The Orioles Have Reportedly "Expressed Interest" In Interviewing Albert Pujols To Become Their Manager And I Can't Express How Much I Am Out On That
It's a no for me! Alden Gonzalez and Jeff Passan from ESPN are reporting that the Baltimore Orioles are expected to interview future Hall of Fame Albert Pujols to be their next manager and I am sooooo far out on that. Obviously know the credentials of Mr. Pujols as a player, he's one of the greatest players we've ever seen, an incredible hitter from the second he stepped foot in the bigs, one of the most feared hitters ever, a true generational talent. All that is great, but what does any of that have to do with managing a team? Pujols was named manager of the 2026 Dominican Republic team in the WBC and last winter he managed a LIDOM team lot the championship. Cool stuff there, but that's not MLB. I get that he wants to manage too, but I want a championship. Does Albert Pujols have what it takes to take this Orioles team to the top? I could be wrong, but I don't think so. Experience at the highest level is something I'm begging for in Baltimore, Albert doesn't have that from the managerial side of things yet. And for those reasons, I'm out.
Pujols seems like someone the Orioles would have been interested in a few years ago, before their window to win was open with the entire core up in the bigs. That would have been the move in like 2021, but now is their time to get over the hump. They have to win and soon, is Pujols the guy that can bring them there? The core is here and after seemingly all of them were hurt or had down years, they need a manger who can get the best out of them and lead them in the right direction. I've said since they fired Brandon Hyde in May that the Orioles need to bring in a veteran manager, someone who has seen it all in the postseason. Someone who "knows how to win". That sentence may seem like a bunch of bullshit to you, but if you've seen some of these younger teams surprise the league and make runs, they often fall flat and follow that up with a down year, just like the Orioles did this year. They need someone who quite literally knows what it takes to push all the right buttons and make a team go in October.
I'm still kind of confused on why everyone is after him for a managerial role. Albert Pujols - hitting coach? Yes, that is something I'd be down for. But why is he jumping the line right to manager? I've seen his instructional stuff on MLB Network and he'll get some more seasoning at the WBC next year but those qualifications don't really do it for me. Can Albert Pujols manage a bullpen? Does he know when to yank a starter? What are his thoughts on reverse splits? That's all stuff big league managers absolutely have to know how to do, and it becomes very clear when a young guy is over his head. Remember Gabe Kapler signaling to the bullpen to bring in a pitcher but no one was warming up? That's young guy stuff, not a mistake a veteran makes. If he wants to run hitters meetings and watch BP like a hawk to help these guys find their power stroke while hitting .300, be my guest. Hitting coach Pujols sounds good to me, but that's the biggest title I'm giving him.
The lack of experience is my biggest reason for not wanting Pujols, and it's nothing personal. But I truly believe that the Orioles need a manager who can run a tight ship who has the experience and many years of managing at a high level. If the O's were going to go with someone with 0 big league managing experience I'd prefer they stay in-house with Buck Britton. Let Pujols go to Anaheim and be a disaster there, that's 100% going to fail if he goes out there. At least in Baltimore they have hope for the future, they have the pieces, they just need to stay healthy and have the right guy in the dugout. I just don't think Albert Pujols is that guy for the Orioles.
Maybe he'll go somewhere and manage his ass off, maybe he'll fire up a clubhouse and get the guys going while riding a hot 2nd half into the playoffs. Or maybe he's bottom out and win 59 games with a bullpen that is taxed by May and is very clearly not a guy meant to manage the game. It's just not a move that makes much sense to me at all. This doesn't really seem to benefit the O's besides the point that Pujols in an Orioles uniform would look pretty wild. Or maybe this is all a negotiating tactic to get some more money from the Angels, who knows. I know he's going to Cooperstown on the first try, I know the career numbers, but I don't think he's the right guy to lead this team in Baltimore. Sorry Albert, it's a no from me.