Albert Pujols and His Case For Greatest In History

Nate Rickard by Contributor Written on July 04, 2009
NEW YORK - JUNE 22:  Albert Pujols #5 of the St. Louis Cardinals bats against the New York Mets on June 22, 2009 at Citi Field in the Flushing neighborhood of the Queens borough of New York City.  (Photo by Jim McIsaac/Getty Images) (Photo by Jim McIsaac/Getty Images)

 Albert Pujols is my kind of player: hard working, determined to win and clean. He is bringing baseball back to its glory days, when baseball wasn't full of cocaine and incomplete seasons and, oh yeah, steriods.

 Albert is trying to pull off something that hasn't been done since Yaz, in '67. And that is the triple crown. He has a power-average combo that is surreal. For those of you who haven't been watching, pay attention.

 The late, great Jack Buck said in the first month of Albert's young career that there was no way he could keep up the numbers. It was just a phase.

 Albert even stumped Jack.

 I think that a case can be made for Pujols to go down as the greatest in history.

 Check out this man's career numbers. They are phenomenal. He doesn't even have 5,000 career at-bats so his numbers aren't official where percentages are used. Yet he has over 1,000 RBIs and 350 HRs.

 He has one of the best at-bats per Homerun ever. No. 6. Behind two sure steriod users in Big Mac and Barry. And this guy with a funny name. Is it Babe? Yeah.

 He has a better at-bat to Strikeout ratio than any of the guys who have better At-bats per Homerun.

 Albert is also 10th all time in OBP. One of the guys ahead of him is Barry. And fourth all time in SLG.

 Put it together, he is fourth all time in OPS behind Lou Gehrig, Ted Williams and Babe Ruth. Babe and Lou had the great lineup. They had protection. And so did Ted. Something Pujols hasn't had since 2005. Which still was nothing in comparison to what those three had.

 And if you haven't noticed, this year he has no protection at all. Ankiel and Ludwick are dangerous at .250? Don't think so. They aren't hitting the long ball or bringing in any runs either.

 He has gotten to 350 HRs third fastest ever. Behind A-Roid and Griffey Jr. They were roughly six months younger. Through first nine seasons only one guy has more. Ralph Kiner. He had 351. That might be tied (and passed) by the all star break.

 He also has one of the best averages in baseball history. His average is, believe it or not, higher than Ichiro's. And he hits for power...

 That still doesn't prove my point? How about hitting .300, 100 RBIs, 30 HRs, and 99 runs each of his first eight years? That has never been done before. He is looking to make it nine straight.

 He currently has two MVPs. Looking to make it three this year. And at this point only God could keep him from it.

 His rookie year he finished fourth behind Bonds, Sosa and Luis Gonzalez who were all most likely on steriods. Call that one his.

 Second season he finished second behind Bonds. Yet another to Albert.

 Year three. Another second place behind Barry. And yet another to Albert.

 Fourth year? Behind Bonds and Beltre. Both steriod users. That is four.

 Fifth year he beat out the cheaters. Five in his first five years.

 Sixth season Howard beat him out. Second place.

 Seventh season he fell to an uncharacteristic spot at 9th.

 And his eighth year he won it. Six times in eight years. And looking to add on.

 Albert has four silver sluggers as well. He has one gold glove and should have more. He plays a great first base. His one week point is his speed. Which is made up for by his base running ability. Today he created a run on a routine pop fly by making a smart, yet risky move that scored him. He does that stuff every day.

 Not to mention that he is the hardest worker I have ever seen set foot on a ball field.

 He turns singles into doubles. He turns tough plays into routine plays. You couldn't ask for anymore out of a human.

 

 

 

 

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written on July 04, 2009 History

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