This week on the In Depth podcast, Albert Pujols. Good to see you bro and thanks for taking the time really to come now and and do this. A three time MVP, six time Silver Slugger and two time World Series champion who holes was a dominant force on the field, quickly becoming a household name when he first arrived in the majors back in 2001. You had to be cocky and you know, when I got drafted I, I knew that. I knew that I had talent to play in this level.
When I met up with Poo Holes in 2019, he opened up about his tough upbringing in the Dominican Republic. You'd have to bring him home drunk. Probably that's why I haven't touched. I don't drink and I don't smoke. Like I don't do any of that. His faith driven approach throughout his career. I thank God for that talent and this platform that He has given
me, man. And his contentious departure from the Cardinals. The last thing that I, which I would never do for anybody, is getting on my knee and begging them. But we began our conversation by talking about his foundation and how he gives back to others in the Dominican and around the globe. All right, so I want to start off talking about charity. Why did you decide to create your foundation in the first place? I think it was the right time.
You know, I remember TA Perry, you know who he came in 2004, I believe, you know, to me and Deidre and kind of present the whole project, you know, and at that time, I don't think we were ready for to start it. I mean, we did some things with the community, the Down syndrome community of San Louis, like around the area, sponsor some of the golf tournaments and all that and, and kind of be in the face. But it took us about a whole year, you know, to think about
and to process. And I can look back right now, maybe, you know, 1314 years later. And thank God really that we didn't start it. You know, that we really searching and praying and we were grateful about it. And, you know, may or five or five. That's when we pretty much, you know, decide to make that call. And I, I believe that that was the the right time. That's when God really put that in our heart, you know? Your long term goals for it or what? Well, really do what we have
done so far. I mean, I was, I was so amazed how much just within the few years the foundation was growing. I mean, within a year we were making mission trade down to the Dominican Republic, you know, treating, you know, between 1500 and 3000 people giving food. And you know, it's still up today that we still support DA vate. I mean, every time I go, I I kind of rewind and go back, you know, 13 years when we first put our our our footstep in the ground in the Dominican Republic
in vate a le man. It was like their field, you know, and now they have a really beautiful feel and nothing went wrong. And then just different programs that we have set not just in the Batae, but different other area. And you know, my dream and my goal is continue to to try to that platform that we already have set in this community in Batae Alama and kind of take it to the other ones because there is different areas in the Dominican Republic that need
help. And I think that's that's what going to take this to the next level in the Dominican Republic. When you've been to the Dominican, what have you seen in terms of when you've gone in to the varying areas to help? Well, what I have seen, first of all, I, I need to give, I need to give a lot of prides and, and thanks to all the doctors and the group of people that we take down there. You know, Homer Siddique and Jane.
I mean, there's so many people, Jen Mueller, who's pretty much those are like our captain that put the teams together for us to, to go down to the DRS until day one. I mean, you're talking about dentists and doctors that closed their office for a week. You know how much money they're giving away, you know, like just having their time and just close it up and then go down there and go down to the Dr. man and, and pretty much just work from, you know, 6:00 AM to 6:00 o'clock
7:00 at night. I mean, up going. We maybe have one day where we can be relaxed, maybe the last day, but they're like, why would you? We don't come here to relax. We come here to work. I mean, you appreciate that. You appreciate that when those people like, you know, it's not about something, you know, with
money is great. Giving money is great because this is, you know, was moving the foundation, but I think when you had those people donating their time too, it's just expression because you know, all the volunteers and all the events, you know, within 100, probably 100 and 10120 events a year, you know, it takes a lot of bodies, you know, moving and you know. What do you see when you're there? What I see when I'm there, man, is just the grow, the grow the happiness, the the the.
What? What about the challenges? The well, the challenges are always challenge. There's always stuff. I mean, you're talking about people sleeping in in in the floor, you know, then one year we decide we donated close to 304 hundred mattress in bed. That was one of the project that we did because we saw that. I mean, you, you were talking about like places that you not even a puppy or dog you wanted to sleep.
I mean, another project, you know, that we've done is it's that baseball, Battech baseball, you know, where we have different talents come out of that out of there, you know, and just give them the hope that they're probably weren't looking. We brought I believe a couple of kids are ready to United States where one of them had to have heart surgery. Another one we saved the leg with cancer. I mean, just different
challenge, man. But with the support of so many people, not just in San Louis but around the country, I don't think we were able to to to reach this goal. What did you see first hand from having a daughter with Down syndrome that made you want to make that one of the focuses of your foundation as well? I think it's a easy call.
You know, I saw the the need that we needed it and you know, being in 2001 in San Louis, they didn't have that much support and it was easy call for me to just jump aboard for four or five years before I started our foundation. Then we took cover pretty much and started doing our own program for the these kids and adults with Down syndrome and you know, and, and it's just just beautiful. That's, that's my passion. I love taking a baseball.
I, I thank God for that talent and this platform that he has given me, man. But I think to be able to to go to one of these event like the prong or the basketball game, man, I, I'm not like I turn like a little kid back again, you know, because I, I have so much joy. What's the highlight of the basketball game for you? For me, it's the obviously having all the kids making shots, you know, and then afterward the win, you know, winning. We, we, we like, I think I will
leave. We like aiding. Oh, you know, we win every year, but I think I just to give them an opportunity and Ty's so good about creating different programs. I love how you're competitive with that. You know, but I think it's so good because Todd, you know, and Jen, they're so good about every year, try to just give them opportunity to this family that they probably would have never had. And that's that's what the Spool's Family Foundation is all about. What's the highlight of Prom for
you? Dancing, dancing with these kids. I mean, you need to make one of those day or you, I don't know, you probably have seen videos, I mean. You're dressed with sweat by the end of. Well they're fight so one year. I just come from knee injuries. I just had surgery like 3 weeks before the promo. Two weeks before the prom, bro, and I'm telling you, I was just standing up and dancing. My knee has swelled up like the next day because I was dancing.
I mean we taking turn, you know, and and I enjoy that man. I, I enjoy that because that's the difference that we want to make in the community, you know, and I believe that that's, that's the code, you know, that's the code the guy has given us, you know, and, and like I say, we still in San Luis, there is the headquarter. I know I'm wearing a different uniform, but that doesn't change anything. That doesn't change the love that I have for that city.
That doesn't change. And I'm going to continue to say this until the day of that I die, but I, I was a little boy when I came to Salou. I left a man because I learned so much from that city and from and from my fans and the support that they gave me, not just in my career, but off the field. And I think to me, that's more important than anything that I have accomplished in the field. I want to take you back to when you were growing up. Rough upbringing.
It's remarkable how much success you've been able to have given where you came from. I want to go back to when you were three, your parents get divorced and your mom decides to leave and doesn't come back. What do you know about that? Well, she she came around, but I think, you know, I've been talking, I have talked to my mom, you know, and we cleaned there, you know, but I think, you know, talking to her, you know, it takes me back like what did that happen?
You know, that it wasn't like she left and just like whatever I was raised by my grandma, you know, my dad's mom and you know, you talk to my grandma and she always say that I'm the young, the younger or or 1111 child that she has.
