Albert Pujols is a man who is on the road that very few get to take: a road to greatness.
In today’s game, there is so much speculation about steroids, HGH and whatever undetectable enhancers are out there that the reliability of many of the records, feats and accomplishments seem tarnished.
Pujols is one of the few that has not been associated with any of it. He has steered clear of controversy. The worst thing he’s done is complain about Ryan Howard’s MVP in 2006, claiming the award should go to someone on a playoff team.
This year the slugging first baseman will inevitably be surrounded the whole season with questions like “where will you sign next year?” and “are you worth $30 million a season?” and “can you keep up your Hall of Fame numbers?”
That’s all fine and dandy. We all know Pujols will get his money, we know he is all but a shoo-in for the Hall, and it’s unfortunate, but we are in a sports world where the Cardinals‘ most popular player in years might not be with them next year.
Things could get really ugly in St. Louis, especially if they’re not in contention around the All-Star break. So while we have a chance, let’s look at Pujols from a standpoint that everyone is familiar with: a monstrous home run hitter who can destroy baseballs on a whim.
It’s funny, baseball is sport where the tide can turn on a dime, and when its does, everyone can feel the imposing sense of doom. Just ask a Boston Red Sox fan. It’s also very uncommon that one is faced with situation where you know how it ends before it starts.
Remember the 2005 NLCS with the Houston Astros one strike away from a World Series birth and lights out closer Brad Lidge on the mound. Pesky David Eckstein singles and Jim Edmonds follows with a walk, leading to that fateful encounter between Lidge and Mr. Pujols.
For Lidge, he had the opportunity to get Eckstein and put that game away. You cannot give teams extra outs, especially in a situation like that.
One strike, no balls and when Lidge hoofed that slider everyone knew it was gone. It couldn’t have been placed any better. An effortless swing with unleashed power and that ball was crushed like no other I have ever seen.
That is what makes the game so great. Regardless of all the issues facing players today, the game has some unrelenting hold on us where we forgive and remember one moment in time when that player was bigger than the sport he played.
Devon is the founder of The GM’s Perspective
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