Albert Pujols

Baseball Player

Albert Pujols was born in Santo Domingo, Dominican Republic on January 16th, 1980 and is the Baseball Player. At the age of 44, Albert Pujols biography, profession, age, height, weight, eye color, hair color, build, measurements, education, career, dating/affair, family, news updates, and networth are available.

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Other Names / Nick Names
Jose Alberto Pujols, Prince Albert, Phat Albert, The Machine
Date of Birth
January 16, 1980
Nationality
United States, Dominican Republic
Place of Birth
Santo Domingo, Dominican Republic
Age
44 years old
Zodiac Sign
Capricorn
Networth
$90 Million
Salary
$28 Million
Profession
Baseball Player
Social Media
Albert Pujols Height, Weight, Eye Color and Hair Color

At 44 years old, Albert Pujols has this physical status:

Height
191cm
Weight
106.6kg
Hair Color
Not Available
Eye Color
Not Available
Build
Not Available
Measurements
Not Available
Albert Pujols Religion, Education, and Hobbies
Religion
Not Available
Hobbies
Not Available
Education
Fort Osage (Independence, MO); Maple Woods Community College, Kansas City, MO
Albert Pujols Spouse(s), Children, Affair, Parents, and Family
Spouse(s)
Not Available
Children
Not Available
Dating / Affair
Not Available
Parents
Not Available
Albert Pujols Career

College career

He was awarded a baseball scholarship to Maple Woods Community College after graduating from high school a semester early in December 1998. In the first game of his rookie season, the Pujols scored a grand slam and turned to an unassisted triple play. As a freshman, he batted.461 with 22 home runs before deciding to draft the Major League Baseball (MLB) draft.

Professional career

Pujols were not a fan of his youth, which position he'll play, and his build. When Tampa Bay was unable to do so, Tampa Bay Rays scout Fernando Arango recommended that his team sign Pujols and resign from his position. Pujols was not drafted until the 13th round of the 1999 Major League Baseball (MLB) Draft, when the St. Louis Cardinals selected him with the 402nd overall pick. Pujols received a $10,000 reward and spent the summer with the Hays Larks of the Jayhawk Collegiate League (a summer league in the National Baseball Congress). He signed when the Cardinals boosted their compensation offer to $60,000.

Pujols began playing third base with the Peoria Chiefs of the single-A Midwest League in 2000. In 109 games, he batted.324 runs, 32 doubles, six triples, 17 home runs, and 84 RBI. He was named as the league's Most Valuable Player and was selected to the All-Star squad and was named as the league's Most Valuable Player. Pujols also played 21 games with the Potomac Cannons in the high-A Carolina League last year, batting.284 with 23 runs, eight triples, one triple, two home runs, and 10 RBI. He played for the Memphis Redbirds in the AAA Pacific Coast League (PCL) in 2000, and after playing in three regular season games with them, he batted.367 in the playoffs and was named Most Valuable Player (MVP) as the Redbirds captured their first PCL title.

Mark McGwire, the Cardinals' current first baseman, told Cardinals manager Tony La Russa that if he did not promote Pujols to the major league roster, "it could be one of the worst moves you make in your career." Bobby Bonilla was forced to miss the Opening Day roster in 2001 because La Russa later reiterated the "myth" that Pujols were only on the Opening Day roster because Bobby Bonilla was injured. According to La Russa, Pujols impressed him and the remainder of the Cardinals' leadership so they decided to trade him to the big leagues even before Bonilla's injury. John Vuch, a Cardinals executive, backed this up by describing Pujols and Bonilla's "old wives' tale" and claiming that the competition for the last roster spot was actually between Bonilla and John Mabry. Although the team did not expect Pujols to fill a specific position, the Cardinals activated him to the Opening Day roster, and he played at third base, right field, left field, or first base all season.

Pujols made history by defeating the Colorado Rockies on April 2nd in the 1980s. He hit for the first time in his career, winning 8-0 in a single over pitcher Mike Hampton. In a 12–9 victory, he had three hits and three RBI, including his first home run. In his first home game against Denny Neagle of Colorado, Pujols scored a two-run home run. He was one of three players to reach 20 or more home runs in their rookie year before July, along with Wally Berger (1930) and Joc Pederson (2015).

Pujols became the first Cardinals rookie since Luis Arroyo's 1955 debut in the All-Star Game at midseason. He hit.329 (sixth in the league), 194 runs (fifth in the league), 37 home runs, and 112 runs for the season. The Cardinals' 37 home runs led the Cardinals, beating Jim Edmonds' 30 and McGwire's 29. He was named the National League (NL) Silver Slugger Award winner for the third base position and came in fourth in NL Most Valuable Player (MVP) voting, behind Barry Bonds, Sammy Sosa, and Luis Gonzalez. After establishing an NL rookie record with 130 RBIs (fifth in the league) and becoming the fourth MLB rookie to reach.300 with 30 home runs, 100 runs, and 100 RBIs, he was unanimously named NL Rookie of the Year.

