Congrats to ALbert Pujols for his achievment!
fandango
Posts: 2,622 ✭
Pujols, who now has 32 homers, is the first player in history to hit at least 30 homers and drive in 100 runs in his first seven seasons. Ted Williams was the last player to hit at least 100 RBIs in each of his first seven seasons, doing so from 1939-49, not counting his war service years. Al Simmons started his career with 11 straight seasons of 100 RBIs or more for the Philadelphia Athletics and the Chicago White Sox from 1924-34...
G AB R H 2 3 HR RBI BB K AVG OBA SLG OPS
2007 154 547 96 178 34 32 100 98 56 .325 .429 .567 .996
2006 143 535 119 177 33 49 137 92 50 .331 .431 .671 1.102
2005 161 591 129 195 38 41 117 97 65 .330 .430 .609 1.039
2004 154 592 133 196 51 46 123 84 52 .331 .415 .657 1.072
2003 157 591 137 212 51 43 124 79 65 .359 .439 .667 1.106
2002 157 590 118 185 40 34 127 72 69 .314 .394 .561 .955
2001 161 590 112 194 47 37 130 69 93 .329 .403 .610 1.013
the balance of his numbers is amazing! All he needs is 4 more runs to achieve perfect numerical harmony....
Pujols had the worst supporting cast, he had no protection, nobody on base in front of him, and nobody to knock him in...he was walked at the highest rate of his career, played thorugh numerous naggng injures, and still played gold glove quality first base....the Brewers and Phillies linups are all-star teams compared to the Cardinals lineup, and they have the RBI numbers to prove it....
2007 was a difficult year for the team , with the managers DUI, an injury of the star pitcher on opening day and the death of a young player.....
May 2008 be a better year for Cardinals, and may Pujols continue his unprecedented streak!
G AB R H 2 3 HR RBI BB K AVG OBA SLG OPS
2007 154 547 96 178 34 32 100 98 56 .325 .429 .567 .996
2006 143 535 119 177 33 49 137 92 50 .331 .431 .671 1.102
2005 161 591 129 195 38 41 117 97 65 .330 .430 .609 1.039
2004 154 592 133 196 51 46 123 84 52 .331 .415 .657 1.072
2003 157 591 137 212 51 43 124 79 65 .359 .439 .667 1.106
2002 157 590 118 185 40 34 127 72 69 .314 .394 .561 .955
2001 161 590 112 194 47 37 130 69 93 .329 .403 .610 1.013
the balance of his numbers is amazing! All he needs is 4 more runs to achieve perfect numerical harmony....
Pujols had the worst supporting cast, he had no protection, nobody on base in front of him, and nobody to knock him in...he was walked at the highest rate of his career, played thorugh numerous naggng injures, and still played gold glove quality first base....the Brewers and Phillies linups are all-star teams compared to the Cardinals lineup, and they have the RBI numbers to prove it....
2007 was a difficult year for the team , with the managers DUI, an injury of the star pitcher on opening day and the death of a young player.....
May 2008 be a better year for Cardinals, and may Pujols continue his unprecedented streak!
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Comments
Some people may see this year as a down year for Pujols. Yet, what they don't realize is that he has played injured most of the year. He said the other day, that he has been playing at 70% to 80% almost all year. He has limped around the bases for nearly 2 months and he still goes out and produces.
You are correct about the rest of the team. I have FSN Midwest and watch nearly every game. Pujols has had no help this year. With all due respect, you only listed part of the Cardinals problems this year. Let me try -
*LaRussa - DUI
*Chris Carpenter - out for the year with Tommy John surgery
*Josh Hanc ock - killed in car crash
*Preston Wilson - seaons ending surgery
*Scott Spezio - missed a bunch of games for substance abuse
*Juan Encarnacion - season (perhaps career) ending eye injury
*Scott Rolen - shoulder problems all year and surgery
*Jim Edmonds - injury problems all year
*Yadier Molina - season ending knee surgery
*David Eckstein - back problems all year
*Adam Kennedy - season ending knee surgery
*Chris Duncan - season ending hernia surgery
*Mark Mulder - never recovered from shoulder surgery
*Josh Kinney - Tommy John surgery
I'm sure I've missed something, but I think that pretty much tells the story.
