Steve Webb
You can learn a lot by watching how Pujols goes about his business
LOS ANGELES — Baseball isn’t just a wonderful game; it’s a wonderful teacher as well. And there is a lot to be learned about how to live by watching how these young (and not so young) men react to being in the pressure cooker of a major league season. Which is why it has been particularly instructive to see sure-thing Hall of Famer Albert Pujols on a daily basis. Sure, Albert has this many hits, and that many homers, and has driven in such-and-such number of runs, but the value of Pujols on the team goes way beyond his on-the-field contributions. And if I may be so bold as to say so, I think there are some life lessons for us all in how he has approached his 2021 season. Allow me to share three of them here today:
Lesson 1: Do what you love for as long as you can do it
When Albert was DFA’ed in early May of this year, it could have been very easy for him to just roll up the tent and slink into retirement. But Pujols felt he still had “gasoline in the tank” as he said in his welcome press conference with the Dodgers. Never mind the indignity of the Angels’ releasing one of the best baseball players of all time, this was just not the way Albert wanted to go out. So he hooked on with the Dodgers, and thanks to the prudent use of his talents by manager Dave Roberts, all his numbers are much better than they were in Anaheim. His slash line (.270/.313/.467) is certainly the best of any Dodger bench player this year.
And you can tell from the way he interacts with teammates and opponents that he simply loves being a baseball player. Why would you give that up until you simply couldn’t do it anymore? We’ve all got friends and acquaintances who go into retirement only to flounder around a bit without a sense of purpose and contribution. Albert was determined not to be one of those guys. When the end of his career finally comes, he will know that he gave it every last measure of devotion. May we all be so lucky.
Lesson 2: Keep it positive
Though Pujols is a bear of a man, 6’3″ 235 lbs, he is the classic “gentle giant”. Always with a smile on his face, Albert’s positivity can’t help but be infectious. “This is the most fun I’ve had in a while,” Pujols said early on in his stint with the Dodgers. “I can be really intimidating sometimes because of the way I stay so focused on the game, and they see a part of me that they can come and approach me whether I’m playing in the game or not. Just come and talk baseball, life, parenting or whatever it is. I believe that’s why God has put me here, and I’m enjoying every moment.”
Of course with age comes maturity, and he might not have been the same lovable guy when he was scaring the pants off the entire National League in the early 2000’s, but with marriage and parenthood, Pujols has grown to appreciate the gifts that he has and is eager to share them with the world. His work with the Pujols Family Foundation in the community continues to change lives both here in the United States and in his native Dominican Republic. Cleary a man of faith, Pujols sees the value in loving his neighbor as himself. Plus, he can still hit 450-foot bombs to left field.
Lesson 3: You can never have too many hugs
The most lovable addition to the 2021 Dodgers’ traditions is not the weird way the players hit their helmets after making good contact with a pitch. Without question, the best tradition of this season is the “Hug from Tío Albert” after every Dodger home run. Pujols is one of those guys who is so confident in his own place in the world that he genuinely enjoys the successes of those around him. His cheering from the bench and engagement with the game is clear every night, and when one of the Dodgers hits one out, after the obligatory high fives and forearm bashes, there is Tío Albert, ready to envelope whoever hit the dinger in a warm embrace.
There is such value in that. We are so often at odds with others. How important it is to have someone in our lives who will say to us, “I saw what you did, and it was awesome!” Sometimes it can make all the difference. May we all have such a person in our lives. And if we don’t, maybe we can be that person for someone else.
It’s not clear how long this ride with Tío Albert will last. He very well could be looking for another job at the end of the season. But for this year at least, he’s made an impact on his teammates, and I daresay, on all of us.
Gracias, Tío Albert!
