in auction value.

It's created some concern about fan safety, after a battle for Judge's 60th homer was caught on video, but there were no issues following Pujols' 700th in L.A. on Friday night.

St. Louis Cardinals legend Albert Pujols called hitting his 700th home run "pretty special" but said he won't focus too much on his individual accomplishments until retirement.

Pujols, who became the fourth player in MLB history to reach the 700-homer plateau Friday night against the Los Angeles Dodgers, discussed his career-long mindset after the Cards' 11-0 win.

"Look, don't get me wrong, I know what my place is in this game. But since Day 1, when I made my debut, it was never about numbers, it was never about chasing numbers," Pujols told reporters. "It was always about winning championships and trying to get better in this game. And I had so many people that taught me the right way early in my career, and that's how I've carried myself for 22 years that I've been in the big leagues. That's why I really don't focus on the numbers. I will one day, but not right now."

The 42-year-old Dominican Republic native earned his nickname, "The Machine," in part because of his effortless and often emotionless dominance over the past two decades. So it was unique to see him show immense joy as he trotted around the bases after No. 700.

Mr. 700, #AlbertPujols! pic.twitter.com/ccQ4DQcXV0

— St. Louis Cardinals (@Cardinals) September 24, 2022

Pujols, who's set to retire at season's end, is still keeping his eyes on adding a few more accolades to a résumé that has already made him a first-ballot lock for the Hall of Fame before he hangs up his cleats for good, though.

He's already an 11-time All-Star, three-time National League MVP, two-time World Series champion and two-time Gold Glove Award winner. He also captured the NL Rookie of the Year Award in 2001.

The slugger will have a chance to add another World Series title as the Cardinals will soon clinch a berth in the 2022 MLB playoffs, likely as the NL Central champions.

Pujols' return to near-peak form since the All-Star break is a major reason St. Louis has emerged as a legitimate championship contender. It's no surprise he had a little pop left in his bat, but he's exceeded expectations down the stretch.

His 1.076 OPS in the second half ranks second among all MLB hitters with at least 100 plate appearances, behind only the New York Yankees' Aaron Judge, per FanGraphs.

It's been a glimpse into his past when he was one of the toughest outs in baseball for nearly 15 years, and the Cards will hope he can ride that hot streak right through the postseason.

Regardless of how his final season turns out, Pujols will have a lot to enjoy whenever he finally sits back to digest the incredible numbers he's posted throughout his career.