So I'm the youngest one. But I think it was the, the like my family at that time, I think it was better for me to be with my dad than with my mom, you know, because the, the, the economy like better, you know, it was going to be my dad probably would have, he was going to give me a better education. I mean, bringing food for me every day and and stuff like that. Like we were in a better position at that time there where my mother was. And I think that's that's how I
look back. But you know, that that wasn't change the love that I have for my dad. And that wasn't change the love that I have for my mom. I think, you know, no child wants to be, you know, separate from their mom and dad like they, they, you know, they want their dad and their mom to, to be together. But sometimes, you know, you go through those things. But I think that didn't stop the plan that the Lord has in my
life. How do you think it affected you not having your mom around early on? You know, it wasn't like she never came around. She, you know, she, she, she came around. She came around, you know, once and, you know, when I was like 5-6, eight years old, like I would have spent the weekend with her and all that, like, stuff like that. Yeah. So it wasn't like she was gone forever, you know? No, she came around, you know, and she was there. She was there for me too, just
like my dad. Obviously, like I told you, my dad, family, part of the family, we were in a better situation at that time, you know, money wise and living wise than where she was. And, and, but at the end of the day, I think, you know, you always regret things that can happen. But if I had to go back and I had to do it again, I mean, you wanted better things. But you know, I don't regret anything because it has made me
who I am today. Was there a point in which you guys made the decision to reconnect? Oh, we were with my mom. Yeah, I always, I mean, she was just in the Dominican right now and she was standing in my house over there. So I, I have a great relationship with my mom and I have a great relationship with my dad and I love dearly, I love both of them.
So, you know, like I say, I don't wish anybody, you know this, but I believe that that didn't stop the plan that the Lord has in my life, you know, and, and that's how I look at it. So your dad had a day job as a painter, played softball as well. To what extent are those some of your earliest memories on the ball field with your dad? Yes, it was fun because they used to have double hitter, you know, every weekend pretty much. And I, I would have grabbed the glove sometime.
You know, I was 5-6 years old grabbing the glove and my dad was a pitcher, one of the best softball pitcher in the Dr. And I remember he pitched the first game and I would have asked and like, Dad, can you give me some ground? Like he was be so tired, sweating and he would have hit me grand balls, you know, and like I'll be in shortstop taking grand balls from him. Like in between games, you know, you only have like a 20 minute break.
But stuff like that, you know, it was, it was fun time, fun time with my dad. You know how much? Credit do you give him for your every success. Everything, everything I gave after the Lord, like everything I gave my dad, you know, because not just my dad, my, my whole family, my whole family has being supportive from my grandma to my grandpa, you know who passed, you know, he never got a chance to see me playing in the big leagues. I wish he would have, he would have had that chance.
You know, he passed in 1993, three years before I came to the stage. But like, I think if there's anybody that would enjoy my success in my career even more than my dad or my mom or even myself, would it be my grandpa? Because my grandpa was a great player. He was, and he loved the game of baseball. And I think that's what motivates everybody to play the sport of baseball. And so your dad had a day job as painter, but work, I understand, was kind of scarce.
And to what extent would he have to leave for periods of time looking for steady work? Yeah, it was tough. It was tough. But the sometime when he would have worked in the city, you know, I would go with him, you know, during the weekend or off to school and try to help him out. Like, I mean, I'll be coming home, you know, I was like probably 11 or 12 years old, ten years old, like just just helping him out as much as I could and spending time. I'm the only child that my dad
had. So I'm like, like the the the price, like everything at the time that he did, it was just for me, for me and nobody else. And even to this day right now, you know, so I really have a great relationship with him and I thanking so much because he was the one that pushed me to get better in this game and he was always around. You've been pretty open about this. I think when you're like 9-10 years old, after games he was known to have a few drinks and you'd have to bring him home
drunk. How do you think that impacted you? I mean, it was hard, but I think, you know, like I say, that didn't change anything. You know, it was part of like when you go to a baseball game, you know, and and you on the weekend and hang out and play stuff. I mean, you know, people have this for drink whatever, and you know, but I think, you know, it was something that helped me and my my life and probably that's why I haven't touched, you know, knocking wood.
You know, I don't drink and I don't smoke. Like I don't do any of that. Do you think that's why? That's probably why I haven't, you know, I choose that like I never tried to have alcohol. I don't have any problem with that. But like, that doesn't drive me, you know, and that might be the impact, you know, seeing my dad like that. But. Because I read a quote you gave where you remember thinking then that if you had a son, you wanted to make sure that he he wasn't having to. Yeah.
To do that to. Do that. But at the end of the day, I think that that didn't change anything. You know, my, I think my dad, besides that, he was the perfect dad.
You know, it's still part of the perfect dad for me because he was always there and gave me the love that I needed and the shoes that I needed for baseball, the food that I needed, Like everything that I needed, my dad was always there giving it to me. I mean, I, I, I always believe the education come from our family and I had a great, even though I was moving, bouncing from place to places as I, I was growing up. I have such a great people
around me, great family and great friends that helped me along the way, you know, because I could have choose, I had had different paths that I could have choose, you know, and my focus was always, I want to be, become somebody. I want to be a baseball player or, or, or, or an engineer something bro to help my family because just like I was there, you know, 21 years ago and see, you know, how poor our country is. I wanted to be somebody in the
future that can help our family. And that's the opportunity that God has given me. You know, I'd be able to help my family the way that I wanted to and my dad and my grandma and everybody and, and, and I thank God for that. Your dad's mom, Your grandma, America. How would you best explain the role that she played in your life? Awesome. She I was. I was her baby.
She protected me with everything, even when I got in trouble and my dad or my grandpa wanted to spank me like she was always even to this day right now, like, you know, nobody can say anything wrong her about me. Like she she's just a pressure, pressure woman. And obviously she had a rough life herself. She had to raise 10 kids, you know, with my grandpa and how to rough, you know how to rough
too. But you know, it's just like everybody, man, if you want to, if you want to reach your goal or, or be somebody you had to work hard for, you know, and she never took any easy path. You know, she had to work hard out of with my grandpa and she raised, you know, 10 beautiful kids, my aunts and my uncles and and they raised me the right way. I go back to the education, give me the education then I need it because I started as a young
boy. You know, it doesn't start like when you are growing up. Education, you know, I start as a young boy and that's what I have. I had those people around me, that's around me where there was my aunt, cousin, uncle, you know, my dad, my mom, my grandma, everybody. They were always there for me, just just helping me. What do you think you learned
from her? She loved to help people like I remember my dad or even my grandma, like giving food to the neighbors, you know, when they didn't have to and they did just help the neighbors out, you know, and. When it wasn't like they had a lot. To give and they were trying to help and then my grandma was the same way and my grandpa. So I think that was really easy for me to learn that. And I saw that as a little boy.
And it's like it was automatic, you know, for me to to if I see some and me somewhere I'm going after because I believe that at the end of the day, God has given me so much. I can't take anything with me. And I heard a quote somebody say the other day that we should praise people when they're alive. Sometime we focus on pray people when they pass. And I and I have thought of that so many times there. There's no way until we lose somebody to appreciate that person.
Let's do it when they're alive. And I think sometimes we we lose that focus. And, you know, and I can think about my grandpa and my grandma, you know, just raising their kids and working hard, you know, to give them the best education. And you know when you see that, it's like. It's automatically meant to you. You learn that and and you become, you know who you become and and you always there's there's one quote you never forget where you come from.
Why decide to move to the US? My youngest met Alfredo. They came, I believe 878687. So my dad's sister, she's the oldest of the older girl. She moved to the United States. She had her paper, she applied for papers and she came, she was the first one that came to the United States. And as you come to the United States, you always, you know that you leave family behind and you want to help your family.
