11 May GETTING TO KNOW ALL STAR ALBERT PUJOLS
Name: Jose. Alberto Pujols Alcantara
Born: January 16, 1980 (age 41) in Santo Domingo, Dominican Republic
Drafted: 402nd in the thirteenth round by the St. Louis Cardinals
MLB debut: April 2, 2001, for the St. Louis Cardinals
Positions: First baseman / Designated hitter
Teams: St. Louis Cardinals (2001–2011), Los Angeles Angels[a] (2012–2021)
MLB STATS: (through May 4, 2021)
Batting average: .298 Hits: 3,253 Home runs: 667
Runs batted: 2,112
CAREER HIGHLIGHTS & AWARDS
10x All-Star (2001, 2003–2010, 2015)
2x World Series champion (2006, 2011)
3x NL MVP (2005, 2008, 2009) NL Rookie of the Year (2001)
NLCS MVP (2004) 2x Gold Glove Award (2006, 2010)
5x Fielding Bible Award (2006, 2007, 2008, 2009, 2011)
6x Silver Slugger Award (2001, 2003, 2004, 2008–2010)
2x Hank Aaron Award (2003, 2009)
Roberto Clemente Award (2008) NL batting champion
(2003), 2x NL home run leader (2009, 2010)
NL RBI leader (2010), Albert is one of five NL players to win
three MVP awards. The other four are Mike Schmidt, Roy
Campanella, Stan Musial and Barry Bonds. Only Bonds has
won more, with seven. Albert was the only player in history
to produce 30 home runs and 100 RBI’s each year for the
first ten years of his career.
The career of one of the greatest players in the history of baseball has likely come to an end. Last week the Los Angeles Angels of Anaheim designated Albert Pujols for assignment. Pujols, a lead pipe cinch to be a first-ballot Hall of Famer in 2027, has struggled in recent years. In this, the final year of his 10-year contract, Pujols slashed .198/.250.,372 in 92 plate appearances, with 5 HR and 12 RBI.
Growing up, did you ever think that you would be one of the greatest Major League Baseball players ever?
Definitely not. I grew up watching my father play softball in the Dominican Republic. He would sit next to me on the team bus travelling from town to town pitching for the local team. When I was drafted 402nd in the thirteenth round by the St. Louis Cardinals, I doubted whether baseball would even be in my future. People said I wouldn’t make it, and that I would end my career in the minors. I was the guy that wasn’t even supposed to make the team. I got invited to spring training just to be around the big-league guys. I never thought I was going to make the team. But I’m a guy that if you open a door, you’re going to get the best out of me, and that’s what I did.
Did you ever have regrets leaving the Cardinals after the 2011 season and signing with the Angels as a free agent?
You know, everything happens for a reason. No regrets. I know how hard they worked to try to keep me, and how hard I worked to try to stay there, but at the end of the day, it just didn’t work out. I don’t regret it. It was the best for both of us. People say, ‘What would have happened if you stayed in St. Louis?’ My best numbers are in St. Louis, but it probably would have been worse if I stayed since I had those injuries, and they don’t have a DH. But I love that city. Those people were great to me. And they’re still great to me 20 years later. I came there as a little boy and left as a grown man. Our lives will always be blessed being in St. Louis.
Outside of baseball, what other sports are you into?
I always loved basketball. I was always a big fan of Michael Jordan & Kobe Bryant.
If you weren’t a baseball player what do you think you would do?
I might have pursued medicine or engineering as a career.
In your 20-year career, who is the best player you ever played against?
Miguel Cabrera, the best hitter by far.
The most feared hitter?
Barry Bonds.
Best overall player?
Mike Trout.
Would you like to play for the Cardinals one last time, particularly if the National League adopts the DH?
That’s like the million dollar question. Everybody asks me that. Hey, I don’t know what’s going to happen. I feel like I can play. I feel good. My body feels great. Mentally, I feel like I can continue to play. But I don’t know, we’ll see what happens. Who knows?