Future MLB manager? Pujols doesn't see why not

SURPRISE, Ariz. -- Albert Pujols was back in Angels camp on Monday, wearing his familiar Angel red and ready to serve in his role as a guest instructor for a second straight year.

But Pujols, who was recently named the manager for Leones del Escogido in the Dominican Winter League, said he has loftier ambitions than simply giving advice as a guest instructor, as he said he’d be interested in managing a Major League club in the future.

“Why not? If the opportunity is right one day, I think I’ll be ready for that,” Pujols said. “But I'm gonna focus on what I need to do which is be here for a week and then go to the D.R. and getting the team ready.”

• Angels 3, Rangers 2

Pujols, 44, certainly has plenty to give after an illustrious 22-year career with the Cardinals, Angels and Dodgers. He was an 11-time All-Star, won three NL MVP Awards and won the World Series with St. Louis in 2006 and 2011. Pujols also hit an incredible 703 homers and 686 doubles while collecting 3,384 hits and driving in 2,218 runs in 3,080 games.

Manager Ron Washington said he’s thrilled to have Pujols in camp and said he’d happily give managing advice to Pujols -- but only if he asked. Pujols, who also works for MLB Network and as a special assistant to Commissioner Rob Manfred, remains part of the organization as part of his 10-year, $10 million personal services contract. Pujols said he plans to get dinner with former Cardinals manager and former Angels executive Tony La Russa this week to learn more about managing, but Pujols said he isn’t actively looking for a job.

“I think Albert is one of the smartest guys in the game,” Washington said. “And as far as him managing, I won't approach him. He has to approach me because he probably knows more than I do.”

Pujols was also reunited with his former teammate and fellow superstar Mike Trout. Pujols was a mentor for Trout early in his career, as Pujols’ first year with the club was 2012, when Trout won AL Rookie of the Year honors.

Pujols said he can relate to both the highs and lows that Trout has experienced, including dealing with injuries. Trout, a three-time AL MVP and 11-time All-Star, has averaged playing in just 79 games per season over the past three years.

“Mentally, it helped me to just understand it’s part of the game,” Pujols said. “You need to look at how you deal and are you gonna let it affect to you? Are you gonna train and get yourself ready? I've seen Mike train. Nobody trains harder than Mike in the locker room. But at the end of the day, when you take that field, there are some things you cannot control.”

Trout, 32, said he remains close with Pujols and still reaches out to him for advice. He said he learned a lot from Pujols’ leadership style, which like Trout, isn’t always a vocal one but more of a lead by example type.

“I was very fortunate to be able to come up in the clubhouse with Albert being the guy,” Trout said. “So just to be able to watch his work ethic and the way he was a leader in this clubhouse, when he left kind of felt like I had to step up a little bit, so it's been great.”

Pujols wasn’t the only legend in camp as a guest instructor, as Hall of Famer Vladimir Guerrero also arrived on Monday to help coach and dispense advice. Guerrero, 49, played in the Majors for 16 years from 1996-2011 with the Expos (1996-2003), Angels (2004-09), Rangers (2010) and Orioles (2011). He was a nine-time All-Star and won the AL MVP Award with the Angels in 2004.

Washington is very familiar with Guerrero from his time managing against him when he was with the Rangers, but Washington also got the chance to manage him in 2010 with a Texas club that reached the World Series. Washington said he was happy to have both Guerrero and Pujols in camp this week because of what they can bring to the younger players.

“It's very important for our guys,” Washington said. “I think they can get the mental side of it. Those two were the strongest guys that I've ever seen in the game. You never saw a weakness in the way they went about their business and that's what I want them to infuse in these kids because they haven't experienced consistency or structure.”