The Cardinals made it to the playoffs as the National League wild card team in 2001, with a 93–69 record and a 93-69 record. The team has earned a spot in the NL Division Series (NLDS). Pujols defeated Diamondbacks pitcher Randy Johnson in a 4–1 victory in Game 2 on October 10, 2010 for a game-winning two-run home run against Diamondbacks pitcher Randy Johnson. In five games, the Cardinals were disqualified, but Pujols had only two hits in 18 at-bats, and Pujols had only two hits in 18 at-bats.

Pujols spent the majority of 2002 in left field after playing in various positions in 2001. He began the season with batting cleanup, but in May he was promoted to third position in the lineup, where he remained for the remainder of his Cardinals career. In a 5–4 loss to the Cincinnati Reds in August, Pujols' 30th home run and 100th RBI of the season, his sixth Cardinal to have back-to-back 30-home run seasons, and the second Cardinal (the other was Ray Jablonski) to begin his career with back-to-back 100-RBI seasons. In a 9–3 victory over the Houston Astros that gave the Cardinals the NL Central championship for the first month, Pujols had a game-winning two-run single against Pete Munro. Pujols batted.314 (tied for fourth in the NL), 40 doubles (eighth in the NL), 34 home runs (second in the NL), and 127 RBI's (second in the NL) in the NL) and 122 runs scored (second in the NL). In his first two seasons, he became the first player in major league history to reach over.300 with at least 30 home runs, 100 runs scored, and 100 RBI's. Pujols came in second in MVP voting to Bonds, becoming the first Cardinal since Stan Musial to finish in the top four for consecutive seasons. Chris Haft of MLB.com called him "an outstanding hitter" at the end of the 2002 season.

Pujols' contributions helped the Cardinals finish third in home runs and second in batting average and RBI; the Cardinals' pitching staff also ranked fourth in ERA. In a three-game sweep of the Diamondbacks in the 2002 NLDS, the Cardinals made it to the playoffs again, while Pujols had three hits and three RBI. The team qualified to the 2002 NL Championship Series (NLCS), but lost in five games to the San Francisco Giants. In the series, the Pujols had five hits, one home run, and two RBI.

In 2003, five Cardinals were selected to the All-Star Game, while Pujols led the NL in votes. It was the first time Pujols had been to the All-Star Game in eight years. Pujols had a 30-game streak from July 12 to August 16, tied for the second longest in the Cardinals' history with Musial, behind only Rogers Hornsby's 33-game streak. Pujols won his 100th home run in a 10–7 win over the Dodgers on July 20, a game-winner. In his third season, he became the fourth major leaguer to reach his 100th home run, as well as Ralph Kiner, Eddie Mathews, and Joe DiMaggio. In a game against the Astros on September 20, Pujols tied for the most home runs by a player in his first three seasons.

Pujols scored 43 home runs (fourth in the league, behind Jim Thome, Richie Sexson, and Bonds) in 157 games (tied with Sexson for fourth and fourth in the league, behind Preston Wilson, Gary Sheffield, and Thome). He became the youngest player since Tommy Davis in 1962 to win the NL batting title, despite batting.359, hits (212), and doubles (51). Rogers Hornsby was the only player in the Cardinals' history to have more than 40 home runs and 200 hits in the same season. Despite his stellar play, Cardinals' fans erupted, shouting "M-V-P!" in response. Pujols also placed second second in MVP polling in home games as early as June. He received his second Silver Slugger Award and first Sporting News Player of the Year Award. Pujols' contributions helped the Cardinals finish second in second place and third in home runs in the National League, although the pitching staff maintained a 4.60 ERA, which was below average, and the Cardinals skipped the playoffs.

Pujols was rewarded monetarily for his work on February 20, 2004, when he agreed to a seven-year, $100 million club option with no-trade provisions for 2011. After the Cardinals traded Tino Martinez in the offseason, he was moved to first base in 2004. In the 10th inning of a 4–3 win, he hit a walk-off home run against Reds pitcher Mike Matthews on June 16.

Pujols' highlights included a July game in which he hit five RBI and three home runs in a thrilling victory over the Chicago Cubs and another in which he smashed up a no-hitter by Giants pitcher Dustin Hermanson. He earned his 500th RBI in September against the Rockies, joining DiMaggio and Ted Williams as the only players to have 500 RBI in their first four seasons. He was positive there would be "a lot more." Despite being diagnosed with plantar fasciitis in the second half of the season, Pujols had a.331 average (fifth), 51 doubles (second to Adrián Beltré's 48), and 123 RBIs (third, behind Vinny Castilla's 134). With 133 runs scored, he also led the league in runs scored. With 14 errors by a first baseman, he tied for the league's top errors by a defenseman. He came in third place in MVP voting (behind Bonds and Beltré), and Musial was the only Cardinals to finish in the top five for at least four years in a row. He received the Silver Slugger Award at first base, his third appearance since winning the award. Pujols, alongside colleagues Edmonds and Rolen, earned the nickname "MV3" for their respective seasons; Pujols led the three teams in home runs and batting average.

