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USA Today
08-03-2025
- Sport
- USA Today
Exclusive: Albert Pujols wants to make history as MLB's first manager with 700 HR
Exclusive: Albert Pujols wants to make history as MLB's first manager with 700 HR Show Caption Hide Caption With the Dodgers favored to repeat, is the MLB becoming too top-heavy? Bob Nightengale and Gabe Lacques discuss whether or not the MLB is lacking parity and could be facing a potential problem in the future. Sports Seriously TEMPE, Ariz. − He is one of only four players in history to hit 700 home runs, along with Babe Ruth, Hank Aaron and Barry Bonds. He and Aaron are the only two players to hit 700 home runs and drive in 2,000 runs. He and Ruth are the only players to hit 700 home runs and win a World Series championship. Now, Albert Pujols is daring to go where no 700 home-run hitter has gone before. Pujols, 45, is ready to become the first 700-homer hitter to be a major-league manager. 'For me, I've always been serious about everything that I do in this game," Pujols told USA TODAY Sports, 'and now I'm serious about managing. This game has done so much for me, and now, I want to give back. 'I'm ready." Life after retirement Pujols, the 11-time All-Star, three-time MVP, two-time World Series champion who hit 703 homers and drove in 2,218 runs, retired after the 2022 season. He wasn't sure what he wanted to do next, but knew he wanted to stay in the game. He became a special assistant to MLB commissioner Rob Manfred. He worked as an analyst for the MLB Network. And he showed up every spring as a guest instructor for the Los Angeles Angels as part of his 10-year, $10 million personal services contract. Then, last February when Jose Miguel Bonetti, one of the owners of Leones del Escogido of the Dominican Republic Professional Baseball League, telephoned Pujols once again trying to persuade him to manage. It was a short winter-ball season. He could be home in the Dominican Republic where his wife, Nicole Fernandez, the daughter of former Dominican president Leonel Fernandez, was born and raised. Why not? The next thing Pujols knew, he's leading Leones del Escogido to the playoffs, then the Dominican League championship, then the Caribbean Series championship. Now, the Dominican Republic national team, under GM Nelson Cruz, is hiring Pujols to manage its star-studded group for the 2026 World Baseball Classic. Pujols can't wait, but there could be one little snag to those plans. He might be tied up managing a major-league team next spring. 'He's ready," said Hall of Fame manager Tony La Russa, who managed Pujols 11 years in St. Louis. 'And he's going to be great. 'You talk about integrity. You talk about his IQ. You talk about his discipline. I call him APP, Albert Perfect Pujols. When a guy has that much to offer and has so much love for the game, the game benefits when he wants to stay active and share.'' Says Angels GM Perry Minasian: 'I remember the old-school managers back in the day whether it was Tom Kelly or Sparky Anderson or Tommy Lasorda or Whitey Herzog, there was a presence when they walked into the room. The volume in the room would go a little lower. The shoulders of the players would go back a little more. And Albert has that presence wherever he goes. 'He's just a winning guy, he'll be great whatever he wants to do." Mentors convinced Pujols will be successful There's a long list of All-Star and Hall of Fame players who have struggled as managers. Many of the managerial greats actually had short or mediocre playing careers. But it's a lazy narrative to suggest bench players make the best managers. There are plenty of cases where All-Stars became Hall of Fame-caliber managers. Joe Torre was a nine-time All-Star and batting champion, leading the Yankees to four World Series enroute to the Hall of Fame. Dusty Baker was a two-time All-Star, two-time Silver Slugger and a Gold Glove winner, leading five different teams to the postseason winning three pennants and a World Series title. Lou Piniella was an All-Star and two-time World Series champion, and led three different teams to the playoffs and a World Series championship. 'The key is not whether you're a great player or not, but whether you have that love for the game," La Russa said. 'Torre, Dusty, they love the game. And Albert loves the game. He always had the mental side commitment, and was inquisitive, always talking about the game. 