POLL: Who do you want? Vlad or Pujols?

megatron

Would you rather build a team around Vlad Guerrero or Albert Pujols and why?

N162Collector

Pujols - The guy seems unphased by pressure, and he's been producing from Day One. Not a knock against Vladdy at all - he is a great player (although he seems to be quite the free-swinger at times) - but if I had to pick one, I'd go with Albert.

80sToyguy

Pujols is amazing, but he doesn't steal bases and defensively he's average at best! Vladdy has it all, I would go with Vladdy in a heartbeat, although Pujols would be tough not to take!
Jay

kuhlmann

pujols for sure. depending on his real age though?? is he really that young?

Axtell

I'd want Arod, as he's by far the most complete player.

But between these two, Pujols.

yawie99

Build a team around ARod? That's a good one.

Guerrero is awesome, but I gotta go with Pujols. He doesn't have Vlad's speed, which doesn't seem to be used all that much anymore anyway, but he's got a better batting eye. And his defense is pretty underrated, I think.

Axtell

<< <i>Build a team around ARod? That's a good one.

>>



Any reason you wouldn't want to build a team around the best player in the game?

yawie99

I'm not disputing that he's possibly the best individual player in the game, but that does not necessarily make him the best player around which to build a team. One would think a Mariners fan would recognize that fact.

kuhlmann

you start with pitching. just look at them d@mn braves. they keep making the playoffs bc of pitching. but they always flounder bc they cant hit in the playoffs. pitching will make you a winner quicker then hitting.

Axtell

<< <i>I'm not disputing that he's possibly the best individual player in the game, but that does not necessarily make him the best player around which to build a team. One would think a Mariners fan would recognize that fact. >>



All I've seen ever out of Arod is professionalism and the desire to win...even when he was on a god awful Rangers team, and the team was out of competition by July, he was winning MVPs (actually should have won 2).

Not sure where you are going with this is all.

yawie99

The Mariners improved the year he left. The Rangers' fortunes weren't at all changed by his presence. The Yankees haven't really improved because of him. A great player, no doubt, but I don't think I'd build a team around him - especially when you factor in his contract.

frankhardy

Take a look to the left - see the little picture? I think y'all know who I'm going to pick.

Albert Pujols is off to THE greatest start of anybody in the history of Major League Baseball. That is saying something. No knock against Vlad either. He is a great player. As for Pujols and his defense, he is way above average. Albert Pujols will win a gold glove within the next three years.

I believe Pujols to be the best all around hitter in the game today. If you had to pick someone to win a triple crown, who would it be? I would have to go with Pujols.

As far as his age, he has been a US citizen since he was 16, when he moved to Missouri, so I would think that his age is accurate.

Mac53

Pujols. Pujols. Pujols. As a Cubs fan, I've had enough of the guy. Besides, I've never known anyone else named Pujols.

80sToyguy

Axtell, I have to completely agree with Yawie99 on this one, A-Rod can't even sniff these guy's gotch--he's not even in their league. It's been proven 3 times now that A-Rod is not a guy you can build a team around.
As for all the votes for Pujols, although he's had some incredible numbers so far you also have to take into account the line-up around him--batting in front of guys that get on base and in front of guys who hit 40 homers themselves will always help your numbers. Vlad played on a pretty bad team in Montreal 3 of his 6 years there but still consistently hit for power, average and drove in runs (which is incredible considering who was hitting around him). As soon as he joined the AL he dominated again and won his first MVP--I'm not knocking Pujols, but I think guys are just looking at the past seasons and not taking into account the line-ups. It would certainly be hard to pick, considering Guerrero is 29, but he's just a guy who goes out everynight and continues to hit.
Jay

Axtell

<< <i>The Mariners improved the year he left. The Rangers' fortunes weren't at all changed by his presence. The Yankees haven't really improved because of him. A great player, no doubt, but I don't think I'd build a team around him - especially when you factor in his contract. >>



Hmm well the Mariners got better after both Griffey Jr. and Big Unit left...do I say they aren't great players either? You say the Rangers weren't changed? Well to that I would say one man cannot carry a team with no pitching...why don't you look up the Ranger's pitching ERA the years Arod was there. Hang on, I'll do it for you:

5.67 in 2003, 5.15 in 2002. How in the world is a position player supposed to affect that?

And how were the yankees supposed to improve? They already field an all-star team at every position, and won 101 games the year before he got there.

Argh why do I care that you all are more fixated on how much money he makes than on the truly special and all-time great player you are seeing in front of you now?

and 80stoyguy, you don't think Vlad has a lineup around him in Anaheim? Not knocking him as he's truly a great player, but to me he's too one-dimensional as a hitter with lackluster fielding abilities. Pujuols has a career .993 fielding percentage at 1b and .983 in left field, and for his career of 4 years has just 45 errors. Vlad on the other hand has a career fielding percentage of .961...a significant drop.

Just my 2 cents, but between these two, give me Pujols any day of the week (but I still think Arod's better!)

CardsFan

I have to almost agree with Axtel. I have given the nod to A-Rod being the best in the game for many years but now I think Pujols has surpassed him. They both have an amazing work ethic and are incredible hitters, but A-Rod is a first class defensive player. Now that Pujols has settled in on one position he is an above average defensive first baseman and his bat is the most feared in the game (as long as Barry is not playing). A-Rod is far from done but the crown has been passed. Vlady is amazing, but right now Pujols is the class of the league.

N162Collector

<< <i>

<< <i>Build a team around ARod? That's a good one.

>>



Any reason you wouldn't want to build a team around the best player in the game? >>



He isn't exactly a team player. Axtell, being an M's fan, don't you harbor at least some kind of hatred for PayRod?

Axtell

<< <i>

He isn't exactly a team player. Axtell, being an M's fan, don't you harbor at least some kind of hatred for PayRod? >>



Why would I? I find it incredibly hypocritical for anyone to use Arod's paycheck as a knock against him...there isn't a man alive today that would have refused $250 MILLION in contract money.

I say more power to him...if someone wants to pay him that kind of cash, take it!

N162Collector

Agreed - A quarter of a BILLION dollars would be hard for any sane man to pass up. But his reasoning (at least publicly) that he wanted to go to a winning team was hogwash - the Rangers are avarage at best. I wish he could have at least been honest and said "Hey. I want the money"

yawie99

I don't think anybody here begrudges ARod for his contract. However, it is one of the major factors - the other being the lack of a correlation between ARod's presence and team success - why some of us would not build a franchise around the guy. That was megatron's original question, which is a much different query "Who is the best player in baseball?"