So as soon as she came to the state, she applied for the papers and you know, applied to bring my grandma, my grandpa, who was the first one they came. Then when my grandma, my grandpa came, then they start applying to bring their, their kids, you know, and they hope our whole family. So pretty much it was like a, a puzzle, you know, then and there was another end and her husband, then another end, another end.
So my dad and myself, we were the last one 1996 they came to the United States. But that's it wasn't it wasn't like I choose. It was like that's where my family was coming and you know, and it was to to give us a better life. But it always started from my end. Esmeralda and Alfredo, who I give, I mean, I die for those people. I die for everybody in my family, but just for them, you
know, for them to do that. And that's, you know, and I go back, man, it's like I see some tiny hotel and thinking about my life. It's like, man, this all gas plant, you know? Tell about the shooting you saw that was. Part of the reason I. Decided to move from New York to independence. Part of Missouri, yeah, part of that. But my grandma was already in Missouri waiting for me.
So. But I think one thing 11 great move that my that my grandma at that time, my my my grandpa was already, you know, he passed away. So it was my grandma with my aunt Esmeralda Alfredo. And I think she came one summer to Independence, MO and visit her Wilfredo, who's my, my dad's brother. And she fell in love with the country. And she's like, she fell in love with the state.
I'm sorry. And she's like, this is where I want to raise my kid there, you know, bring my kids, bring my grandkids, you know, And I think it was the best move because you look at it to bring everybody or my family, you know, to the United States and trying to find a job in New York, that would be rough. You know, So imagine it's hard to find one person to find a job. Imagine 10 or 11 in your family plus their spouse.
You know, it would be tough. So I believe she moved, you know, that summer after that summer of 96, she moved in the winter to Independence, MO. And you know, that's kind of it wasn't just because the shooting. I think it was part of my grandma once again looking for her family and the best for her family moved there. And I think it was the best move for everybody. But without getting to specifics that really impacted you, understandably so. The shooting one, No, it was, it
was tough. I mean, you're talking about I'm 16 years old and seeing that, I mean, it's, it's hard, you know, but you know, it was a long time ago. Sometime I think about it, but I don't, you know, I don't even remember all the details. After you and your father moved to Independence, MO, I understand you felt lonely.
How so? It was hard, bro, because, you know, going in high school, you know, I was like a year and a half from graduating down in the Dominican and now you come into the United States and now you have to kind of repeat, you know, you know, going to school and repeat the class. And because at that time I didn't know any English. So it was, it was hard. But I'm one of those guy men that if it's something drive me, do I go after and I go after
hard. So I, I knew that I needed to learn the language to be able to communicate, to be able to take classes by myself, man. And I started taking classes with Mrs. Stanky, who was my English teacher. And she, she didn't know any Spanish. I didn't know any English. Well, I love that your English teacher who's supposed to be tearing you in this and. It was like but you know what bro?
It took three months, man, and I went after and in three months it was, you know, I, I'd really, I'd really learned how to communicate. When you're a kid, you can pick it up things really quick. So I don't know, I, I'm really smart when it comes to that. Like I have, I memorized things really good, I mean, and, and all that stuff. And it was she put a lot of work into to help me out and because she knew how hard I wanted to learn the language.
And it was challenge, man. It was challenge being in school. And, you know, I know a lot of people were laughing at me because I didn't know the language. Yeah. And you know what? But it's it just, you know, we are kids, man. And going to high school, it happens in every high school. You. Know how much should they make fun of you? A lot. But you know what? I had a good friend of mine up to right now, Chris Franca. He he was in the baseball team and he he helped me out along
the way, too. What would they say when they're? Making no, I just, you know, because the language because I wouldn't understand, you know, I go sometime, you know, I wouldn't say something that wasn't correct. And they laughed, you know, But I think, OK, what what about? Your last name, I would have to imagine you come over like you don't have an American last name. It's kind of funny. Like you get crap for that? No, not really.
I think I had to help people how to pronunciate, you know, how to say my last name, you know, but I look at it like, man, you know, those those were a great time. You know, those was great time in my life. And and once again, GAO was had a had a plan for me putting great people along their way because, you know, Chris, who was our the shortstop in in high school for Osage High School, he moved to third base and he was one of our best pitcher too.
And he's one of my my best friend too, from high school that I still in touch with and I get to enjoy every time I go to Kansas City to spend time with him and his family. But he, he really helped me out and took me under his wing, I would say. So that that kind of like environment with those, with my friends in high school also helped me out, you know, to learn the language. How often did you have proper baseball equipment growing up? Never. Never. I had to borrow from my neighbor.
I had to pay 5 bucks, you know, to one of my friends to let me borrow the glove. I understand you had to take it from my dad. I had to recreate it, you know, and play with milk. How would you do it? You get the cardboard, obviously you smash it down and you would have, you know, obviously put a hole on top after just mash it down. So you open it in the side, open a big crack and then on top you just open a hole and that's
that's where your finger goes. So you just kind of grab it like this And you know, I would have played cash with that. I would tell you it's really easy, you know, but easy to make, But it was I would have been created with that. I would have been created with a license plate. You know, we got a, we have a game called a plaquita, which is
the license plate game. And you would have as four people, it takes four people, 2 bottle each size or one bottle in the other side and 9 bottle in this side. So you play 3 outs. So if you knock that play down, which you, you know, obviously make it small and then it stands up the license plate, that's an out, you know.
But then if you hit a home run, you know, then you can you just bounce you score runs kind of like cricket like that going like back and forth kind of that's how we play ball in cricket. You like really don't run as much, but we call that game La Plaquita. And I played in the street, you know, with, with some of my friends. And once again, it's almost like baseball, but you would have used you wouldn't use a regular bat. You would have used a broomstick. Same thing.
I know the game that I played was La Btigia, which is that, you know, the water cap, the big bottled water, you know, it comes with that green cap sometime and the blue 1. You would have take that out and then you peel it up. You had a broomstick and you just throw it and kind of play. So those were we were created, we gangs and you know gangs there are really famous down in the Dominican Republic. I go and I see people playing the games and then they are.
How much did your wedding cost and where do you get the money from? Oh, well, I don't know, 150 bucks, probably, yeah. And by Condon, I remember Diddy got some money because somebody showed up because somebody did somebody, somebody showed up. And it was extra money that we had to pay that we didn't have. But you know what, man? It was, I think it was 150 or something like that. Class A ball, there's a bench clearing brawl. How painful was the $100 fine that you got?
Really painful because when you were making $252.00 with 52 cent, I think is, and you take $100 fine, you know, and then you have your wife and an apartment, you know, with, you know, I'm getting ready to give birth to AJ, my second one, Hambela. It was tough. But you know what, at that time, dude, if I had to pay it again, I'd pay it because you, you were sticking up for your team. And that's something that I think as a player, you never forget You, you, this is your this is your family.
And you spend more time with your teammate than what you spend when you're really family. And it was just something that we saw it coming because we have problem with them when it happens in their field. And then when they came to us, they broke our one of our prospect leg at home play. And you knew that we had to do something and we went on him. And then I remember Chris Duncan, he was in the and the,
and the team with me that year. I was the 3rd baseman, he was the first baseman and we were kind of the two big guys. Everybody else were pretty small. But you know, you had to do what you had to do at that time. I mean, you don't want to try staying the dugout and like not worry about paying the fine. Why did your wife Didi want to declare bankruptcy and why did you talk her out of it? Well, I just talked her out of it because I believe, you know,
you, you had to be cocky. And you know, when I got drafted, I, I knew that I knew that I had talent to play in this level. I even told one of my uncle Wilkins, we went to a royal game 1996 or 97. This is probably the summer of 97 where where I saw Benji Molina and I believe I saw Gigamon making that famous diving catch when they were wearing the unit, the Angels, the Disney Land uniform and that famous diving catch running back, you know, like this, like Willie Mays.