'I don't want to be critical, but there are guys who were great players in our game, gave it all they got, and then needed to back off. So, if you have somebody with the kind of greatness like Albert, and is still motivated to stay close to the game, it's a win-win for all of us.'' San Diego Padres manager Mike Shildt, who has known Pujols since 2005 in their days together in St. Louis, is convinced that Pujols will be an overwhelming success. 'I truly believe he's doing to be a tremendous asset to any organization,'' Shildt said. 'A lot about managing is caring about people, and Albert does that. He has such attention to detail. He's very clear in his messaging, a very principled guy with a great reputation. Really, he's almost out of central casting for a manager. 'You always observed his talent, but you appreciated the work and how this guy competed. Some guys are naturally gifted, but Albert used his brain and talent to become one of the best right-handed hitters in the history of the game. I never saw this guy give away anything in work or competition. I remember one spring it's 7 in the morning and he's fielding grounders from [coach] Dave McKay. He says, 'Albert, you may want to ease into this.' Albert says, 'What do you mean? It's time to go. It's time to work.' There was another time when it was the first spring-training game of the year, I look around, and there's Albert sitting there, grinding a towel over his head with that grimace, stalking the pitcher like he was stalking his prey. 'So, when he told me last year that he was going to manage in winter ball, I knew it wasn't some gimmick. He was going to take it seriously. It was clear he had a tremendous experience, and now he's ready to take the next steps. He has such love and passion for the game that it's important for the game to recognize and support a guy like Albert with his legacy." Pujols wants to give back to the game The way Pujols sees it, it's a way to give back. He certainly doesn't need the money, earning about $350 million in his playing career. He will cruise into the Hall of Fame when he's eligible for induction in 2028. And he has plenty going on in his life with four kids and new wife without putting in 12-hour days at the ballpark. 'But at the end of the day, man, you want to give back," Pujols said. 'This opportunity came really quick for me because I wasn't looking for it.'' When Bonetti approached him for the third time to manage, Pujols still wasn't sure he was ready. He was out of the game only for a year. He was newly married. And he knew there would be a whole lot of pressure to succeed. Bonetti persisted, calling and calling. He finally convinced Pujols to go to lunch for a serious conversation. By the time Pujols put down his knife and fork, he agreed. 'I wasn't curious about how much I'd like it,'' Pujols said, 'because when you're in the game as long as I've been, this is all you know. So, I knew I'd like it. And I'm the kind of person if I'm going to try something, I'm going to take it seriously. I wasn't going to waste my time. 'For me, it was the competition that I really loved. And doing it in your country, the team that you grew up rooting for as a little boy, it was pretty sweet. It meant so much for me and everyone in the Dominican." And, yes, that familiar feeling of being in the middle of a championship celebration sure felt good, even if there was no bottle of champagne to be found. 'Down there, they don't use champagne,'' Pujols said. 'It's just beer and water. They don't use champagne. It's too expensive." Anyone who has been around Pujols wasn't surprised in the least that he delivered a championship. Angels owner Arte Moreno fired off a congratulatory text message to him after the game. It simply re-affirmed Minasian's belief that Pujols could be a great manager. 'I always felt his baseball acumen is second-to-none," Minasian said. 'His desire to win is second-to-none. And his ability to connect with all different kind of players, and make players believe in themselves is a hell of an attribute. 'Just the person, take the baseball part of it out, is impressive. The honesty. The belief. Everything. I think he can do whatever he wants in this game.'' Next stop: 2026 World Baseball Classic Next stop: The World Baseball Classic. It could feature a Who's Who lineup of Manny Machado, Juan Soto, Julio Rodriguez, Jose Ramirez, Vladimir Guerrero Jr., Elly De La Cruz, Julio Rodriguez, Fernando Tatis, Rafael Devers and Ketel Marte. 