The Cardinals captured the NL Central, aided by MVP and pitcher Chris Carpenter, who played in 15 games and had a 3.46 ERA in his first season with the team. Pujols defeated Wilson lvarez and had four RBI in Game 4 of the NLDS against the Dodgers, and took the series three games to a halt. Pujols won by a two-run home run off Munro in Game 6 of the NLCS, with three hits, three runs (including the winning run) and scored three runs (including the winning run). The Cardinals won the series in seven games, moving to the World Series for the first time since 1987. Pujols was named the NLCS MVP after batting.500 with four home runs and nine RBI. As the Cardinals were swept by Boston in four games, he was one of three Cardinals to bat over.250 (after batting.333).

Pujols was the best Cardinal since Musial, according to several baseball fans by 2005. On August 31, Pujols recorded his 100th RBI of the season, beating Williams, DiMaggio, and Al Simmons as the only players with 100 RBI in their first five seasons. Pujols lost his 200th home run in a game against the Reds on September 30, making him the third-youngest major league player to reach that feat (behind Mel Ott and Eddie Mathews) and the second-fastest to reach it (behind Kiner). Pujols batted.330 (second behind Lee, Miguel Cabrera and Jimmy Rollins), 38 doubles, 41 home runs (third, behind Andruw Jones' 51 and Lee's 46), and 129 runs scored (first in the league). For the first time in his career, he received the NL MVP award, despite the fact that Bonds was limited to 14 games due to injury.

The Cardinals won the NL Central for the second year in a row. Pujols returned to the playoffs. In the NLDS, he had five hits in nine at-bats with four runs scored and two RBI, as the Cardinals swept the Padres. Pujols won Game 5 of the NLCS against the Astros, with the Cardinals trailing by two runs and just one out of elimination in the ninth inning. The Cardinals defeated the Cubs 5–4. Later this year, MLB.com writer Matthew Leach called it "one of the most popular playoff home runs in recent years." Nonetheless, the Cardinals were eliminated by the Astros in Game 6 of Game 6. Pujols batted.304 with two home runs and six RBI in the series.

Pujols scored home runs in four straight plate appearances in April 2006, making him the 20th player to do so. Pujols said after the game that he was more concerned about winning than the numbers: "I don't look at numbers." "I don't know." Before you guys brought it up, I didn't know anything about [the record]. Because that is not me. I am not interested in numbers. I don't get locked into something like that. I get excited about the football, helping my team win and hopefully doing some damage out there."

Pujols had three hits and four RBI, including his 1,000th appearance in his career (a home run against Jerome Williams) as the Cardinals defeated the Cubs 9-3 on April 21, 2006. For the first time in his career, he was on the disabled list (DL) for the first time in his career, and his strained right oblique kept him out for three weeks.

Pujols lost 8–7 to the Mets on August 22, with a three-run home run and a grand slam against John Maine. With the Cardinals trailing the Padres 2–1 in the eighth inning, he hit a three-run home run against Cla Meredith, assisting the Cardinals in their win 4–2 and snaping a seven-game losing streak. The win maintained the Cardinals' 1.5-game division lead; La Russa later called it "the most massive of the big ones he's ever hit."

The Pujols had a.331 average (third to Freddy Sanchez's.348 and Cabrera's.339), 177 runs, 33 doubles, 49 home runs, and Alfonso Soriano for fifth), with 176 hits, 33 doubles, and 49 runs scored (second to Ryan Howard's 58). 20 of his 49 home runs had a game-winning RBI, beating Willie Mays' single-season record, which was set in 1962. In MVP voting, he came in second, second, behind Howard, who was named first base in the NL Gold Glove Award. He was named first base position in four separate Fielding Bible Awards for the first time.

The Cardinals won the NL Central and reached the playoffs for the third year in a row, with Led by Pujols and Carpenter. As the Cardinals defeated 5–1, he hit a game-winning two-run home run against Jake Peavy in Game 1 of the NLDS against the Padres. In Game 2, he had a game-winning RBI against David Wells and had three hits, as the Cardinals defeated 2–0. As the Cardinals defeated the Padres in four games, he batted.333 with a home run and an RBI in the series. Pujols scored three runs against the Mets in Game 2 of the NLCS, defeating them 9–6. As the Cardinals defeated the Mets in seven games, he batted.318 with one home run and one RBI in the series.

