The timing seemed perfect for Albert Pujols to land his first job as a manager with numerous teams in need of a new skipper this offseason. He was considered the frontrunner for the Los Angeles Angels job. But talks fell apart over disagreements on the coaching staff and compensation. Ultimately the Angels hired Kurt Suzuki.
The San Diego Padres expressed interest in the former first baseman. Pujols landed a second interview with the team that lasted nine and a half hours. But San Diego went in a different direction.
“Albert Pujols certainly is someone who wants to manage. But it’s telling to me that there were nine openings… and he’s not getting any of them,” MLB insider Ken Rosenthal said, per Foul Territory. “I would expect that this desire of his, to manage, is not going to go away…. The question is whether the game will welcome him in that role. I don’t know the answer to that.”
Will Albert Pujols become a major league manager?
Despite Pujols’ marathon meeting with San Diego, the Padres hired former reliever Craig Stammen as their next manager. Like Pujols, Stammen has no major or minor league coaching experience.
A lack of experience wasn’t a deal-breaker this offseason. The San Francisco Giants made history by hiring Tony Vitello, who made the jump straight from college baseball to the pros.
“Albert Pujols is certainly an interesting guy to hire. Now, he’d also be a tough guy to fire. And that’s part of the problem I would think. And with great players, you don’t always get a great manager,” Rosenthal noted. “But at the same time, if we’re being so bold here, if we’re hiring all these outside the box guys, why not Albert Pujols?”
Rosenthal suggested that teams may fear the former slugger's strong personality. However, he shot down the idea of Pujols grinding it out in the minors while awaiting his shot as a big league manager.
“If I’m Albert, I would say no to that. And the reason is because so many others are getting hired who have not done that, who are not Albert Pujols.”
While it’s unlikely that fans will see Pujols managing High-A ball in Greensboro, he will add to his resume in the spring. Pujols is set to manage the Dominican Republic in the upcoming World Baseball Classic.