'That," Pujols said, 'is going to be awesome. A lot of responsibility because you're representing not just one team, but an entire country. I'm pretty pumped up.'' Just hearing Pujols' introductory speech to this array of talent could be worthy of a documentary. The Angels players still are raving about Pujols' 45-minute meeting with their hitters on Monday, with La Russa stopping in and had pitchers even sneaking into the meeting. 'It was so good," Angels three-time MVP Mike Trout said. 'He talked about approach, preparation, routine, and how important it was to carry that routine out. For a guy with all of that knowledge, and being in the trenches for that long, and being on teams that won, it was great to hear his message. 'I think he's going to be a great, great manager." Pujols called his speech a collection of knowledge from his early years with the Cardinals, listening to stories from Lou Brock, Stan Musial, Bob Gibson, Red Schoendienst, Joe Buck and Mike Shannon. They took the time to talk to him, and now he's paying it forward. 'Now I have the responsibility to help these young players," Pujols said. 'That's my job. I need to share that same knowledge. I love to talk about the game and talk about the blessings that the Lord has given me in my career. 'I told them, 'You see how much passion comes out of me talking to you guys, and it's because I was taught by so many other great players before me. They opened that path and helped me to get to where I am today.'' Pujols will now wait to see if anyone calls this summer or in the off-season with any managerial vacancies. If someone is interested, they'll know where to find him. 'I'm open, you know,'' Pujols said. 'Right now, I have the responsibility with the World Baseball Classic, but if any opportunity opens up and somebody call me and wants to interview me, I will evaluate it for sure. 'I'd love the opportunity to give back to the game of baseball. I know I don't have the experience as a manager, but 23 years in this game, you go through a lot. I'm talking about experience from baseball, being on the field and in the locker room. It's not going from a university to try to be a manager and not having any baseball experience. Old-school mentality can help young mentality. I've learned from some of the best managers in the game. I believe with my experience, and the way I can communicate with players, I can have success. 'I just need someone to take a chance on me. I don't know how long it's going to take, but I'll be in the corner waiting. If they give me the opportunity, I can promise you that I'm going to do my best to prepare the team to win a World Series. Is that a guarantee? No. But I can guarantee that I will prepare the guys to play the game just like I did with that mentality and toughness." It's not all that different from three-time World Series champion Buster Posey becoming the San Francisco Giants' president of the baseball operations. Or All-Star pitcher Chris Young to becoming GM of the Texas Rangers and leading them to the 2023 World Series title. Or for Hall of Famer Derek Jeter to become CEO of the Miami Marlins for four years. 'I love it," said Los Angeles Dodgers manager Dave Roberts, who managed Pujols in 2021. 'It's just really rare that a guy who accomplished so much on the field wants to continue to grind in coaching and managing. 'But I think the game needs him. I think he needs the game as well, clearly." Certainly, for what Pujols has given to the game, it's time for the game to give back to him, too. 'People that have given so much to the game," Minasian said, 'and still have a lot to give even after playing, is going to have a positive effect on any organization. 'The game is better with Albert Pujols in it." Follow Nightengale on X: @Bnightengale
New York Times
28-01-2025
- Sport
- New York Times
Twelve MLB breakout candidates I'm excited to scout in spring training
One of the most fun parts of each major-league season is when a player puts together a breakout year, playing well beyond expectations and/or past performance. I reached out to all 30 MLB teams recently to learn which players their organization's evaluators think are top candidates to take their games to the next level in 2025. After hearing from them, here are my selections for 12 breakout names to watch this year. I'm excited for my upcoming spring training tour and can't wait to hit ballparks in Florida and Arizona so I can scout these promising players. Age: 23 Bats: L Throws: L Height: 6-0 Weight: 195 Harris is coming off a disappointing, injury-shortened season in which he slashed .264/.304/.418 with 16 home runs and 10 stolen bases in 16 attempts. His OPS has dropped from .853 