I really think what Pujols is doing is getting overlooked. If this had been Derek Jeter or David Wright, they would be labeled as the greatest ever. What Pujols is doing is simply amazing. If he can get healthy over the winter, watch in 2008.
Shane
edited to add: What I find most amazing about Big Frank is that he has over 500 HRs and over 115 sac flies.
Thanks,
David (LD_Ferg)
1985 Topps Football (starting in psa 8) - #9 - started 05/21/06
As far as the 100 runs scored, I don't think it is a given. He still has 4 more to go, and he is limping around the bases. However, he is doing a little better during the past couple of games. I still think he will make it, though.
Shane
<< <i>looks like he is going to score 100+ runs in each season as well. >>
i wish i could share your optimissm but scoring 4 runs on that team could take a long time...not sure if his calf will hold up long enough for him to run around the bases 4 times (unless he does them with a HR trot)
<< <i>Not to take anything away from Frank Thomas (because I think he was and is a great player), but Thomas did not do that from the beginning of his career. That string started in his second year.
As far as the 100 runs scored, I don't think it is a given. He still has 4 more to go, and he is limping around the bases. However, he is doing a little better during the past couple of games. I still think he will make it, though. >>
I realize, that's why I said first seven complete seasons. He wasn't called up until August of '90 and only played in 60ish games his first season.
edited to add: I think that is why he wasn't a ROY recipient. He was 3rd in MVP balloting his first full season though...I think.
<< <i>That is quite an accomplishment. Reminds me of Frank Thomas' early years, he maintained .300, with 100 RBI, 100 BB, 100 R, and at leats 20 HRs a season for his first 7 complete seasons. He would be in the 30 HR category if not for a season of 24, but he averaged nearly 36 for those 7 seasons. Hitting 38 during the strike season!
edited to add: What I find most amazing about Big Frank is that he has over 500 HRs and over 115 sac flies. >>
Precisely.
He'd be a lot more beloved outside of St. Louis if he'd be more cordial and not call HoF pitchers 'lucky', for example.
Shane
<< <i>I agree with what is being said about his accomplishments, but would have a hard time believeing that his RC's are a "Good Buy" right now. They have been overpriced, IMO, for quite a while. I would rather have a hundred Tony Gwynn. Boggs, etc rookies than one Pujols Chrome >>
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100 ?
I guess I might too .
There is no denying the records though , that is quite amazing .
I don't think the most consecutive games with a hits record will be broken any time too soon though .
That record, I feel could stand for all time and it already has .
Thanks,
David (LD_Ferg)
1985 Topps Football (starting in psa 8) - #9 - started 05/21/06
<< <i>Without looking it up, someone take a guess on how many 100 RBI seasons that Mickey Mantle had out of the 18 seasons that he played. I was shocked. Why do I ask this on a thread about Pujols? When you find out the answer, I think you will see why I mentioned it. >>
4 -- I was shocked too.
btw -- you are an awesome poster. But could I make a suggestion?? -- I wish you would take off the (2006) MVP designation from your avatar. Since baseball is a game of statistics, and you obviously love them, it just seems ironic to me that you would have such a glaringly incorrect (and seemingly whiney) designation in your avatar -- that follows you whereever you post.
...Pujols batted .403 with RISP, carried his team all year with a VERY weak supporting cast compared to Howard, and hit the HR in the last week that one the 1 game the cards needed to make the playoffs--that is the definition of most valuable....
Howard only had better HR and RBI's ....a product of his ballpark and lineup around him....you penalize Pujols for not hitting in a HOMER haven, and not having good teammates? well that was what the dumb voters did!
and as far as the Pujols whinning thing? that is simply not true and has been WAY OVERBLOWN.....when a reported sticks a mike in your face and asks a specific question and you answer it, that is not whinning...
if pujols is a prima dona then why does he spend the offseason doing charity work and doing the "heavy lifting of the chairs and supplies so the doctors didnt hurt themselves" see the ADA report of his trip to DR....
Thanks,
David (LD_Ferg)
1985 Topps Football (starting in psa 8) - #9 - started 05/21/06
<< <i>sorry, i strongly believe he was screwed out of the MVP last year.....in no way, should a player who bats .250 with RISP (howard) and their team misses the playoffs by 1 game, win the MVp it was absurd...Howard was not valuable enough to his team, if he had batted closer to his season average (.313) with the game on the line, his team would have won a few more games and they would have made the playoffs..
