Albert Pujols
GAMES MISSED: 83
Albert Pujols has played a lot of baseball in his life, and nothing — no pitcher — has beaten him down more than plantar fasciitis.
In 2013, Pujols, who has never played less than 140 games in his career, was sidelined for 83 games with the painful foot injury. And even when Pujols did play, he was relegated to designated hitter for 65 of his 99 games.
“You almost want to pee in your bed rather than go to the bathroom,” Pujols told USA TODAY Sports. “It’s really painful in the morning.”
So imagine how it felt to play baseball.
Much like Manning, Pujols is a multiple-time MVP and champion, and the decision to hang up the cleats for any period of time was not easy; that’s why it’s the responsibility of the coaches and organization to make those decisions.
“It was a decision of the organization, Arte and Jerry, because I don’t make a decision here,” Pujols said, via USA TODAY Sports. “I put my uniform on and get ready to play. They said, ‘This is what’s best for the organization in the long run,’ and they came and brought it to me. And I just told them, ‘Whatever you guys want to do, I’m all for it.’ It’s definitely hard, as I want to be out there, but I also understand that I can’t be selfish and put myself out there.”