in 2022, when he won National League Rookie of the Year, to .808 in 2023 to .722 in 2024, but I think this season his production will rebound. I expect him to hit more than .300, belt more than 20 homers and steal more than 25 bases for the first time in his career. His above-average range and arm in center field should make him a strong candidate to win his first Gold Glove Award as well. Harris will turn 24 during spring training; his prime years start now. Advertisement Age: 21 Bats: R Throws: R Height: 6-1 Weight: 220 Caminero and his elite bat speed are ready for a breakout season that will probably include his first All-Star appearance. He's torn up the Dominican Winter League with Leones del Escogido, impressing his manager, MLB great Albert Pujols, so much that he described him to me as 'a future Hall of Famer, God willing.' Besides raking at the dish, Caminero has improved his defense at third base this winter by working with Pujols and the coaching staff. Caminero has gotten a taste of the majors the past two years, but he's primed for much more in 2025. His loud barrel contact is as impressive as his hard-hit rate. "I CAN'T BELIEVE IT!" Junior Caminero sends this baseball into orbit to give Leones del Escogido the lead in the 9th! — MLB (@MLB) January 28, 2025 Age: 24 Bats: L Throws: R Height: 6-3 Weight: 210 Butler batted .262/.317/.490 last season with 22 home runs, 63 runs scored, 57 RBIs and 18 stolen bases in as many attempts. He ranked in the 78th percentile in batting run value and in the 91st percentile in baserunning run value. He has above-average bat speed, exit velocity and hard-hit rates. Last year he batted .266 against fastballs, .290 against breaking balls and .217 against changeups, a formula that usually ages well, and he's entering his prime years. He's also a slightly-above-average defender in terms of both his glove and arm. GO DEEPER Bowden: 7 MLB moves — signings, trades and extensions — I'd like to see right now Age: 24 Bats: R Throws: R Height: 5-9 Weight: 165 Rafaela is an above-average defender wherever he plays up the middle, but he'll probably end up as Boston's long-term answer in center field as long as he hits enough. He has a tremendous arm (94th percentile) and blazing speed (87th percentile). Last season he hit 15 homers, drove in 75 runs and stole 19 bases — and he hasn't even scratched the surface of what he'll develop into in time. He needs to be more disciplined at the plate, which should come with more reps. Early in the count, he needs to take more of the pitches he can't handle; late in the count, he needs to either not chase as much out of the zone or foul more of those pitches off to get to more pitches per at-bat. Age: 24 Height: 6-2 Weight: 205 Woo started to break out last season, going 9-3 with a 2.89 ERA and 0.898 WHIP in 22 starts (121 1/3 innings). His command and control are impressive; last year he averaged only one walk per nine innings (along with 7.5 strikeouts per nine). He ranked in the top percentile in the league in walk rate. He also was in the 93rd percentile in pitching run value, the 95th percentile in fastball run value and the 94th percentile in xERA. He's ready to make another leap in 2025. Advertisement Woo is already elite at changing batters' eye levels with his mid-90s four-seamer at the top of the zone and mid-90s two-seamer at the bottom of the zone. He throws two nasty off-speed pitches, a changeup and sweeper, but needs to tighten up his hard slider to get better late life in the zone. Expanding the strike zone instead of always living in it would enable him to reach another level and get more outs in two-strike counts. Age: 22 Bats: L Throws: R Height: 6-7 Weight: 234 After debuting on July 1, Wood slashed .264/.354/.427 with 13 doubles, four triples, nine home runs and 14 stolen bases over his first 79 games in the big leagues. The towering left fielder has tremendous raw power with elite exit velocities and hard-hit rates. He's also an above-average runner with long strides. (Despite his size, Wood ranked in the 85th percentile in sprint speed.) He struggled some against breaking balls last year but stayed back well and crushed off-speed pitches. Wood has a chance to develop into a superstar and I expect big things from him in his sophomore year in the majors. Age: 25 Bats: L Throws: R Height: 6-5 Weight: 205 The Tigers have found their long-term answer in center field with Meadows, who last season ranked in the 92nd percentile in outs above average (he has special range in all directions) and