...Pujols batted .403 with RISP, carried his team all year with a VERY weak supporting cast compared to Howard, and hit the HR in the last week that one the 1 game the cards needed to make the playoffs--that is the definition of most valuable.... >>
God, not this rant again. Plain and simple: with Howard, the Phils finish 20 games out of the playoff hunt, or are you conveniently forgetting that they traded Abreu and Lidle in the middle of the year last year, effectively leaving the team for dead? THAT is value. And batting average? Who's still using batting average to judge a player's value anymore?
<< <i> Howard only had better HR and RBI's ....a product of his ballpark and lineup around him....you penalize Pujols for not hitting in a HOMER haven, and not having good teammates? well that was what the dumb voters did! >>
Their OPS+ (which is park adjusted) has Howard at 170, Pujols at 180...so please don't say the park factor was that big of a difference.
<< <i>and as far as the Pujols whinning thing? that is simply not true and has been WAY OVERBLOWN.....when a reported sticks a mike in your face and asks a specific question and you answer it, that is not whinning... >>
You make it sound like it's never happened before, that his having a microphone stuck in his face isn't an everyday happening. Please. Pujols has been talking to reports for how many years now? He called a first ballot HoFer 'lucky'...it makes him out to be a petty whiner. Don't hate on the guy who won the MVP award, congratulate him and move on, don't say idiotic things like:
'I see it this way: Someone who doesn't take his team to the playoffs doesn't deserve to win the MVP'
Also, didn't the Phillies win MORE games than the Cardinals last year? You want to remove the penalty for Pujols playing in a different ballpark, but you want to keep the penalty on Howard for playing in a tougher division? Huh? You can't have it both ways.
<< <i>if pujols is a prima dona then why does he spend the offseason doing charity work and doing the "heavy lifting of the chairs and supplies so the doctors didnt hurt themselves" see the ADA report of his trip to DR.... >>
Who disputed this? I simply said that his lack of national attention might be hurt from his incessant whining and crying...complaining about not getting an MVP award when your team was ONE game over .500 (!!!) seems a bit retarded to me.
It's amazing how people take one or two instances and think that that is how a person is all the time. Look at the whole picture. And even more importantly, look at his ON THE FIELD PRODUCTION!!!!!!!!!!! Let me repeat - LOOK AT HIS ON THE FIELD PRODUCTION!!!!!!!!!!!! I personally think that all of the (what you call) whining has nothing to do with the issue. Just in case you missed what I said - LOOK AT HIS ON THE FIELD PRODUCTION!!!!!! Oh, yeah, I meant to say this - LOOK AT HIS ON THE FIELD PRODUCTION!!!!!!!!!! This is not a thread about how someone deals with the media or other players. So, in order to drill this into people's thick, hard headed skulls, I will repeat - LOOK AT HIS ON THE FIELD PRODUCTION!!!!!!
Hey, stitzen, without regard to the way you think his personality is - what do you think about him as a player? Huh? Go ahead, tell us. I think I've got you here, buddy! Because, if you go on again about how you don't like him as a person, then I will just say that you didn't answer the question. If you say anything negative about his play on the field, then the whole wide world will really know that you don't know a flippin' thing about baseball. So, tell us - what do you think about Albert Pujols as a player ON THE FIELD!
Oh, yeah, I almost forgot - LOOK AT HIS ON THE FIELD PRODUCTION!
Anyway, I just saw an amazing stat just now. Even though Pujols has been injured for 2 months, guess how many times he has struck out in September? Try ZERO. He has not struck out since August 31.
That's all for now.
Sincerly,
Shane
PS - LOOK AT HIS ON THE FIELD PRODUCTION!!!!!!!!!!! Ok, I feel better now!
Shane
Again: Pujols - 450 in 7 seasons. Howard - 491 in 3.5 seasons.
Shane
<< <i>
<< <i>sorry, i strongly believe he was screwed out of the MVP last year.....in no way, should a player who bats .250 with RISP (howard) and their team misses the playoffs by 1 game, win the MVp it was absurd...Howard was not valuable enough to his team, if he had batted closer to his season average (.313) with the game on the line, his team would have won a few more games and they would have made the playoffs..
