Jared Walsh was awful last year. If this is what they have, and he can’t return to his 2020-21 form, would Albert be an upgrade?

I know he sounded very definitive in his retirement decision. And nobody in or around the Angels organization thought Albert had anything left when he was released in 2021. But what if?

If the Angels activated him can he continue the great run he started at the end of 2022? Or immediately back to a .220 hitter with a .380 slugging?

Probably depends on what uniform he wears.

This seems an awkward situation, returning for the "personal services" part of a long-term contract to a team that released you before the contract was up. The way it was supposed to go was Pujols had a fine, beloved Angels career then carried on as their "ambassador." Now he's got to leave the team he "loves" to fulfill his obligation. Seems the Angels should trade his personal services to the Cards.

There must be a Hallmark movie with this plot. Woman mistakenly leaves her first working class husband for the rich guy, that relationship stagnates, she and the first hubby find themselves back together for a week of romance and family fun with the kids only she has to go back to hubby #2 due to some tragic obligation. Get the hanky!

Meh, if I had a zillion dollars in the bank and a choice between a million dollar per year job in southern California or something similar in St. Louis, then I'd be in the long line.

Now he's got to leave the team he "loves" to fulfill his obligation.

No, he doesn't. The Angels can't legally force him to honor his end of the contract - US courts decided a long time ago that you can't compel specific performance of a personal services contract, because that looks a lot like indentured servitude. So the most they could do would be to sue him for damages, which seems extraordinarily unlikely. I'm sure if he just wanted to walk away from this part of the contract, they would let him. He's doing it because he wants to and/or wants to get paid.

Yeah, he's probably going to use the time to figure out if he wants a role in baseball: coach, mgr, front office, league.

He seems more like a McGwire - hitting coach material

No, he doesn't. The Angels can't legally force him to honor his end of the contract - US courts decided a long time ago that you can't compel specific performance of a personal services contract, because that looks a lot like indentured servitude. So the most they could do would be to sue him for damages, which seems extraordinarily unlikely. I'm sure if he just wanted to walk away from this part of the contract, they would let him. He's doing it because he wants to and/or wants to get paid.

I feel like he's doing it to honor the team that signed him to a big contract. His break from the Angels wasn't acrimonious. He was willing to be a part time player if they asked him to, he was willing to go if they asked him to also. Ultimately things happened the way they happened, I don't think he had any issues with them. I don't know where his ex is living, but if she is still in California that could also have a bit to do with him willing to take on the contract as they have several kids together.

It seems like this is no big deal - the Angels give Pujols a million a year to do glorified PR stuff and other things the team needs.

This wouldn’t stop him to do a dual gig doing the same exact things with the Cardinals - except he isn’t going to be paid and maybe the Angels do want a say in what he does with the other team.