in the 93rd percentile in sprint speed. He batted .244/.310/.433 with 12 doubles, six triples, nine homers and nine stolen bases in 82 games (298 plate appearances). He profiles as a future 20-home run, 20-stolen base player who is a plus defender in center field. Age: 26 Height: 6-6 Weight: 216 Cincinnati has a bunch of intriguing young starting pitchers — from Hunter Greene to Andrew Abbott to rookie Rhett Lowder — but Lodolo is the one the Reds' brass keep talking about as a potential breakout player for 2025. Last year, he went 9-6 with a 4.76 ERA and 112 strikeouts in 115 1/3 innings. In his first three years in the big leagues, he was 15-14 with a 4.52 ERA over 47 starts. However, the Reds are excited to see what Lodolo can do in Year 4 with more mental and physical maturity. Last season, batters hit .241 against his four-seamer, .217 against his curveball, .232 against the changeup and .234 against the sinker, which shows his four-pitch mix has high potential. Age: 22 Bats: R Throws: R Height: 6-6 Weight: 250 Last year, Walker was my preseason pick to win NL Rookie of the Year. The year before that, I picked him as a top breakout candidate. OK, I haven't been right yet, but I'm not giving up on this uber-talented player. Walker might be a late bloomer (he will turn 23 in May), but sooner or later he's going to get there. Advertisement Last season he hit just .201 and was worth minus-0.9 WAR, according to Baseball Reference. But over two years and 584 at-bats in the majors, he has collected 29 doubles, 21 home runs and 71 RBIs, tallying a 101 OPS+. And I think he'll eventually hit .280 in a season with 30 homers and 100 RBIs. I'm not sure if it'll be this year or next, but I think it will happen. Walker has the swing, bat speed and raw power to put it all together. He was rushed to the majors by the Cardinals and forced to fail, which affected his confidence. But he has all the hitting skills to develop into a star. GO DEEPER Grading each MLB team's offseason so far: Bowden on signings, trades and key questions Age: 23 Bats: R Throws: R Height: 6-0 Weight: 225 Langford was my pick for American League Rookie of the Year last spring, but early season struggles and a hamstring injury damaged his chances. (He still ended up seventh in the voting and was worth 3.9 WAR overall.) He played in 134 games, tallying 16 homers, 74 RBIs, a 111 OPS+, and 19 stolen bases in 22 attempts. He finished the season strong, posting a .996 OPS in September and October. Langford ranked in the 80th percentile in outs above average and in the 89th percentile in arm value — combine that with his 98th percentile sprint speed and it's clear he has the elements to develop into a Gold Glove-caliber left fielder. He's a superstar in the making on both sides of the ball. Age: 24 Bats: R Throws: R Height: 5-10 Weight: 180 The Marlins acquired Norby along with outfielder Kyle Stowers from the Orioles for lefty Trevor Rogers at last year's trade deadline. A second-round pick in 2021, Norby can play both second and third base but Miami is planning to play him at the hot corner for now. Last year at Triple A, he slashed .293/.382/.496 with 17 home runs, 60 RBIs and 13 stolen bases in 16 attempts. Last year in the majors, he hit .236 but belted nine homers in 178 at-bats. Norby ranked in the 94th percentile in sprint speed last season and he posted high sweet-spot and barrel rates. Age: 28 Height: 6-0 Weight: 226 Advertisement One of the reasons the Braves haven't been more aggressive this offseason in adding pitching depth is the confidence they have in Holmes, who they think can have a breakout season. He was drafted in the first round by the Dodgers in 2014 and spent 10 years in the minors before debuting with Atlanta last June. Now, it looks like everything is starting to click for him. Last year Holmes logged a 3.56 ERA over 26 appearances in the majors after posting a 2.63 ERA in 18 appearances in the minors. He can start or relieve and was used in both roles last season, but the Braves view him as a future starting pitcher. Last year with Atlanta, Holmes ranked in the 76th percentile in breaking run value, the 97th percentile in chase percentage, the 92nd percentile in whiff rate and the 90th percentile in walk rate. He averaged 9.2 strikeouts per nine innings and just 2.0 walks per nine. A real sleeper. GO DEEPER Braves' Grant Holmes won't forget his gem of a first MLB start and a moment with his dad (Top image: Junior Caminero: Darren Yamashita / Imagn Images; James Wood: Scott Taetsch / Getty Images)
