Albert Pujols should be a first-ballot Hall of Famer. His future plaque in Cooperstown should feature a St. Louis Cardinals cap. He should have a statue outside of Busch Stadium. His No. 5 should be retired and preserved on the left field wall. And if retirement becomes his plan now that the Angels have designated for assignment one of the greatest right-handed hitters ever, the Cardinals should absolutely find some way to make it possible for him to retire while wearing the birds on the bat.
If at any point during the rest of this column you think I’m misunderstanding, underestimating or insulting the greatness of Pujols, please do me a favor — stop and reread that first paragraph.