Albert Pujols, in Angels camp as guest instructor, aspires to different title: Manager

Albert Pujols reported to Angels camp on Monday for a weeklong stint as a guest instructor, fulfilling one of the obligations of the former slugger’s 10-year, $10-million personal services contract with owner Arte Moreno. If the opportunity is right one day, I think I’ll be ready for that.” Pujols, 44, retired in 2022 after a 22-year career in which he won three National League most valuable player awards and two World Series titles with the St. Louis Cardinals, became the fourth member of baseball’s exclusive 700-homer club, joining Barry Bonds, Hank Aaron and Babe Ruth, and racked up 3,384 hits, 2,218 RBIs and 1,914 runs. “I think I have a good idea, but it doesn’t hurt asking questions of those guys.” Pujols also plans to spend some time talking to Ron Washington, but the new Angels manager doubts he will have much to offer that Pujols hasn’t already seen or heard. The way the world is today, when you start feeling something bad with your body, all the medical people want you to shut it down, and the baseball people are saying, ‘Keep going, keep going.’ So I think that’s what Albert and Vlad will bring.” But some injuries, such as the ones Angels star center fielder Mike Trout has endured in the previous three seasons, are impossible to play through.