Albert Pujols: End of Home Run Drought Does Not End Massive Slump

On Tuesday night, Josh Hamilton went 5-for-5 with four home runs and eight RBI.

That night alone gave him three more home runs and only three RBI less than Albert Pujols has mustered over the entirety of the 2012 season.

Ouch.

While Hamilton's night was historically amazing, Pujols has been historically awful this season, at least given the amazing consistency he has provided over the first 11 years of his career.

We all thought that Pujols was going to turn things around when he finally hit his first home run on May 6th. That hasn't been the case.

Instead, he's a paltry 3-14 in the four games since he homered, though he does have four RBI during that span. His stat line remains horrendous: 198 BA, .235 OBP, .286 SLG.

To put that last mark in perspective, Juan Pierre has a slugging percentage of .364. Yes, the same Juan Pierre with 16 career home runs.

Surely this will change, right?

It has to. Albert Pujols has been too good over the course of his career to continuously be this bad at the plate for much longer. We're talking about the man who had never finished a season with a batting average below .300 and less then 100 RBI until last season, and even then he hit .299 with 99 RBI.

We may be seeing the gradual regression of Pujols—and there is no way he'll live up to that 10-year, $254 million contract—but there is no way he is this bad. I don't know whether it is nerves in a new city, a bit of extended homesickness or just a career aberration, but this can't last.

No, hitting that first home run wasn't the cure for whatever ails Mr. Pujols, but I wouldn't expect this slump to last much longer, either.

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