I said that he'd go for. I was at that game and the whole reason I was at that game because my summer coach had like seasons ticket and that year he won all the game. He gave it to me. It's like, hey, I'm not going to go to the game. You want to go? I was like, yeah, I take it. So that was my first big league game that I put my, that I went and I remember I told my, my uncle Wilkins, listen, he asked me, do you think you can play with these guys? I'm like, give me the bag.
I'll show you, you know, like, I was like I, I, I work hard for, you know, I work hard for I, I train hard and, and that's, that was my attitude. So when that time came, I I knew that if, if I put all that work and I put things together. So I told her to give me time to give me, let me go play, give me time and then don't do it. How would you explain the difference when all of a sudden you're then making the Major League minimum salary and how life changing that was?
You know, everything happened so quick, you know, to get drafted to go to, you know, interestingly, then full year and 2000 and then minorly in Peoria and then from there get called to able hi a Potomac and then AAA, you know, and be one of the hero and triple and AAA to hit the walk off Hondom to send the team to the World Series. Bro, you would have gave me like an A script or a blank paper and read that down. I like write that down. I don't I think I can't even put it.
That's the whole story together. So and then then next year in 2001, you know, get invited to the spring training and I wasn't even supposed to play or even get any of our bats and making the ball club that year to I was it was unbelievable. So I just think happened so quick in my life that it wasn't even time for me to think about it, but just play the game the way you know how to play the game. And that's it up to this day. That's that's that's that's the
attitude that I have. Like I think sometime, don't get me wrong, and I think sometime about how quick all that stuff, you know, but to that year, I wasn't even thinking. I was just enjoying that I was in the big leagues and and having guys like Mike Martini, Placido Polanco, JD Drew, Woody William, Daryl Kyle, Mark McGwire, I mean Gene Emmons, I mean guys like that. That really helped me along the
way. And show me Bobby Ball, who was there last night, who I thanked everybody there for pulling the hamstring because that's the whole reason I made the ball club, because he got hurt. But having those guys kind of took me under the wing and show me, listen, kid, you belong here. Just play your game. You belong here, man. It was it was just a fun summer. And on top of that, you know, when it Rookie of the Year, I
mean, it was amazing. How difficult is it to maintain the same level of motivation now as opposed to when you were coming up and had yet to achieve any of the success? It's still the same man, the same motivation that I had since I was in the minor league, the same motivation I had since before I even signed, same motivation. And then my family, you know, that motivate me every day.
I just have AJ here, you know, and he's like, you know, giving him, giving me his blessing, you know, about hey, man, go out there, tear it up, you know, like that's what drive you, man, you know, to to have the success that you had and, you know, winning, winning, winning. That's what you play for now racing that championship, man, and be hungry. And I can tell you that even to the entries and through the stuff that I've gone through since I left San Luis has been
hard with all that. But I really there's no one moment that comes through my head and say, you know, I'm just, I'm just, I'm leaving, you know, I'm living. I mean, I get sick and tired of being hurting hand surgery, but like I still enjoy the game. I love it. I love to come to the ballpark early because remember, I'm still wearing a uniform that I represent and I respect. And I also I have a lot of young players. They're looking up to me and they are like a serving.
How I how I kind of do things around and be blessed to have one of the best players in the game and Mike Truk and my team too, who was kind of like my shadow following me around and asking question that wants to get better. And he reminded me. He kind of reminded me myself that I was the same way, you know, with asking question. I wanted to get better so quick and this and that, Mike is the same way. Tell about the Wash U test you participated in, comparing you to Babe Ruth.
Oh, that was the back in San Luis. Hang. I don't remember much about it. Oh, I know that they pulled me a bunch of wires all over the place and somehow I think I was either equal I or better than Hang, I guess. I don't know. I don't remember. I can you know, I want, I don't want to say things that I don't remember. So. Off the chart results. Yeah, it was really off. It was just everybody were saying like we've done so many tests and this is this is no,
this is this is impossible. You know, boy, it was off the charge. How much time do you spend each day on game day watching videos? You know, back then we used to have the BCR, so you had to wait until you get to the stadium to do that. But now the technology has advanced so much that you can even watch the, the picture on your phone and your iPod. And when I wake up in the morning, I, you know, take the kids to school if they're in
school. And then I come home, have breakfast, you know, and I'm watching the, the picture that I'm facing and the, the whole bullpen. And, you know, it's just so easy right now with technology that you don't have to go to the ballpark. You can just watch it at home. And by the time you get to the ballpark, you just do whatever you have to do, whether it's treatment, whether it's get in a hot tub or hot tub to get ready to go, get loose and do the little routine that I did this
morning. That's kind of the same routine that I do the season before Gang. I understand you always have a plan going into an at bat. Well, you, you, you have a plan. That's why you do the scouting and you have a plan how you want to approach the pitcher. You know, he throwing the sinker or his best pitch is a curvo and
stuff like that. Or this is how he pitched to me last time I'm facing and and he has he says now I need to make an adjustment because this game is about just like every sport, it's about making an adjustment, especially more in baseball because you got so many scouting scouts scouting the game that maybe you playing Oakland the next day. And we play in Seattle and they, their scouts understand that
they're ready. You know, when you go to Oakland, they going to have that scouting report against you. So, and then if you didn't have a good success in that series or by versa, if you had a success, they're going to try to pitch a different. So it's always kind of like it's hard to describe because I don't want to give my secrets.
But it's it's more like, you know, you have to be ready to make an adjustment even after you, even during the your bats, because they probably are not pitching you the way that you thought that they were going to pitch to you. And you're aware of an umpire's like, strike zone going into, you know, a particular game as well, like if an umpire has a wide strike zone or tight strike zone. Yeah, you look at that. But you cannot control that.
Those guys want to be the best. So I don't judge those guys. The umpires, I think if it's up to me, I would love for them to just foul, foul. Fair, fair. You know, take this. The instant replay out and just, hey, let's go back to old style. You know how this guy let the umpire have you know the benefit of the doubt? Right. But as long as there are 1,000,000 cameras and. Then it's not going to go back.
So your first eleven seasons with the Cardinals, I mean best eleven seasons in the history of baseball, you come to the Angels obviously drop off in productivity. What do you think accounts for that and how challenging was that for you personally? Well, I think, you know, as you know, the injuries, I mean, I, I save, I guess all the injuries that I didn't have in Saint Louis for this team, you know, but I know I'm it. Comes with age though too,
right? But it's, it's just, you know, you adjust yourself to your program. I think that the hardest part, it was that same year I had a right away lower half problem, which my stents are really unique and it require a lot of my legs. And I had a obviously right hand, I mean right leg surgery, knee surgery. And then from there it was just Meg, it was just one after another.
