Albert Pujols and Adam Wainwright are teammates once more. The former St. Louis Cardinals stars both joined MLB Network as analysts after hanging up their cleats and will be central parts of the network's All-Star week coverage this week.
On Monday, both will be on the desk for the Home Run Derby starting at 6 p.m. ET alongside Adnan Virk and Harold Reynolds. On Tuesday, Pujols will provide pregame coverage for the All-Star Game, while Wainwright will provide postgame coverage.
The pair, who combined for 14 All-Star appearances, took some time to speak to Sports Illustrated about being teammates again, how they're preparing for their ASG analysis, their own All-Star past, who they're looking forward to seeing the most this week, and more.
Sports Illustrated: How does it feel to be teammates again at MLB Network after spending seven seasons together with the Cardinals?
Albert Pujols: For me, obviously, being a teammate with Adam, everything we have accomplished together on the field goes more and beyond that. For me, it’s the human being, the person, the competitor, the brother-in-Christ. There’s so many things, you know, that I can speak of. And now being on the network and being teammates again, just looking from the outside of the diamond, I’m really excited. I’m looking forward to the week and to work with him on the desk and just having a great time like we always have.
Adam Wainwright: I would echo that. But the only thing I would add, when we get together, we’re going to have trouble staying focused. It’s going to be a lot of stories and laughter. He’s a great friend more than teammate. Just a great friend. He’s always been a special person to me even when I was a youngster and he wasn’t that old either when I was a youngster. But he always took great care of me and for a player who’s one of the top-five players in the history of the game to treat everyone the same all the time, that says a lot.
SI: How are you both preparing for the coverage you’ll be doing? Are there any similarities between how you’re preparing for television and when you would prepare for games as players?
AP: I think for us just working with the network, we have a great group of guys that give us all the information we need. For us it’s really talking about what we know, what we did for a long time. Talking about the game, breaking down plays. We’re not sitting at the table trying to analyze or be analytics experts. We got people that can do that. For us it’s about our mindset in this position. As a hitter, what are these guys looking for? I can speak for that. Adam can speak as a pitcher, what he’s thinking that that pitcher will throw to that guy up at bat.
I think the beautiful part about that is giving the inside to the fans and to the people. People can see the game but they don’t know what’s going on with the preparation and for us, we played for so long, our routine and our preparation is something we share with other people.
The All-Star Game is a little crazy because everything happens so fast you want to be prepared. Us being there as a player, and now being there as media, we want to be very careful with the guys and respect their time. I think it’s going to be fine. We’re going to prepare for it well like we always have. We’re enjoying this, we’ll have fun with it, and I think that’s the best thing about it.
AW: If I was going to do a broadcast, I’m going to prepare for that game exactly like I would prepare to pitch against that lineup and do that for both sides. So I know every hitter’s weakness and strengths and how they’re doing, obviously, stats-wise. I think with network stuff, with Albert said, it’s more reactionary. We’re watching things and as we watch it, we’re saying exactly what he said: ‘This is how he should’ve done it,’ or ‘This is what he was thinking,’ that kind of stuff. It's mostly reactionary for the network. Which is great for us! We love that.
SI: You enjoy the more reactionary side of things?
AW: It’s just more natural for us to talk the game. To talk mindset or execution-wise, that comes natural for guys who played a long time.
SI: What does it mean to be able to cover the All-Star Game as media members after attending as players?
AP: It’s fun. I think we’re always going to be around, whether it’s working for the network, whether it’s working for one of the teams. We appreciate our career and what this game gave us. It would be really selfish for us not giving back, you know. Not only through TV, through the MLB Network, but also when I go down to the Dominican Republic still working with the Angels. When I go down to spring training early in the year, just working around the young guys. This year I have an opportunity to be a manager in the DR. So I’m looking forward to it, this is something that I love, this is my passion. And I want to give back just as much as this game has given me.
AW: I love the All-Star Game. And I do think we have the best All-Star game of any major sport. I don’t think anyone is arguing with that, either. Our ASG is pretty awesome, our Home Run Derby is highly-watched and entertaining. I am glad they changed it a little bit so it’s not so taxing for the hitters. That’s a lot of swings, man, in a short amount of time. I’m proud to be part of it because it’s something that every baseball player is going to be watching. That goes for Little League all the way up to high school all the way up to the big leagues. I always watched the game. I love baseball, I love the game, and I loved watching those heroes out there thriving. I’m just thrilled and excited to be part of that because I just know how cool it is for all baseball players, not just big leaguers.
SI: Excluding the game itself, what’s your favorite part of the All-Star festivities?
