Cardinals' Legend Albert Pujols Shows He's Still Got It at WBC

The St. Louis Cardinals are one of the most prestigious organizations in Major League Baseball history. Each generation of fans has seen more than its fair share of great players. The current generation of fans was blessed the opportunity to witness the greatness of Albert Pujols.

Four years after finishing out his career in St. Louis, Pujols is now the manager of the Dominican Republic national team in the World Baseball Classic, but just because his playing days are over doesn't mean he couldn't easily get back into a rhythm if he wanted to.

Earlier this week, he took some batting practice, but he also recently took some ground balls at his old position, first base.

Pujols has still got it

Oct 8, 2022; St. Louis, Missouri, USA; St. Louis Cardinals designated hitter Albert Pujols (5) hits a single in the sixth inning against the Philadelphia Phillies during game two of the Wild Card series for the 2022 MLB Playoffs at Busch Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Jeff Curry-Imagn Images | Jeff Curry-Imagn Images

Pujols played 22 seasons in the major leagues, 12 of them came with St. Louis. He won three National League MVPs, two Gold Gloves, six Silver Slugger awards, two World Series titles and was an 11-time All-Star, among many other great accomplishments.

He now works with the Los Angeles Angels as an assistant, but his impact can still be felt in St. Louis. His playing days are obviously over, but he showed that he could easily get himself back into a rhythm if he wanted to.

In fact, given where the Cardinals are at right now with their current rebuild, they could use a presence like Pujols in their lineup. They have a lot of left-handed hitters, and Pujols was one of the most feared right-handed hitters of his generation.

Some right-handed power in the Cardinals lineup would make a big difference. Unfortunately for the Cardinals, Pujols' playing days are well behind him and he hasn't expressed any interest in making a comeback.

But for Cardinals fans, seeing Pujols taking batting practice and field some ground balls during warmups with his team brings back great memories. At his peak, he was the best player in the league, and he played such a big role in the Cardinals getting as far as they did so many times.

It's a nice blast from the past for Cardinals fans, who still look back fondly at his prime and the many memories he brought them over his 22-year career.

He has his team ready to take on Team Korea in the WBC quarterfinals on Friday night. He has done well as a manager, but is still fondly remembered by Cardinals fans as a franchise legend.