Albert Pujols knows how to play October hero.The Cooperstown-bound slugger was the MVP of the cla sic 2004 NLCS, when he hit four homers to go with nine RBIs, a .500 average and a 1.563 OPS as his Cardinals beat the Astros in seven games. The next year, he smashed an epic game-winning home run off Brad Lidge in Game 5 of the NLCS thats probably still rattling around above the train tracks in Houstons ballpark. He has a .968 OPS in 16 career World Series games he hit three homers in one of Jedd Gyorko Jersey those contests and helped the Cardinals wintwo titles.MORE: So, yeah. The big stage is Matt Carpenter Jersey nothing new.This time, though, its different. When Pujols was heroic for the Cardinals, its because he was somehow meeting the crazy, lofty expectations hed set during his time with the club. He was a future Hall of Famer racking up immortality points, extra lines on his plaque.But as Pujols, now with the Dodgers after he was waived by the Angels near the end of his 10-year, $240-million contract, prepares for the 2021 NL wild-card game, things are different. If he rises to the moment, it will be about exceeding low expectations, not meeting lofty ones. Hes been productive with the Dodgers 12 homers, .759 OPS in 204 PAs but at 41 years old, hes a shadow of his former self at the plate. If he does start at first base in the wild-card game, it will only be because Max Muncy, the normal starer, is out with an Ozzie Smith Jersey elbow injury.RIVERA: And even so, giving Pujols the start isnt a certainty. Hes in the mix with two others, Cody Bellinger and Matt Beaty. Thats not exactly stiff competition. Bellinger is a former MVP, of course, but hes far from 100 percent and batting just .165 on the season. The Dodgers would probably prefer to keep his glove in center field. Beaty could get the nod, but hes had only 82 PAs in the second half, with a .225 average and .639 OPS, and hes started exactly one game at first base in the past two months. He is, though, a left- Harrison Bader Jersey handed hitter and LAs opponent is throwing a righty.We've got some options, but I'm going to think about it for another 24 hours, Dodgers manager Dave Roberts said during Tuesdays meeting with reporters. If a guy starts a Whitey Herzog Jersey game, he may not finish the game there, trying to keep some optionality with the lineup, with the defense, all that stuff.MORE: If Roberts has any sense of drama and history and wonderment, hell give Pujols the start because the Dodgers opponent, of course, is the Cardinals.Pujols Cardinals. Yeah, theyre still his team. Those are still his fans. Hell wear that cap in the Hall of Fame. And the Cardinals are throwing veteran Adam Wainwright in the wild-card game. I mean, cmon. Those two were teammates for seven years in St. Louis.Albert is a great friend, but right now we are fighting, Wainwright said Tuesday, in typical Wainwright fashion. Well make up afterwards. But we're fighting right now.The Cardinals (11 World Vince Coleman Jersey Series titles) and Dodgers (seven titles) are two of baseballs most storied franchises, so this game is not lacking for interest. But Pujols vs. Wainwright and the Cardinals in a winner-take-all wild-card contest?Thats good TV, folks. Thats October drama. This needs to happen.