Albert Pujols is open to the possibility of taking the step to be a coach or manager. But not yet.
The retired Dominican slugger appeared at the St. Louis Cardinals’ spring training camp to visit his former teammates and while he believes that at some point he will take the step to coach or have some other role in the Major Leagues, he isn’t looking forward to it. Give a date for it to happen.
“Listen, following a February-to-October itinerary for 23 or 24 years is tough,” admitted Pujols, who walked away in October after 22 years split between the Cardinals and Los Angeles Angels. “Now I have the freedom to have my own schedule. That’s something I’m grateful for.”
Pujols spent a week as a special assistant with the Angels in Arizona shortly after camp opened, but the flirtation was just that. He is enjoying retirement life after a career that ended with 703 home runs, fourth on the all-time list.
The former baseball player, who is sure to be a member of the Hall of Fame, should have no problem finding a job whenever the time comes. He is not in a hurry. For now he has a lot of golf holes to play and a lot of his family members he wants to visit.
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He even made an appearance at the Celebrity Game as part of NBA All-Star weekend last month.
Pujols stressed that he will not put a “stamp” on when the time is right to return to the game in a greater leadership role.
“If it happens next year it will be great,” he admitted. “Knowing myself, I think I’ll let the moment come and see if I think it’s something that works for me, I probably will.”
