Pedro Martinez seems to believe Albert Pujols got a raw deal from the Los Angeles Angels.
The Hall of Fame pitcher sent a tweet Thursday afternoon praising Pujols, who was designated for assignment by the Angels earlier in the day. Martinez also sharply criticized the Angels for the “shameful” way the organization “treated you and your legacy today.”
Albert @PujolsFive I know the glory is of God, not of man; that’s why I’m not surprised about the shameful way @Angels treated you and your legacy today.
Everyone in baseball feels proud of you and the way you handled yourself. Thank you for being one of the best in the game 🇩🇴 pic.twitter.com/zqeiFKzAo9
— Pedro Martinez (@45PedroMartinez) May 6, 2021
It’s worth noting that Pujols reportedly wanted his release if the Angels were going to reduce his playing time. However, a separate report from Mike DiGiovanna of the Los Angeles Times stated that Pujols was upset about being benched for Wednesday night’s game, a decision that apparently came from the front office and not manager Joe Maddon. That may be what Martinez is referring to when he talks about disrespect.
Martinez obviously has a ton of respect for Pujols, as most do within the game. He’s also never been shy about expressing blunt opinions. That said, the Angels had legitimate reasons to move on from the 41-year-old. In his last 460 games, he’s hitting just .240 with a sub-.300 OBP and very little power. The Angels can’t keep trotting that out there every day if they seriously have playoff aspirations, no matter how great his legacy is.
