This weekend Albert Pujols returned to St. Louis for the first time since 2011… Wearing an Angels jersey. Albert is one of the best players in Cardinals history, hell… In MLB history. The dude used to be an absolute stud.
However he left St. Louis in Free Agency chasing money and joined the Angles. And he had every right to. No one would have turned down that coin!
Cardinals fans are allowed to forever love Albert even though he left them. HOWEVER what I saw this weekend was a bit over the top!
Albert Pujols is all smiles in St. Louis 😄 pic.twitter.com/7XoQBRxNeW
— ESPN (@espn) June 24, 2019
It seemed as though the Cardinals “faithful” were cheering more for Pujols than they were for their own damn team. Every single time he was up to bat it was an unbelievable standing ovation.
Now… Yes. He should get a warm welcome back. Yes. The fans should give him a standing ovation and cheer for him… The first time each game he was introduced. And that is that.
Why are you cheering him when he gets hits AGAINST your team? Why are you rooting for him to BEAT your team? Yeah he is still wearing red but it’s not the god damn Cardinals red.
St. Louis welcomes back Albert Pujols! 👏 pic.twitter.com/R7QWMIwtoP
— St. Louis Cardinals (@Cardinals) June 23, 2019
You think if a player came back to the Bronx on another team he would get a standing ovation if he hit a homerun AGAINST the Yankees? Get the hell out of here.
You can still love a player while he’s on another team without worshiping the dirt he walks on as he trots around the bases trying to beat the team you love!
I get it, the Cardinals took 2 out of 3 in the series. I get it, this will probably be the last time Pujols ever plays in St. Louis. But Sunday night when the Cardinals were rallying in the 9th I honestly believe they just wanted the game to be tied so Pujols would get another at bat in the 10th instead of the Cardinals walking off.
Fans in St. Louis chanted "ALBERT! ALBERT!" during Pujols' at-bat in the 9th 👏 pic.twitter.com/gqw9LrOcGQ
— ESPN (@espn) June 24, 2019
You can love or hate my opinion, I don’t care. But it’s team first… Player second. Cheer Pujols all you want to start the games. Go nuts when he signs a one day contract in St. Louis to retire as a Cardinal and at his Hall of Fame induction.
But just remember he was trying to beat your ass this weekend, and you said “thank you sir may I have another?!”
-Kmess