AP: It was always about being around the All-Star guys. Guys that you play against but when you come to the All-Star Game you’re teammates for one or two days. That was always fun. That was always something I was always looking forward to. Spending more time talking to the guys. I wasn’t a big autograph guy, but back early when I started making the All-Star games I started collecting some hats, you know, and trading my hats with some of the All-Star guys.
So many people who wish they could have that opportunity, they all probably deserve to make it but the rosters are so small. I can recall my first All-Star Game in 2001, just being around Sammy Sosa, Mark McGwire, A-Rod, all those guys, guys I used to watch. I was amazed by it. So I think that, being a teammate for two days. And then after Thursday it was back at it again to being that competitor.
AW: I would definitely agree with that. It’s cool, and I think Albert would agree with this too, it’s cool to have your family out there with you, and your kids on the field for the Home Run Derby and stuff. But standing out on the field and talking pitching, for me, with Clayton Kershaw and Zack Greinke and Madison Bumgarner and Justin Verlander and those guys, that is kind of priceless, you know?
Then you leave those things with this cool bond. Maybe you got to hang with Freddie Freeman for a little while. Then you see him and you’re playing the Dodgers, while you’re out there on the field you want to murder each other or whatever. But when you see him on the side, he gets to first, you’re like, ‘What’s up, Freddie!’ There’s a cool relationship that happens from that. It’s always interesting because you play against players so many times and you’re like, ‘God, I can’t stand that guy!’ And then he’s on your team and you’re like, ‘Alright, I kind of like that guy. He’s pretty awesome.’
More times than not, baseball players are so similar in so many different ways. You bond really quickly.
SI: What’s your favorite All-Star memory from your playing days?
AP: I think it was ‘01, my first All-Star, just being there in Seattle. I had to pick that one because you always remember everything about every first one. I think in 2009, hosting it too in St. Louis. Hosting it in ‘09 was pretty special. Having the crowd and doing the Home Run Derby, it was a really, really neat moment. I would say, out of those 11 I made, ‘01 and ‘09 was pretty special to me.
AW: I remember your ‘09 Home Run Derby too, Albert. You had to hit a home run on your last swing to go to the next round and the wind was howling in from left center and he still muscled it through that wind and got it out. He hit it like 500 feet and it went out by one row in left center to go to the next round. We were going crazy at home. I didn’t make it, I was only like 9-2 with a 1.90 ERA but Tony La Russa didn’t put me on the team. That’s besides the point. Whatever [laughs].
My first year was also probably my most memorable one. I did get a chance to pitch, it was in Anaheim. I got a chance to sit down there by Chris Carpenter and Roy Halladay and some of the other incredible pitchers and just talk pitching with Roy, who I had never met before, for five innings before he went in the game to pitch. I followed him up, I came in to pitch however many innings. Afterwards we sat there when I was done and he was done and talked more pitching. It was just the best.
I got to face Torii Hunter at Anaheim, the crowd went crazy, two outs and I got to strike Torii Hunter out. That’s probably my most memorable moment. Sitting beside Roy. Especially now, looking back when he passed away, it was like, man. So sad and so glad I got to get to know him. One of the best pitchers ever, to have that time with him.
SI: Who are you looking forward to watching the most at the 2024 All-Star Game?
AP: There’s so much talent. You got all these young talents that I only get to watch on TV. If there’s one I had to pick, it’s Bobby Witt from Kansas City. That kid is electric. It’s pretty amazing what he’s capable to do at such a young age. And the way he plays the game. I love the way he plays the game. On a pop-up he’s almost at second base before the fielder catches the ball. He can hurt you a lot of ways with his legs, fielding, his power. It’s pretty amazing. He’s one that comes to mind right now, but that field is going to be filled with superstars. It’s hard to just pick one when there’s so many in one room.
AW: I told John Mozeliak, the president of baseball ops for the Cardinals, when I got back from the World Baseball Classic playing with Bobby Witt. I said if I was you, and they probably wouldn’t do it, but I would take every single player in the minor league system and offer them for Bobby Witt. Because this guy has talent like not many people have in the game. I would agree with Albert there.
The guy I’m looking to the most is Paul Skenes. I think it’s such a cool thing. They gave him the starting nod and it’s great for baseball. And great for the Pirates! I mean, come on, Pirates! They have some incredible pieces to build around and he’s got some of the most talent I’ve ever seen as a starting pitcher, honestly. It’s just a really exciting time for baseball and for the prospects. He’s as electric as it gets.
This article was originally published on www.si.com as Albert Pujols & Adam Wainwright on Being Teammates Again at MLB Network.
