As a Cardinal, Pujols had an on-base plus slugging percentage of 1.037, trailing only Ruth, Ted Williams, Lou Gehrig, Bonds and Jimmie Foxx in major league history. Then came a free agent offer he could not refuse: 10 years and $240 million from the Angels, plus a post-career personal services contract. The Angels drew at least three million fans each season with Pujols before the pandemic, extending a streak that began in 2003. Had Moreno won his own World Series in the early years with Pujols, the inevitable decline would have been easier to accept. Instead — even with Mike Trout emerging as the game’s best player — the Angels reached the playoffs only once with Pujols, in 2014.

Source: New York Times May 06, 2021 19:07 UTC