St. Louis Cardinals: 10 Reasons They Were Geniuses to Let Albert Pujols Go - Bleacher Report

When a dedicated adventurer summits Mount Everest, he or she will typically spend just 30 minutes enjoying the view at 29,000 feet and then descend, eventually returning to the base camp which sits 19,900 feet above sea level.

Mount McKinley, the United States' highest peak is barely taller than Everest's base camp at 20,320 feet. 

This is what mere mortals like you and I (and Arte Moreno I'm guessing) see when we observe from afar Albert "The Machine" Pujols descending the peak and returning to base camp.

"Wow, is he still way up there?"

But decline is decline, my friends.  

Year	Avg	HR	RBI	OBP	SLG	OPS	OPS+
2008	.357	37	116	.462	.653	1.114	192
2009	.327	47	135	.443	.658	1.101	189
2010	.312	42	118	.414	.596	1.011	173
2011	.299	37	99	.366	.541	.906	147
2012	.196	1	7	.237	.295	.532	46

Yes, it is a bit gratuitous to include Pujols' 2012 stats here, but sometimes you just can't look away from a train wreck happening right before your eyes.

In 2008, at age 28, Pujols was clearly still in his peak and the numbers bore that out, but just two years later at the magical age of 30, his numbers began to decline.  Last year, Albert did not reach a .300 batting mark (which not so long ago was assumed from Pujols) until September 16, less than two weeks before the end of the regular season.  

And even more problematic, and perhaps indicative, was the steep drop in walks (61)â€"the lowest total of his illustrious career, leading to an ordinary on-base percentage of .366.

The Cardinals were not oblivious to this and signed 35-year-old Lance Berkman a full year before Pujols' free agency.

That move by Cardinals GM John Mozeliak became the catalyst to a championship season when Berkman was the Cardinals first-half MVP, All-Star, and finally named the National League Comeback Player of the Year.

As far as the Angels are concerned, even if Pujols recovers to have a decent season (.280-30-90) the showroom shine on their prize free-agent acquisition appears to have worn off as soon as it rolled off the used car lot.

Buyer's remorse, anyone?