Pujols: the age question

[C-Unit]

We all know about the longstanding topic of Pujols age.

Here's something I noticed. During late 2022 I didn't see one single mention of it.

So is it still a debate? I can listen to either side. But just consider the notion that a 44-45 year old was able to slug .715 for the second half of a season. You read that right.

It's an incredible stat to look at, whether he was 42 or 48. To be pacing Aaron Judge in the slugging department. How do you explain it.

[MrPostman01]

If the Cards had not deliberately low balled him with the perpetual lowest offer of the four teams, Pujols would have re-signed and no longer suffering from a broken heart in LA he would have launched 800 career dingers.

[Dicktar2023]

If the Cards had not deliberately low balled him with the perpetual lowest offer of the four teams, Pujols would have re-signed and no longer suffering from a broken heart in LA he would have launched 800 career dingers.

You know what...given how the last 15 years have gone down, I'm comfortable with that version of events going in the history books.

It's (bleep), but hey, print the legend. Long after everyone has forgotten John Mozeliak, there will be folk songs about Albert Pujols.

[Galatians221jb1]

He went to high school in KC. They would notice a 24 year old freshman.

[DwaininAztec]

He was a chubby high school player, who many scouts thought would get even fatter. That is a teenager. As his body matured, he developed into a muscular man. Then as he aged he again put on that weight he lost to adulthood.

[Ronnie Dobbs]

Why would anyone really care, though?

[Cardinals4Life]

He went to high school in KC. They would notice a 24 year old freshman.

Well they didn't.

[C-Unit]

He went to high school in KC. They would notice a 24 year old freshman.

Well they didn't.

Bottomline, all I'm asking for is if someone believes a 45 year old slugged .715 for the entire 2nd half of a season. I'm not here to judge, just raise your hand if that's what you believe. I'm curious how viable it is.

[C-Unit]

You what and it was only fitting Danny Mac got to make all those calls. 2022 was the end of an era in all kinds of ways.

[An Old Friend]

He went to high school in KC. They would notice a 24 year old freshman.

Well they didn't.

Bottomline, all I'm asking for is if someone believes a 45 year old slugged .715 for the entire 2nd half of a season. I'm not here to judge, just raise your hand if that's what you believe. I'm curious how viable it is.

Zero doubt in my mind that he’s 2-3 years older. The Dotel link is everything.

[C-Unit]

He went to high school in KC. They would notice a 24 year old freshman.

Well they didn't.

Bottomline, all I'm asking for is if someone believes a 45 year old slugged .715 for the entire 2nd half of a season. I'm not here to judge, just raise your hand if that's what you believe. I'm curious how viable it is.

Zero doubt in my mind that he’s 2-3 years older. The Dotel link is everything.

I will accept the Dotel argument, it's maybe the best one.

Now just to double down, we are going with the idea that a 45 year-old hit THAT pitch out for a home run.

https://youtu.be/Cw82vBbuK48?si=xAQmfSur18q9-jqh

To me the last two months there have to be one of the most dubious (although highly memorable) individual player performances in baseball history. It's Albert Pujols, yes, but he hadn't had that kind of month since June 2015 and then in 2022 at age 45 he posts 3 successive months of a .944, a 1.224, and a 1.002 ops. How do you explain that. Fountain of youth or a little of that Big Mac special mix? And he was crushing absolute no-doubters during that time, not little weenies down the LF line like the one he hit the year before when he came back with the Dodgers. No respect lost for Albert either way.

[C-Unit]

UPDATE: he did have a stretch of 28 games the year prior (May 29 2021 to July 10) with the Dodgers where he slashed .299 avg .584 slg .914 ops. He always had that power.

[Swuhgen]

You what and it was only fitting Danny Mac got to make all those calls. 2022 was the end of an era in all kinds of ways.

lol. Yah we were so lucky.
He didn’t get to call 699 or 700.
Fitting end.

[Swuhgen]

He went to high school in KC. They would notice a 24 year old freshman.

Nobody is saying he’s that much older.
But it’s pretty well documented he is around 3 years older than he says.

[WLTFE]

You what and it was only fitting Danny Mac got to make all those calls. 2022 was the end of an era in all kinds of ways.

lol. Yah we were so lucky.
He didn’t get to call 699 or 700.
Fitting end.

+1...[fork]ing drunk should be in prison

[Red7]

He went to high school in KC. They would notice a 24 year old freshman.

Nobody is saying he’s that much older.
But it’s pretty well documented he is around 3 years older than he says.

NOWHERE is it “documented”. Just a lot of speculation and conjecture and conspiracy theory. I was coaching HS ball in KC when he played at Fort Osage and I umpired many of his Legion games. I knew both of his coaches quite well and both were very honorable men. The kid was special. The guy hit 700 HR’s in the big leagues. Don’t you think he would DOMINATE HS ball?

Now, he was not “chubby”, but he DID have a large butt, which a lot of people thought would limit him going forward. There was talk he’d even end up as a catcher. Now, in the year between when he graduated HS and went to Maple Wood, he did become fat. He was playing for a select team managed by KU coach Dave Bingham. I was shocked by how bad he looked. However, once he got to Maple Woods, where a former player of mine was an assistant coach, he became a workout warrior. He eschewed going to the beach with teammates in Florida to stay coaches watching film telling them, ‘This is as far as they’ll go. THIS is what I’ll do for a living.” Not older. Just more gifted, talented, and dedicated. He was a baseball prodigy/savant. Of course, it’s easier and more comforting to say he cheated.