Full Name : Jose Alberto Pujols Alcantara
Born : January 16, 1980
Hometown : Santo Domingo, Dominican Republic
Height : 6' 3
Weight : 230 lbs
Bats : Right
Throws : Right
Major League Baseball debut : April 2, 2001 for the St. Louis Cardinals
Family : wife, Deidre; daughters Isabella, Sofia; son A.J. (Alberto Jr.)
Primary Position : First base
Other players admire him. Fans love to watch him. Pitchers fear him. Chris Berman refers to him as "Winnie the Pujols." There is no doubt that Albert Pujols has taken the game of Major League Baseball to a new level.
Born in the heart of the Dominican Republic, Santo Domingo, Albert's childhood was not at all considered luxurious. With a father who was barely around, he relied mostly on his grandmother, aunts, and uncles for guidance, in addition to the financial assistance that his family received from the government. In spite of this misfortune, Albert admired his athletic father. At the time, Bienvenido Pujols was recognized as an exceptional pitcher in the Dominican Republic. Albert aimed to follow in his father's footsteps, and he did so by beginning to practice his skills on the field at just six years old. As a youngster, he grew up admiring the play of Julio Franco. Who would have guessed that he would eventually get to compete against the athlete that he admired throughout his childhood?
His professional career as an MLB athlete began in 1999, when he was drafted in the 13th round by the St. Louis Cardinals. There was much controversy surrounding his acquisition, however, when Pujols demanded more than the $10,000 signing bonus that the club offered. He did have a case, considering he was one of the most feared high-school hitters, walking 55 times in 88 at-bats, and belting eight homers all in his last high school season. By the end of the summer, the Cardinals upped his offer to $60,000, and Pujols gladly accepted. Surprisingly, it wasn't until the 13th round that Albert was selected, showing that not all of baseball's hottest superstars come expectedly.
It took no time for the baseball world to recognize Pujols' presence. With a roster that included Mark McGwire, Bobby Bonilla, Edgar Renteria, and Jim Edmonds, manager Tony LaRussa was unsure as to whether or not he would be able to squeeze Albert into the final 25-man roster. Fortunate for Mr. Pujols, an injury placed Bobby Bonilla on the disabled list, freeing up a roster spot. Albert got the call up, and was in the opening day starting lineup playing left field. In the second series of the season, he belted a homer, three doubles, and batted in 8 runs, convincing manager LaRussa that he deserved to stay.
Today, Albert has already put up some of those most extraordinary numbers, and many consider one figure to stand out above the rest: he is only 27 years old. During his first full season, he was selected to play in the all-star midsummer classic, the first Cardinal rookie to do so in over 50 years. He ended up winning the honors of National League Rookie of the Year in 2001, finishing the season batting .329 with 37 homers and 130 RBI. During the 2003 season, he continued to demonstrate excellence, and finished that year winning the National League Batting Title with whopping average of .359. Prior to the 2004 season, Albert was rewarded with a 7-year, 100 million dollar contract extension, which would secure him as a Cardinal. This was the season that he transitioned into a full-time first basemen which would help the Cardinals reach the World Series (where they would eventually lose to the Boston Red Sox). 2005 marked a milestone for Pujols, when he won the Most Valuable Player Award and led the Cardinals to the National League Championship Series, where they would unfortunately lose to the Houston Astros. It was not until 2006 that he won his first World Series ring, after the Cardinals beat the Detroit Tigers. Albert always knew he could hit, but wanted to make a defensive impact as well. He did so by winning the Gold Glove award (in 2006) for National League first basemen. At an age of only 27, many wonder what else there is for Albert to accomplish.
|
