There are distinct and enjoyable parallels to draw between the Pirates inaugural season in PNC Park and Albert Pujols' historic first decade with the division-rival Cardinals. It’s an interesting time to discuss the history of baseball after Pujols was designated for assignment after 10 seasons with the Los Angeles Angels on Thursday.

But when breaking down the history of baseball generation by generation, it’s difficult to not separate the St. Louis championship years by superstar. The Gashouse Gang in the 1930’s claimed a pair of World Series titles. The 1940’s with Stan Musial won three titles in 1942, 1944 and 1946. Lou Brock and Bob Gibson won the World Series for the Cardinals in 1964 and 1967 and Whitey Herzog’s team won the championship in 1982 three seasons after Keith Hernandez shared the MVP claim with Willie Stargell.

The next superstar to bring a World Series title to St. Louis was Pujols in 2006 and 2011, which was his final year with the Redbirds before signing a 10-year, $240 million contract with the Angels in the following fall. 

The end of his time with the Angels could spell the end of his 21-year career in major league baseball. But before he announces his official retirement from the game, it’s worthwhile to ask if he was the best to play at one of the game’s greatest stadiums in PNC Park.

In 92 games and 364 at-bats at PNC Park, which opened for Pujols’ rookie of the year campaign in 2001, “La Maquina” batted .376/.453/.717 with with 30 homers, 88 RBIs and 84 runs scored. With all due respect to Andrew McCutchen and his 2013 MVP campaign, Pujols should be the best to ever play at the Pirates’ current home.

He’ll be a Hall of Famer before the end of the present decade. And there’s a legitimate debate around whether or not he’s the best player of his era, the best first baseman of all time and if his first ten years are the best of any player to ever play the game.

It’s an interesting coincidence that he grabbed national headlines on Willie Mays’ 90th birthday. Pujols hit seven more homer than Mays, is four points lower with a .298 career batting average and eclipsed the “Say Hey Kid” with 2,112 RBIs.

 YOUR TURN: Was Pujols the best to ever play at PNC Park?

Loading...
Loading...