gold star for USAHOF

2. Albert Pujols

2. Albert Pujols
  1. General
  2. Awards
  3. Career Stats
  • Born: January 16, 1980 in Santo Domingo, Di D.R.
  • Weight: 235 lbs.
  • Height: 6'3"
  • Bats: R
  • Throws: R
  • Debut: April 02, 2001
  • Final Game: October 03, 2021
  • Rookie of the Year - 2001
  • Silver Slugger - 2001
  • Hank Aaron Award - 2003
  • Silver Slugger - 2003
  • TSN All-Star - 2003
  • TSN Major League Player of the Year - 2003
  • NLCS MVP - 2004
  • Silver Slugger - 2004
  • TSN All-Star - 2004
  • Most Valuable Player - 2005
  • TSN All-Star - 2005
  • Gold Glove - 2006
  • Most Valuable Player - 2008
  • Roberto Clemente Award - 2008
  • Silver Slugger - 2008
  • TSN Major League Player of the Year - 2008
  • Hank Aaron Award - 2009
  • Lou Gehrig Memorial Award - 2009
  • Most Valuable Player - 2009
  • Silver Slugger - 2009
  • TSN Major League Player of the Year - 2009
  • Gold Glove - 2010
  • Silver Slugger - 2010
  • MVP - 2001
  • MVP - 2002
  • MVP - 2003
  • MVP - 2004
  • MVP - 2005
  • MVP - 2006
  • MVP - 2007
  • MVP - 2008
  • MVP - 2009
  • MVP - 2010
  • MVP - 2011
  • MVP - 2012
  • MVP - 2014
  • Rookie of the Year - 2001
 
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This was a little difficult for us.

While Albert Pujols was a certified offensive juggernaut throughout the first decade of the 2000s, we are talking about a baseball organization that has had Stan Musial, Rogers Hornsby, and Bob Gibson, so ranking Pujols #2 means that we are taking a bit of a risk.

We are taking that risk.

Albert Pujols was a three-time National League Most Valuable Player (2005, 2008 & 2009) and he was also a four-time runner-up as a Cardinal.  In the eleven seasons (and one more in his final year in Baseball) that he played for St. Louis he never finished outside of the top ten in National League MVP voting.  Think about that level of dominance!

Did you?

We did!

As such, we could not help ourselves in putting Albert Pujols in our St. Louis Cardinals top two!

First off beyond the Most Valuable Player voting dominance, Pujols would take the St. Louis Cardinals to two World Series Championships.  Pujols was an offensive superstar who from 2006 to 2011 would finish first in bWAR, which is one of the most spectacular accomplishments in the game.  He would have two Home Run Titles, a Batting Title, and three OPS Titles and was solid in defense with two Gold Gloves.  With as much respect as we want to give to former players like Rogers Hornsby and Bob Gibson, neither of them dominated a decade like Albert Pujols did.

The Bullet Points

  • Position: First Base, Outfield
  • Acquired: Drafted in the 13th Round of the Amateur Draft 6/2/99.
  • Departed:

    Signed as a Free Agent with the Los Angeles Angels of Anaheim 12/18/11.

    Acquired (2): Signed as a Free Agent 3/28/22

    Departed (2): Retired 11/2/22

  • Games Played: 1814
  • Notable Statistics: 1,333 Runs Scored
    2,156 Hits
    469 Doubles
    15 Triples
    469 Home Runs
    1,397 Runs Batted In
    85 Stolen Bases
    .326/.417/.614 Slash Line
    88.6 bWAR

    76 Playoff Games
    54 Runs Scored
    90 Hits
    18 Doubles
    1 Triple
    18 Home Runs
    52 Runs Batted In
    1 Stolen Base
    .327/.439/.596 Slash Line
  • Major Accolades and Awards:

    World Series Champion (2006 & 2011)
    MVP (2005, 2008 & 2009)
    The Sporting News Major League Player of the Year Award (2003, 2008 & 2009)
    Hank Aaron Award (2003 & 2009)
    Lou Gehrig Award (2009)
    Roberto Clemente Award (2008)
    All-Star (2001, 2003, 2004, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2008, 2009, 2010 & 2022)
    Silver Slugger (2001, 2003, 2004, 2008, 2009 & 2010)
    Gold Glove (2006 & 2010)
    Highest bWAR for Position Players (2005, 2006, 2007, 2008, 2009 & 2010)
    Highest Offensive bWAR (2008, 2009 & 2010)
    Highest Batting Average (2003)
    Highest On Base Percentage (2009)
    Highest Slugging Percentage (2006, 2008 & 2009)
    Highest OPS (2006, 2008 & 2009)
    Most Runs Scored (2003, 2004, 2005, 2009 & 2010)
    Most Hits (2003)
    Most Total Bases (2003, 2004, 2008 & 2009)
    Most Doubles (2003)
    Most Home Runs (2009 & 2010)
    Most Runs Batted In (2010)
    Highest OPS+ (2006, 2008, 2009 & 2010)
    Most Extra Base Hits (2003, 2004, 2009 & 2010)
    Most Intentional Walks (2005, 2008, 2009 & 2010)
    Highest Win Probability Added (2006)
    Highest Championship Win Probability Added (2006 & 2009)
    Most Putouts (2004, 2005, 2009 & 2010)
    Most Total Zone Runs (2007 & 2008)
    Most Putouts by a First Baseman (2004, 2005, 2009 & 2010)
    Most Assists by a First Baseman (2009 & 2010)
    Most Double Plays by a First Baseman (2004, 2005, 2009, 2010 & 2011)
    Most Total Zone Runs by a First Baseman (2004, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2008 & 2009)
    Highest Range Factor per Game by a First Baseman (2004, 2005, 2006, 2009, 2010 & 2011)
    Highest Fielding Percentage by a First Baseman (2010)

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