Then you had the plantar fasciitis, you had a foot surgery and it was like everything in the lower half and I don't care how great of a hitter you are, you can be the best player in the game. In my trial right now. If he started having problem with that lower half, it just it just switched. It just changed your swing. So I had it now kind of rim bent a swing where, you know, I can take that stress out on my leg and, you know, to try to perform. But then still driving 100 run
and he didn't throw the bomb. Yes, my on base or my batting up. It's just not what I what I want, but I still driving 100 runs. What's going on with that? You know, if in the next three years I drive 100 and something plus run and hit 3000 runs, I think I'd be pretty close to Barry Bonds and then probably break Hank Karen record for RBS. You know, so it's like, you know, but right now there's so much looking on that baseball saying and this and that, you know what?
They will help us when escorting runs and driving runs. And I think I'm a, I'm a elite producer when it comes to. That I was talking to Tony Larussa the other day. You're a long time manager with the Cardinals. And he said people don't give Albert enough credit for the injuries. He's like played through and Mike crowd actually said the same thing and that people didn't realize. I mean, at some point you've basically been hitting on one leg.
Yeah, and you know, I I'm going to say this because there's so many people that say it there, but they're like, bro, the why you have accomplished even in one leg over the year. Like there's there's nobody else that I don't think they can do it. Even my hitting coach is saying that, you know, but you know, I'm fully healthy right now. I'm I'm hopefully I can stay healthy for the next three years of this contract and and see where the Lord's taking me.
And you know, my goal is the same goal that I have when I signed this contract. Try when it's a championship, you know, for the city of Anaheim. Simply due to age though. Like what's that realization process like for you that physically you might be less able of doing the things that your brains telling your body to do? See, but when you train to a level that I train like, you don't think like that. I'm probably all in baseball because I'm 39, but I'm, I'm the
young in life. I feel strong. I, I take care of my body really well. I train really hard. I don't, I don't overdo things. I listen to my body a lot. And you know what, if you can do that, then you put all that together and all you can do is take it out there in the field. I wish you can see when you're going to get hurt and injury and you can avoid it, but you cannot. There's, I mean, you can be, I
use this illustration. You can be walking in your house, you know, or even walking in the street and twist an ankle and don't even you don't even have to play a sport. So imagine now you're playing 162 game plus 30 in spring training, plus 14 during the playoff. I mean, it's a lot of games and you have to maintain yourself. And I think that's why I put the volume on work and the off season because that's what's going to carry me into a deep season. And that's how it's been.
And no matter my age or whatever, I don't think like that. I know what I need to do. Of course, I understand that the programs had to change, but the same attitude and just tweak little things here in here and there with with my trainer, we've done that and I feel really good about myself. The hardest part of transitioning leagues for you was what? For me, it was the travel role being in the central in San Louis. It's like you bounce Cincinnati, Milwaukee. I didn't default this trip.
It was Houston, which it was like hour and 45 minutes, man. And when you come here, I was my first year man, and I didn't really realize this until somebody told me about it. But bro, you got about 20 more 1000 miles than what I was traveling in San Louis. Well, flying 20 more 1000 miles flying and the month of April, I'm lying to you. I felt like it was September and I was in one of the best shape ever, but I felt like I was like it was September.
The league, they pitch a little bit different, but you get you get adjusted to that. But to me, with the challenging part was, you know, they're changing time. The three hours different going from the east to West and had to play the next day knowing that now you have to travel at 10:00 in the morning on your day off and you don't have a full day off. Like you get into the city and you just barely have time to eat and then go to bed.
You know that's tough like that. So there's never been any reason to believe you've achieved your numbers in anything but an honest, clean way. But I'm, I'm curious to get your thoughts on the steroid era because it was, you know, like the tail end of it when you were coming into the league. What impact, positive and negative, do you think it had on
the game of baseball? Hey, listen, I think you know that the best thing is the Major League Baseball create a program that nobody came a sneak at anymore. I mean, you see all the suspension and they're going hard at it. They knew that there's a issues. There was a issue happening in our gang and they cleaning all that up. But like I say, I mean, I don't
judge people. I think, you know, you make your own decision and if you choose to do something that you can know by leaving our league, hey, you're going to get penalized. It's like if you're going in the highway and you see 65 mph and you go 7580 and you get pulled over, what do you think is going to happen? You know, you're going to get a ticket, right? So it's like, you know, if you go on the highway and it's 65 mph and you go 7580, you're
breaking the law, right? You're going to get a ticket. And then if you acting up, try to be disrespectful, they believe they might throw you in jail. Well, it's the same thing. You know, I mean, people that have choose that, I mean, they, they, they, they're going to get penalized. So you know, I think at the end of the day, you know, I don't, I don't judge. I don't really judge. I look at myself first before I had to judge somebody else. But obviously we know there is a
problem. But major base was done a great job. It was like 30-4 years between 60 home run seasons. Ruth Tamaris, 37 years, Maris to McGuire and then there were 660 home run seasons during a three-year period beginning in 1998. There were like 3 players who had achieved 60 home runs in the season in the whole history of baseball prior to 2002 and then that number triples to 9 from then. Like how do you view numbers that were put up during that era? You know what bro, you still
have to hit that baseball. So I mean, I think. I know, but it's somebody that's done it like ethically and honest like yourself, doesn't it? To what extent does it all bother you when you know you've done it the right way? And then there are others that haven't that have gotten some of the same accolades. See, but I it's hard because I haven't seen those people doing. I mean, you can look and say, oh, this guy, but you know what?
At the end of the day, man, it's I go back where my job is, you know, the same love that God showed me every day and my family, I had to love those people too. And they're human. So they, they made their choice. They made their mistake. You know, one of my best friend who I respect, they're always some kind of, I was the first one to call and I say, listen, man, I love you. Our relationship is not going to change.
I'm here for you. You made a mistake, bro, and you're going to have to clean it up. You know, I listen, the guy made a mistake. That doesn't mean that the guy is a bad person. And I, I respect Robinson. I, I respect his game, you know, Hey, listen, he made a, he made a mistake.
He made a mistake, you know, but I don't want to turn my back on him, you know, and that could be in any any anybody else, you know, because that's the same thing that that you need to look at the love that that that guy has for me is the same love that he has for him. And you know, he got his suspension. He lost a lot of money. So guys taking that chance and they go, they know that they're going to get caught at the end of the day.
I go back to where Major League Baseball has done a great job in the player association. Make sure that that they put in a great program and you know to clean our gang and it's happening. For what it's worth, there were three years where in the MVP race you finished only behind people that were alleged to have taken, you know, PED. So. See, but that that said, they they think that they are taken, but they haven't proved.
You know, until you don't have the proof, you can speculate and say that this guy maybe this guy maybe. But when you had the proof in your hand, that's when you can blame somebody. Say you know what? This guy had that, you know, but. If you knew they had, would it bother you? I don't, you know, bro, I there's no one moment that I look back and say, I wish this. I wish I have enjoyed my career
since your day one. And I'm so thankful and grateful of what I have accomplished in my career and in my life that there's no regret. There's no award that I wish I would have won. I have accomplished pretty much everything, everything that a baseball player can accomplish thank to my King Jesus. You know, they have given me this platform, the ability and after him, my family and my teammates and coaches, they are help had help me along the way. So that's how I can put it to you.
Explain the role that faith plays in your life. Everything. Everything you know, God is God is everything to me. He has shown me His mercy, His grace, and the best gift that he has given me is starvation. You know, when I got to, you know, I said thing in my life, you know, and knowing that I have eternal life through him, a
personal relationship with him. It's not about being a Christian, it's not about being, it's not about religious, it's about having a personal relationship with Christ. But that doesn't make me perfect. You know, I have learned the hard way. I make have my mistake, but knowing that when I come to him, he doesn't judge us. He doesn't look at us, you know, and be mad at us. He he receive us.
