THE MOST ADMIRED PATH

By:  Kurt Snyder

It took 7 years for him to make his return. Seven years for his first team and their fans to give him the welcome-back reception they had long awaited.

Albert Pujols returned to St. Louis as a visiting player this past week, and it seemed like he had been gone forever. In 2011, the Cardinals had a gut-wrenching decision to make. One that would shape their future and tick off their fan base.

They had to decide whether to pay a sure Hall of Famer and one of the most popular players in Cardinal history or let him go. It was the same type of decision the Tigers had when Miguel Cabrera was given an extension.

But the difference was that, in reality, only one team had a decision to make. And the other team likely never considered letting him go. Cabrera was never going to leave the Tigers. We all knew it. And few wanted him to go; most endorsed the extension.

But as time has gone by, Cabrera has both justified the move with some great seasons, including batting titles, MVP and Triple Crown seasons, and at the same time made the Tigers for their allegiance.

Oh, the injuries. Plenty of injuries. And personal problems. And legal battles. Drinking issues. Infidelity. A big list of negatives that have tarnished many of the smiles Cabrera put on our faces when he blistered and pummeled American League pitching.

Think of all the Tiger greats who spent their entire careers in Detroit. We were pretty lucky that none of them began to disappoint fans like Cabrera.

It’s the way of the world now. Players who sign extensions or are signed to long term deals through free agency eventually will experience a downturn with their teams on the field or off.

It’s what we are experiencing now with Cabrera. But they didn’t feel this in St. Louis. Sure, it had to be excruciating for everyone who grew to love Albert, to have to watch him walk away. And it had to have been equally as difficult to watch him with the Angels.

But the Cardinals didn’t want to mortgage their future for one player. And they had the guts to make a very unpopular decision. Pujols has had good seasons with the Angels, but he’s had some others that started to signal his decline; a natural decline you would expect for a player approaching 40 years old.

There has been no tarnishing of a great career. He left St. Louis having been spurned by the team he loved. But in his return, all that love was back and it poured over him; a minute-long ovation that seemed like an hour.  That love never left. It was just put away for safe-keeping until Albert finally returned.

It was electric. A full house at Busch Stadium stood as one and cheered as Albert’s name was announced.

Finally. Back in St. Louis.

I had chills listening to the roars. Watching the crowd. Watching Albert.  It’s the part of baseball I love so much. The emotional side. The part that burns inside of me.

Yes, I would love to see this kind of moment for Cabrera in Detroit. But these are 2 great ships that have travelled in opposite directions.

We don’t know what would have happened if the Tigers had not extended Cabrera and ultimately let him walk away. We don’t know what paths he would have taken both on and off the field. Do you think it would have been different?

Despite all of his poor decisions, I still won’t take for granted how lucky we are as fans to have experienced the greatness he has brought to Detroit.  But it is hard to envision him ever receiving the kind of dizzying ovation Albert Pujols received from that appreciative crowd in St. Louis, who roared for their favorite son.

Miggy and Albert will both go to the Hall of Fame, but only one will have taken the proper and most admired path.

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