...Pujols batted .403 with RISP, carried his team all year with a VERY weak supporting cast compared to Howard, and hit the HR in the last week that one the 1 game the cards needed to make the playoffs--that is the definition of most valuable.... >>
God, not this rant again. Plain and simple: with Howard, the Phils finish 20 games out of the playoff hunt, or are you conveniently forgetting that they traded Abreu and Lidle in the middle of the year last year, effectively leaving the team for dead? THAT is value. And batting average? Who's still using batting average to judge a player's value anymore?
<< <i> Howard only had better HR and RBI's ....a product of his ballpark and lineup around him....you penalize Pujols for not hitting in a HOMER haven, and not having good teammates? well that was what the dumb voters did! >>
Their OPS+ (which is park adjusted) has Howard at 170, Pujols at 180...so please don't say the park factor was that big of a difference.
<< <i>and as far as the Pujols whinning thing? that is simply not true and has been WAY OVERBLOWN.....when a reported sticks a mike in your face and asks a specific question and you answer it, that is not whinning... >>
You make it sound like it's never happened before, that his having a microphone stuck in his face isn't an everyday happening. Please. Pujols has been talking to reports for how many years now? He called a first ballot HoFer 'lucky'...it makes him out to be a petty whiner. Don't hate on the guy who won the MVP award, congratulate him and move on, don't say idiotic things like:
'I see it this way: Someone who doesn't take his team to the playoffs doesn't deserve to win the MVP'
Also, didn't the Phillies win MORE games than the Cardinals last year? You want to remove the penalty for Pujols playing in a different ballpark, but you want to keep the penalty on Howard for playing in a tougher division? Huh? You can't have it both ways.
<< <i>if pujols is a prima dona then why does he spend the offseason doing charity work and doing the "heavy lifting of the chairs and supplies so the doctors didnt hurt themselves" see the ADA report of his trip to DR.... >>
Who disputed this? I simply said that his lack of national attention might be hurt from his incessant whining and crying...complaining about not getting an MVP award when your team was ONE game over .500 (!!!) seems a bit retarded to me. >>
as usual, Brian Shearon is the first to bust out with the words "idiotic" and "retarded" in reference to another poster..
<< <i>Another tidbit for you Ryan Howard lovers - in 7 season Pujols has 450 K's....while Howard 491 in 3 1/2 seasons. Ryan Howard is a great ballplayer, don't get me wrong, but he is no Albert Pujols. Ryan Howard just set the single season strikeout record. He has 197. With 2 games left, he will probably go over 200.
Again: Pujols - 450 in 7 seasons. Howard - 491 in 3.5 seasons. >>
Do you know who's the all time strikeout leader?
Reggie Jackson, and when people think of Reggie, do you think that career leader in K's is any one of the first 50 things discussed?
No, I didn't think so.
Shane
On the field in 2006, their park adjusted OPS were nearly identical, blowing out of the water your theory that Howard's numbers were vastly inflated over Pujols'. They weren't.
Finally, this nonsense about Pujols deserving it more because he took his team to the playoffs - hey, the Phils finished with the better record: .525 winning percentage vs. .512 for the Cards, despite having a 97 win team (the Mets) in their division. The NL east had a combined .506 winning percentage last year, central had .466.
They are both great players, but Howard was the more deserving guy, as he led his team to a better record in a much tougher division.
Shane
My point about bringing up his off the field was theorizing why he doesn't receive more national attention.
<< <i>
Do you know who's the all time strikeout leader?
Reggie Jackson, and when people think of Reggie, do you think that career leader in K's is any one of the first 50 things discussed?
No, I didn't think so. >>
No offense, but after discussing his 500HR club feat, and the Mr. October thing, that's absolutely the next thing mentioned.
-- Ryan
<< <i>I've never heard it brought up in any discussion involving him, and, if it were, does anyone think that it diminishes his career in any way, shape, or form? >>
When compared to the all-time greats, it absolutely does diminish his career. jamesryanbell beat me to it. I was going to post - when you think of Reggie Jackson, you think of three things: 3 HR in a World Series game in 1977, over 500 HR, and the all time strikout king - probably in that order.