We love and I had learned so much, you know, in my life about how to treat all the people the same way that Christ love. You know, and I believe at the end of the day or at the end of my career, that's that's going to be the most important thing for me. You know, yes, the legacy of being a baseball player and Greg or that that's great man, while being a strong Christian who serve the community.
And when I'm facing him or being with him like that, he can look at me and say, what have you done with the gift that I gave you? The gift is no, the $300 million that I'm making again, the three MVP, the World Series. That's not the gift, the platform, that's not the gift. It's that Bible man, that Bible, that's the gift that he has given me, you know, his word, so I can spread it and talk about the good news of Jesus Christ. And that's, that's, that's my
job. It took me a while to learn it, but I'm on the point that I'm a quit now. And we have, you know, our Chapel this morning and, and I'm telling those young guys, you know, because we were talking about creation, you know, and you know how God has created everything. And I told him, you know, about the last creation that he made. It was us, the Lord make us and his image. And then what he did after that
he rest. So he said the best thing for last and it was to give us life and his image. What do you remember from the first time you went to church with your wife, Didi? I remember, you know, at that time my English was so, so, so I still had to wear, you know, earpiece shooting service so, so I can get translated in Spanish. So I pretty much just, you know, start asking question and, and you know, and there was like 2 weeks off.
I and I said, babe, you know, what is it when the pastor at the end of the survey, he made the article and say that the, the prayer of starvation, you know, to give the light to Christ. And she pretty much explained to me about it. She was like, listen, they're, I'm going to keep it real simple to you because you probably won't understand, but there's a hell and there's a heaven. And I told her I like, well, I don't want to go to the hell.
I want to go to heaven. So the week after that we went back to church and Pastor Jeff Adam Grieve, a great, great servant, Kansas City Baptist Temple in Kansas City. And he and he touched me and touched me. And I think, you know, after the service he did the same thing. And I just woke up with her and surrounded myself to the king and just have him take control of my life.
And that means what? Just accepting that you accepting as you lower that you accepting that you know that he died in that cross for our sin, that he took everybody's sin, you know, upon hanging that cross. And then you know that that that he give you that eternal life. And through that I had learned along my way and I was a young believer back then. But like having guy like Jay-Z, Drew Wooden Wheeler, Mike Martini, like the way that those
guys were handling their life. It was more than just going to church. You know, you can see Christ and them like you can see that the joy and I was a young believer. I was like, you're still going to church. But man, you know, I think it was after 2000 and one 2002 being in San Louis, a Christian Family Day that they asked me to share my testimony and I didn't know what to share.
And I think that's what my turning point was, man, that it was like more than just going to church and do do you duty. It was a how about having a personal relationship with him. You know, with Christ. There was more than just the religious and you know, and it's been great and you know, it hasn't been perfect, but I know that that I, I won't change a
thing. I understand in 2006 when you won the World Series with the Cardinals, it wasn't the World Series it was the highlight of your year, but rather flying back on a plane with a teammate and leading him to Christ. Yeah, my good little brother, Jadio Molina, we were in San Diego and recording was, I see it recording by the window. I see Johnny and the middle and then I sit over here and we left him to the Lord to accept them, to accept the Christ.
I mean that you need to turn, you know, from your sins and then take let the Lord take control and just share with him, you know, the things, you know, the guy has done in my life and he has seen him and just the, the way that I handle myself, like I say, it doesn't make me perfect. You know, I have made mistakes many, many time, but knowing that you know what, I have somebody that gets my back all the time and and they lost me like nobody else on this earth.
And then when you pull him before your family, before your wife, before your career, you know, like that's the guy that I love, then no matter what I have here, nothing is more important. Nothing, not even my kids are more important than the relationship that I have with him. So when I got to that point, and I understood that really well.
And you know, but that was my highlight to him because I remember when Jody got to the big leagues and having a spring training, his father that was alive at that time told me and his mother, he's like, he's my baby and I want you to take care of him. And from that moment on, that is being like my little brother, even though we are apart, he's in the center and I'm West, but I always checking on him and making sure that he's OK. And we still, I just, I just saw
him last month. We were in Florida together working out and I enjoy it. And and those are the relationship that you built in this and this game, bro, that that you don't. That's like the pressure time. So pressure that you take with you when you retire along the way of winning a World Series. Of course, the great memoirs. The most satisfying moment from your career would be what? Oh man, to winning that trophy, you know.
You know, besides getting into the big leagues accomplished that, that championship, you know, be able to raise that trophy in 2006. Yeah, I want to talk to you about some notable moments from your career. Only Babe Ruth, Hank Aaron, Alex Rodriguez has ever achieved 2000 RBIs. What does that mean to you? It's just when you name those three guys to put myself in that list, it's it's pretty special. So that's not my, that's not my target. That's not, that's not what I'm
playing this game for. I'm playing this game to try win a championship and to try to make everybody around me better, because if I can do that, they're going to make me better. I'm aware of the list that I'm around and that I have accomplished, but I I really have separate those things, you know, until I probably done playing the game, you've. Passed 3000 hits, Now you're also passed 600 home runs.
I was talking to your teammate Mike Trout, who's really, since you, the only other person ever to start a career on is much of A terror. And he said it's the six hundred a home run milestone that sticks out the most to him. Just being there for that. Take me through that at bat. No, it was great, man. I I remember we were going in a road trip and we were playing Minnesota and it was a Saturday night again, we were appreciating. We were facing Irving, Santana and I really, there was a
moment. I feel there's one thing in my career, 2 moment that I really wanted to do something in my stadium so special for my fans because I believe that they deserve it to see history. It was a 603,000 hits, obviously 3000 hits. I end up hitting in the next night at Seattle. But really the 600 man I really want to do it with. I want to do in my stadium. I want the fans to celebrate not just in Anaheim, but across across the United States, which everybody celebrate.
Everybody knows me from Fang and family. They have supported my career. They have enjoyed every moment and that I cried to every strikeout and hurt that I've been through all this year. But it was a slider. He got me 1-2 and he threw me a slider kind of hanging and I just probably put the best swing of the night and did it in style, you know, with the Grand Slam. So, but that was a moment that that I really, really enjoy
pretty much. And because I accomplished something pretty special that only a handful of guys have done it and and I did it in our stadium where I wanted to do it for our fans. Game five, 2005 National League Championship Series, 9th inning playing the Astros. They only need one more out to go to the World Series. Cardinals are down to and you're up.
Take me through what you recall. As you know, it was in their stadium and it was so loud and it was great rival because the year before we beat in for us to go to the World Series and we back in the NLCS again within their stadium, they're ready to pop champagne. You look at the dog out and there were a couple of players like, you know, like celebrating and, and I'm in first Bay kind of like, Lord, give me another opportunity. Let me have another opportunity.
One more at bat, one more at bat. And I think I was coming 5th in that. And, and I think it was the 8th hitter, then the pitcher, then Eckstein and Jimmy and myself. So right away they make 2 out and Eckstein really, really had a great back, kind of like infield hit. Jimmy got a, a great, great, great walk, great at bat. And here I come and I remember putting my glove down, man, I felt it in my God.
Like I feel, you know when you feel something that's you're going to do something special or the you asking the Lord to put you in the situation and then now you feeling it and you are in that situation. But I felt it that I was going to be I was asking to make the last out for the team and I I got my choice. I went and I I put my glove. I normally never never in my career had done this, putting my glove down and then go get my bat right away.
