Slammin SloPitch News

With the All-Star Game in St. Louis this year, it seemed guaranteed for Albert Pujols to earn another spot on the roster, but could anyone expect the support he received? Pujols received 5,397,374 votes—the most votes out of any player this year and the second most in the history of major-league voting. Making his eighth All-Star game appearance in nine pro seasons, Pujols has definitely established himself as one of the most dominant players in the game today and is on his way to another MVP season. In fact, Pujols is the greatest current player in baseball according to a 2009 Sporting News poll of baseball personalities including former Cy Young winners, Hall of Famers, and league MVPs. Do you know the last time Pujols received a top honor from Sporting News? In 2008—when he was named Player of the Year and also the NL MVP.

If you don’t buy into the poll, Pujols’ stats throughout his career are difficult to argue with. From his entry into the league in 2001, Pujols has reigned amongst the top 16 in the National League in batting average, hits, home runs, runs batted in, slugging percentage, on-base percentage, on-base plus slugging (OPS), and runs during every season! In Pujols’ 2008 MVP season, he finished in the top four in homers, rbis, runs, and slugging percentage. As of July 9^th, Pujols led the National League in homers, rbis, runs, and slugging percentage while 3^rd in batting average and 10^th in hits. See another pattern? Even if Pujols doesn’t earn MVP honors this year, odds are that he will finish in the top ten (as he has every season) or second (as he did in 2002, 2003, and 2006).

Aside from top honors, Pujols has a lot of other hardware to display including a 2006 Rawlings Gold Glove at first base, four Silver Slugger Awards (2001, 2003, 2004 and 2008), the 2003 NL Hank Aaron Award, the 2008 Roberto Clemente Award, the 2001 NL Rookie of the Year Award, and a 2006 World Series championship. Not bad eh? Pujols has the opportunity to add a Home Run Derby championship this year as he competes as one of the four NL selections.

Has Pujols always been this dominant? Yes, since playing high school ball in Missouri Pujols has displayed an offensive prowess and an ability to play any position on the field. Pujols earned all-state honors twice at Fort Osage High School and then played a season at Maple Woods Community College, where he hit a grand slam and turned an unassisted triple play in his first game! However, most scouts failed to pick up on Albert’s potential and he fell to the 13^th round of the 1999 draft before the Cardinals drafted him with the 402^nd overall pick.

Off the field, Albert and his wife, Deidre, started the Pujols Family Foundation in efforts to combat Down syndrome and poverty in the Dominican Republic. Both issues hit close to home with Albert as his daughter Isabella was born with Down syndrome and he grew up in the Dominican Republic before immigrating to the United States. Albert and his family abide by the Pujols Family Foundation mission statement, which reads “To live and share our commitment to faith, family and others”.