Shane
<< <i>
When compared to the all-time greats, it absolutely does diminish his career. >>
Really? Truly? You think there are people out there who actually think 'that Reggie Jackson would have been a great player, but damn all those strikeouts!'
No, of course they don't, you and I both know they don't.
Thanks,
David (LD_Ferg)
1985 Topps Football (starting in psa 8) - #9 - started 05/21/06
<< <i>I've never heard it brought up in any discussion involving him, and, if it were, does anyone think that it diminishes his career in any way, shape, or form? >>
Way - no, shape - yes, and form - maybe.
<< <i>sorry, i strongly believe he was screwed out of the MVP last year.....in no way, should a player who bats .250 with RISP (howard) and their team misses the playoffs by 1 game, win the MVp it was absurd...Howard was not valuable enough to his team, if he had batted closer to his season average (.313) with the game on the line, his team would have won a few more games and they would have made the playoffs..
...Pujols batted .403 with RISP, carried his team all year with a VERY weak supporting cast compared to Howard, and hit the HR in the last week that one the 1 game the cards needed to make the playoffs--that is the definition of most valuable....
Howard only had better HR and RBI's ....a product of his ballpark and lineup around him....you penalize Pujols for not hitting in a HOMER haven, and not having good teammates? well that was what the dumb voters did!
and as far as the Pujols whinning thing? that is simply not true and has been WAY OVERBLOWN.....when a reported sticks a mike in your face and asks a specific question and you answer it, that is not whinning...
if pujols is a prima dona then why does he spend the offseason doing charity work and doing the "heavy lifting of the chairs and supplies so the doctors didnt hurt themselves" see the ADA report of his trip to DR.... >>
Listen, I completely respect your views. And might even agree with them. I was merely trying to make a suggestion that would make people take you more seriously.
P.S. And he now has 99 runs with one game to go!!!!
Gotta respect Pujols' numbers.
Shane
Its MOST valuable player...
Howard was Valuable, but not the MOST valuable last year...how can you dispute the disparity in the CLUTCH stats such as BA RISP and BA RISP with 2/out? these categories were not even close! it doesnt matter how many games the team wins in its division, it matters if they win enough to MAKE THE PLAYOFFS....
what really is bad is that PUJOLS was the defending CHamp, the reigning MVP....doesnt he have to be KNOCKED out to be defeated? Howard did not KNOCK him out last year, PUJOLS set a career high for HR's and they say it still wasnt good enough....
the (2006) stays as a protest to the worst MVP voting since 1986 when Mattingly got robbed by mr HGH himself Clemens (can you say moonface)
<< <i>
Howard was Valuable, but not the MOST valuable last year...how can you dispute the disparity in the CLUTCH stats such as BA RISP and BA RISP with 2/out? these categories were not even close! it doesnt matter how many games the team wins in its division, it matters if they win enough to MAKE THE PLAYOFFS....
>>
Nice try to spin, but the fact of the matter is Howard led his team to a better record in a much tougher division. How can I dispute those? Because they are tiny factors in a long, long season. I've already shown you OPS+ is nearly the same for the two players, discounting the claim that somehow Howard's park gave him a huge advantage. In addition, batting average (regardless of the situation) is a terrible way to judge a batter. When it comes down to it, they were both great choices for MVP, but Howard did more, especially after having two key components (Abreu and Lidle) ripped from the team in the middle of the year.
<< <i>what really is bad is that PUJOLS was the defending CHamp, the reigning MVP....doesnt he have to be KNOCKED out to be defeated? Howard did not KNOCK him out last year, PUJOLS set a career high for HR's and they say it still wasnt good enough.... >>
Uhm, no. It's a year to year thing...you don't have to 'knock him out' to win the award.
<< <i> the (2006) stays as a protest to the worst MVP voting since 1986 when Mattingly got robbed by mr HGH himself Clemens (can you say moonface) >>
Wait, hold on a minute? I thought a player had to lead his team to the postseason for him to earn the award. Did I miss something, or did the yankees make the playoffs in 1986? Either leading your team to the postseason is a criteria (one of your primary criticisms of Howard winning the award is that his team didn't make the playoffs), or it doesn't matter (which seems to be your argument with the Mattingly comment).
Also, you think Clemens was on HGH in 1986?