My help man can sit like especially I well, no, never. But if I'm hitting fifth or even 4th and that inning, like I'd never put my glove right away and there was something in my guy, I was telling you better be ready. You're going to hit. And I sprained man across that diamond and put that glove down my hat, Boom, boom, boom, boom, my bat and go grab my helmet and sit down.
And every time we go to Houston, I sit down in the same spot because it remind me that moment and I just sit in there and I knew, man, I knew that I was going to get that art back. I didn't know that I was going to do anything special like that. That was extra bonus, but I knew that I what I was asking, I was going to get it.
So after Jimmy walk, I knew that Brad Ledge was going to go to his best pitch, which it was a slider, and he threw me that first pitch and I think I swan it was one in the dirt. And after that, like I knew I had it. Next pitch was another slider hanging man. And once again, just like the 600, you know, the rest of history, I hit it out of the ballpark.
I know a lot of people talk about that 100 for for me with just another 100 because we didn't accomplish what we wanted to and that was to when the series to go to the World Series and and they did. So they deserve all that credit. I talked to your longtime manager, Tony Larussa the other day and he said, first, I have to say, if Albert was going to go anywhere besides the Cardinals, there's no better place to go than working for Angels owner Artie Moreno.
But he said he was, quote, most bummed because if I would have stayed on another year, I believe Albert and the Dewitts, meaning Cardinals ownership would have come to some accommodation, meaning agreement. Your reaction to that? That's when I really realized that it is about business, this game.
And you know, it was a tough decision, but I really pray about it. I really pray about it and what I have received from this side, from our ownership, Hardy and Carol Moreno, without even throwing a baseball in that stadium because my only time that I was in Anaheim was at the Oscar game in 2010. But I think what they showed to me, it was like probably what I was looking from the DeWitt
family. And, you know, I if I had to do that again and I pray and that happened that same situation, I believe that I made the right decision. I believe that Artie Moreno and Carol wanted me really bad because they weren't even in that picture. I remember Artie and Carol, they were at the movie theater and he came out to talk to me 30 minutes after I was done with my prayer and say, we want you. This is what we got. And I made a decision that night.
You know, I talked to my wife and, you know, I didn't want to weigh another day. I wanted to really have a peaceful Christmas. I didn't want to have to weigh after the year and I'm really grateful. It was a cool story about Artie Moreno trying to recruit you. I mean, he stepped out of the movie theater, was talking to your agent, Danny Lozano, and he's like, no, I want to get Albert on the phone now, you know, as opposed to waiting for
Dan to call him back with you. But look, I, I mean, I, I've talked to enough people close to you now that that I know leaving the Cardinals was a painful process for you. You, I mean. You I don't want to lie to you. It was man, I mean you, I mean half of you were you live pretty much, I mean you and that city, I mean the fans and and great, you know. And yeah, so you you dream is to try only finish with 1U, you know, and beat the deader jitter
and this and that. But you know what man, this game has changed and it was in the process, you know, that we end up winning a World Series and they had their opportunity 2000 and eight 2009. I end up winning back-to-back MVP. So they had their first crack. They had their first shaft. You know, they, we could have done something a long time ago before I hit a free agent, you know, but they decided to wait it until I was a free agent and,
and that was their. Choice, and correct me if I'm wrong, you walk off the field Game 7 after winning the World Series and the Cardinals basically never even call you. Yeah, it took a while. Why do you think that was reflecting back on it? I don't know.
I don't know. I'm glad I get this opportunity to clarify because the fans and San Luis think there's all about the money that I came to. Then just I'm like, if you do the math, I came to California and I'm going to make less money than if I were to stay with the Cardinals. Like, you know, because the task purpose and everything, and I had another team, they were offering me a lot. I mean like a big, big contract. The Marlins, right?
Yeah, and I didn't and I wasn't, I didn't want to go, you know, like I didn't feel well like that, that that wasn't in my heart. And correct me if I'm wrong, but you would have taken substantially less money to stay with the Cardinals. The issue with you is the long
term commitment. Well, I think that was the thing, you know, as the the Wed and MO and they were saying they want me to be a long time Cardinals and I felt that, you know, that the approach that they took wasn't showing me that they want me to be a long time Cardinal. But you know what man, this thing is over. I don't want to sit here and go back and try to say something
that make them mad. I'm going back to Saint Louis this year and I'm excited about going back and and playing in front of probably the best city to to play this game of baseball. Best fans, you know, so I, I really don't. And I want to ask you that in a SEC, but just one last question. I don't really, I don't really, you know, I don't really want to hold that. When you were in it though, at that time when you're yet to make a decision, how is it affecting you the process?
Oh, I was, I got to the point where I was, I got frustrated and I called Danny and I told him I'm done, dude. Like this is this is, this is the best that I, you know, that I there, there. I mean, the last thing that I, which I would never do for anybody is getting on my knee and begging Then, you know, and that was the last thing that I that I have and I wasn't going to do that. I don't want to humiliate myself like that. So, but I felt that, like I say, they made the right decision.
They they felt that they want to move along and we move along and I'm happy right here. I got three more years left here and hopefully I can bring a championship to the city because, you know, there's no better side of fashion than when I were serious. I'd imagine your wife was the first person you told of what you.
Were wanting to do she was actually in bed and I had to wake her up and told her because I was I remember I got on my knee and I asked the Lord and say Lord you know I have done everything they said in my hands. Now it's take control because I can't handle this anymore. This back and forth talking and promising and this night nothing
was moving. And man, 30 minutes later I got that call from Artie and just that was the confirmation, you know, from God, I believe and listen, I, I can look back my career right now and with the injuries that I have, man, it's probably the best move that I made in my career. She was really upset because you know, she really wanted to just like me and myself. We wanted to be in San Luis.
But she was happy that after meeting Artie and Caro Moreno, you know, the decision and that the commitment that they make to our family, you know, you have to respect that and. Dee Dee, tough, tough lady. I understand that. And I. Actually, she was more frustrated. Oh, yeah, she was. She was. She went out there the next day or the next week and talk about it. And I know people got mad at in Saint Louis. And just like every wife, they're going to defend their
husband. Obviously, whatever me and the cardinal went through, those things are private. But we know. And he knows, God knows the things that went down. And I know a lot of people wanted to throw rocks and wanted to wear burning jersey. And when you know, because that's their reaction. I feel sad for those people that that react that way. But you know what? I look at it and I'm like, they
probably weren't my true fans. Because if he, if he, if he they love me because I was wearing a Cardinals uniform, then that was the wrong motors. Because they should have loved our pools, not just because it was a a decent player, but also the things that I've done in the community and be a great man like that is more important than just whatever I have accomplished in the field. So, and I can understand the frustration. I can, I probably done the same
thing. But you know what, I think they're already adding the 2% probably of the 100% fans that we have that we had that way. And then 98%, you know, they were, they were excited and they were mad, you know, the Cardinals that they didn't sign me to. Yeah, and in fairness to them, it's probably hard to know what is and isn't, you know, true when you're just a fan in reading, you know, half truths. But I can tell you that if I had to be in the same shoes, buddy, I wouldn't change.
