Albert Pujols Doesn't Run On Juice

(Photo by Jim McIsaac/Getty Images)

I’m here to say I believe that Pujols’ numbers are not enhanced, and here’s why I believe this to be true.

Bonds’ stats from the early ‘90s are extremely different from the numbers in the early 2000s.

In 1991 and ‘92, Bonds won various awards in his late 20s and early 30s, including eight Golden Gloves and three MVP awards.

He was a finesse player who focused on fielding and base-running. His average in home runs per season was about 34.

By age 33, Bonds was a sure first-ballot hall-of-famer, but this was the year that ended his seven-year All-Star streak. His stats were good for any baseball player, but not for Bonds.

According to the best-selling book Game of Shadow, Bonds took a steroid called stanozolol; two years later he broke McGuire’s home run record with 72. The point is that Bonds changed from a player who used to work off his skills as an effective offensive runner and later in his career transformed into a fence buster, a home run producing machine.

Sammy Sosa was an average to good player in his early career.

He never earned awards for his skills. In 1994, he averaged .300 batting average but he only produced 70 RBI and 25 home runs. Meanwhile, the following year, his RBI was 119 and his home runs were 36, but his batting average took a hit. His average was .268.

It can’t be said when Sosa started using performance-enhancing drugs, but his stats started a dramatic increase during his All-Star years. He averaged 40.8 more RBI in each year between 1999 and 2003 than his years playing in 1992 to 1997.

What does this have to do with Pujols?

If you look at his numbers, there is not really a drastic notable difference between his numbers from when he first started to the present year.

In his 2005 MVP season, Pujols averaged 117 RBI, 41 home runs and a batting average of .330.

His career average per season is 122 RBI, 40 home runs and .335 batting average.

His numbers are consistent with someone who is improving his game by natural progression—not influenced progression. His average season is the average player’s above-average season.

This year, he is leading the season in home runs and RBI while being in third in batting average. His is having an above-average season by his standards and a great season by ours.

In this editor’s opinion, Pujols is one of the good guys in the speculation era.

Bloggers, journalists, and fans will always question if players are using the juice. In the end, if he is using a performance enhancer, then the truth will come out eventually.

But, we need a player who is doing well who isn’t on enhancers, because in a game of shadows, that little beacon of hope keeps this dying sport from dropping dead.

Omar Gonzalez is the Current-Argus Sports Editor and can be reached at ogonzalezcurrentargus.com.

Originally published in the Friday, July 3 edition of the Carlsbad Current-Argus.

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