Albert Pujols' place in baseball history

As we look at the career of Albert Pujols, aka Phat Albert, aka The Machine, with his retirement official and a new baseball season starting without him, where's he stand on the all-time radar screen?

As for his place in history? The second-best 1B ever after Lou Gehrig. Larruping Lou, had he played out his career, almost certainly would have joined Phat Albert with more than 6,000 total bases. Good chance of 3,000 hits and decent one of 600 HRs, Guaranteed 2,000 RBIs, which would have put him with Albert, Alex Rodriguez and Henry Aaron in that 3,000-600-2,000 club. And, probably the all-time leader in RBIs. At least 125 WAR if not 130.

I do put him a skoosh ahead of Jimmie Foxx, primarily because of his late start and his non-US origins handicapping him.

 

And, speaking of his late start? I put him at, at least, 1 year or not 2 years older than what has been his stated age for the last 20 years.