I will. I would make the same. I would go to my Lord and and made the same decision that I did because like I told you early, Arden Carroll Moreno made a commitment, you know, without me trying to baseball put in your uniform. Your very early days with the Angels, while I understand they were treating you incredibly well, I also heard that like, it might have actually been a lower point for you right after you got to the team because you're
still heartbroken. Your wife and kids are, you know, still in Saint Louis. You're lonely. How much truth is there to that? No, it was tough. It was hard, man. I was living in a small apartment and Deidre came and, you know, find a house and she's like, first of all, we need to find your house. You need to get out of here, you know, to need to get out of this apartment. So we end up buying, purchasing a house that we still live on it.
And and then, you know, and it was it was tough, but I think it wasn't just it wasn't just thinking about because I had a great spring, man. I had a great spring training too that year. And it was just part of that. I think maybe the pressure, a little bit of pressures with a contract and prove people, you know, you felt that worth it.
Yeah. Who who doesn't you don't think Harper and my shadow are going to feel that pressure Trouty when he signed the biggest probably contract ever in the history of everybody felt and if there's somebody that says to you, bro, that they don't feel that pressure, they ain't lie. They lie in a straight in your face. We are human and we have feeling and, and we go through that, you know, I mean, the we get over, of course.
So, you know, that year, The funny thing is that I had a bad start, but then I still driving 30 and drive 108 and hit 285. I didn't hit a home run in April and I didn't hit a home run in September. So in four months I made, I had a that was my season. But then I was disappointed because we didn't make the playoff and that's what I played for. Yeah, DD first date at The Cheesecake Factory. What do you remember? From it. Wow, man, that was a long time ago. Like nothing.
Just go out and have dinner. You know, after probably a week that she was calling and, you know, after I gave her my number and we couldn't communicate, but we just went out to Cheesecake Factory and, you know, went out and had dinner and, you know, I gave her a kiss and we hang out that night, you know. Then when I believe we went to her house and picked Bella and
then just, you know, just enjoy. And then from there we just went, I think we went the whole year seeing each other, you know, like we were just, we just, we just connect right away, you know, from that moment. What do you think made you guys connect? I don't know the love that we have for each other. And then, you know, to after she explained to me because that was the first time that I hear about the Down syndrome situation and, you know, I fell in love with my little girl.
What do you think made you lean in to a situation like that as opposed to, you know, running the other way? Because, you know, here she is. You know, you're on one of your early few dates. I thank you, she says. By the way, I have a daughter with Down syndrome who's only
weeks old. Well, if I had to say right now, knowing what I know through Christ, it's like that was the lower plan that he has for me. And I would have to say that it was meant to be men and we were meant to be to be connected. And you know, it's just been great. Yeah, you. She's talked about Faith before. She had Izzy, you know, she said she was parting too hard. Then she, you know, has Izzy starts partying again a little bit and then meets you. What was able to change?
I don't know. I think that's a question for her. It'd be hard for me to answer that, you know, but you helped. But I guess the way that I, you know, I played sport, I was still in high school. I didn't drink, I didn't smile. I didn't like to go out party and you know, I guess she saw that. I think, I guess education that I have for for the sport and everything and maybe that changed her. But I think that'd be a good question to ask her.
I can't really speak for her. So you have 5 kids now. At what point is each in their lives? Well, they're doing great. I mean, I think you said you got a chance to see AJ last night. He's 18 year old. He just got he committed himself to go to Vanguard University for golf. Then we have Sophia doing gymnastics. She's 13. Then Ezra, who's turned 9 last month. He loves baseball. He loves everything. I think he's going to be a basketball player.
He loves basketball too. And then who runs the house and control Esther Grace, my six years old, She's she's a beauty. She's. What did she do to run the house? Well, she's just a bossy, just like mommy, you know, she's really bossy and but she's she's beautiful. You know, I can't even wait until we're done so I can call them to FaceTime them. But she just you know, she knows that she's the younger one and and she's like trying to catch up with Ezra and Sophia.
So and, and it just fine, Just five beautiful kids. I'm I'm blessed. Biggest challenge? Having five kids. Like kind of understand their personality, you know, it's really challenging and knowing, you know, what they like. You know, they've been kind of, I won't say living in my shadow, but like this, you know, being traveling for 20 years and, you know, the job that does does.
And, you know, he's obviously a famous baseball player, you know, just all that like to explain to them all that stuff and you say, listen, you just be you just be you and, and try to especially with AGI, remember my biggest challenge with him. He wanted to be a baseball player so bad. But I, I, I think it kind of got to him.
He was a great player. And, you know, he was a good little player and it was kind of like he felt that pressure, You know, that he wants to be as good as that and he wants to. And it kind of got to hanging. I remember the time that he told me that I don't want to play baseball. I wanted to play golf. And he was like, thank you, Lord, you know, because I saw that release on him that they was getting baseball was getting to him. And now he he's a great golfer. He wants to GoPro.
I told him that he has to work hard. And then, you know, just, but I think the biggest thing is just find their their personality and, and supporting on everything. They, you know, I could say, no, I just, you want to be, you need to be a baseball player. You need to be like, no, I know that kind of that man. It's whatever sport they choose. One thing that we know that we don't bounce them from sport to sport.
They had to choose one thing, you know, and that's something that we've done since you they've been young. How do you find the balance between making sure you provide your children with all the opportunities you never had without going overboard the. Motivation, yeah, yeah, well, they, they, they understand I think Didi and I, the, the way we explain them, we had talks with them.
They they see how mom and dad, you know, kind of live their lifestyle and they, they understand really well to this point. So, you know, and then the best thing is as as a as a dad, you just make sure you open, you know, you want your kids to know that the mom and dad that their best friend and you know, if there's any problem that they're go through, hey, come to die and communicate. Communication is huge, especially when your kids are a young age. Mike Trout, what impresses you
about him? Best players in the game. It's just amazing young kid who wants to get better, which is scary. Really humble, great teammate, comes from a great family and has the same heart that I have and wants to win just like I wanted to win. So we always talk about it. I'm like, dude, I wish you Can you imagine if me and you together in my prime time and you now in your prime time? Like how scary.
We like, we, we joke around like that, you know, But it's pretty special and I'm thankful and blessed to wear the same uniform than my trials were. He talked to me a lot yesterday about the role that you played in mentoring him when he first came into the league, because your first year with the Angels was, you know, his first year with the Angels. In what ways were you trying to mentor him?
The same way, you know, just probably when he was putting a little bit of pressure on himself of, you know, try to do too much and just stuff like that. Take it under your just the same way the guys were took me under the wing, you know, and just just help him out with pitching or approach and talk about hitting. Just tree him the same way that I have three. Everybody that make that buckle up sincere, then it's like, listen, you belong here, you just not a clue.
You belong here and you're going to help us to win. And that's the same way Megan Trouty is, is a really, really, besides being a great players, like a great athlete, just a fun person, man. He's just a great, great kid. And I enjoy it, you know, really smiling every day. And man, he even, he plays against the right way, even the foul ball he runs. You know, I just say play the
right way. And I'm, I'm, I'm thankful and I will tell my grandkids when he's in the, you know, in the Hall of Fame, getting into the Hall of Fame. Like I play with that kid. I play with Hen and, and I mentor her in a little bit and, and blessed and hopefully me and Hen can accomplish what we want. And it's a trophy. Thank you very much. Thank you brother. Appreciate it. Good to see you bro and thanks for taking the time really to come now.
Thanks for listening to my chat with Albert Pujols. To watch us hit the batting cages, head over to youtube.com/graham Bensinger. Please remember to rate, review, subscribe. It helps us a lot in continuing to grow this podcast.