The Cardinals defeated 7–2 in Game 1 of the World Series against the Detroit Tigers. He had a two-run home run against Justin Verlander. As the Cardinals clinched the series, in Game 5, he went from his back to rob Plácido Polanco of a hit, giving Pujols his first World Series ring.

Pujols defeated the Cubs in April 22 in their 10th inning of a 12–9 win, tying Ken Boyer for second on the Cardinals' home run list with his 255th appearance. Pujols had 185 hits, 38 doubles, and 103 RBI on their first season. He was ranked sixth in batting average (.327, sixth) and home runs (32, tied for tenth). He batted out 99 runs, snaping a streak of seasons with at least 30 home runs, a.300 average, 100 runs scored, and 100 RBI at six. He converted to a major-league-leading 27 double plays. He came in ninth place in MVP voting, the first year he had been ranked outside the top five in the nation.

Pujols opened 2008 by reaching base in 42 straight games, the longest stretch to open a season since 1999. He was put on a 15-day suspension list with a strained left calf muscle. In a 2–1 loss to the Cubs, Pujols scored his 300th home run against Bob Howry on July 4 in a 2–1 loss to the Cubs. After the game, he said it was "just another homer that goes out of the park." "I'm able to do it in front of our followers; they're waiting for it."

Pujols scored his 100th RBI of the season against Rich Harden on September 11, making him the third player in major league history to start his career with eight seasons of at least 100 RBI (along with Simmons and Williams). He regretted that the milestone came in defeat, adding, "I wish it had come with a great win." It would have been more unique."

Pujols batted.357 (second to Chipper Jones'.364 average) in 2008 (tied with Stephen Drew and Aramis Ramrez for fourth in the league behind Berkman and Nathan Ferguson's 45), 38 runs (third, behind Howard's 48, Wrights 144, and Adrián González's 119), 56 runs scored (tied with Robert Langford for fourth in the league behind Howard's 144 (second, behind Howard Jones's in 148) 126, 149 (second, 144, behind Chipper Jones's 144, second, second (tied in third, 144, 41, 43, 192, 404, 144, 144, 109 and 144, 146, 146 and Howard's 42 runs in 144, and 124, 114, 119, 42, 38). He landed in 27 double plays in National League fame. Pujols received his second NL MVP Award and third time in his career, winning the Silver Slugger Award for the fourth time in his career. For the second time in his career, he was named The Sporting News Player of the Year. He was named the 2008 recipient of the Roberto Clemente Award for his work off the track. He considered Tommy John surgery later this year, but instead of nerve transposition surgery on his right elbow to reduce pain, he underwent nerve transposition surgery.

Pujols defeated the Cubs 8–2 on April 25, 2009, completing his 1,000th career RBI with a 441-foot grand slam against David Patton. After the game, he said, "I hit the ball as well as I can hit a ball." In a 7–4 victory over the Reds on July 3, he scored his 10th grand slams by a Cardinal, tying Musial's record for the most grand slams by a Cardinal. The grand slam was also his 350th home run, making him the third fastest player to reach the record, behind Alex Rodriguez and Ken Griffey Jr. He received the most votes in NL history for the All-Star Game this year.

Pujols had four hits, three runs, and five RBI on August 4, including a grand slam against Sean Green that tied the NL record for most grand slams in a season (five), defeating the Mets by 10-inning, 12-7. Pujols batted.327 (third), 422 runs (second behind Fielder and Howard's 144 runs in 160 games (first), and 303 runs scored (second to Pablo Sandoval's.330). For the third time, he was unanimously named NL MVP, tying Musial for the Cardinals' leader in this sport. He received the Silver Slugger Award for the fifth time in his career. For the second year in a row, Williams and Joe Morgan were the only players to win the Sporting News MLB Player of the Year award, putting Williams and Joe Morgan as the only players to win it in back-to-back years. He was named first base in the Fielding Bible Awards for the fourth year in a row.

The Cardinals returned to the playoffs after a two-year absence, aided by Matt Holliday's acquisition (who replaced Ryan Ludwick as the cleanup hitter) and the emergence of Adam Wainwright (who led the NL in victories). Pujols batted.300 against the Dodgers in the NLDS, his first RBI, as the Cardinals were swept in three games. Pujols underwent surgery to remove five bone spurs from his right elbow following the postseason. The Cardinals referred to the operation as a "success," and Dr. James Andrews found that Pujols did not need Tommy John surgery.

Pujols received his first Pepsi Clutch Performer of the Month Award in April 2010. With runners on base, he batted.348, 1.270 OPS, three home runs, and 14 RBI with runners on base. Moreover, he batted.583 (7-for-12) with a home run, two doubles, three RBI, and five runs scored in situations where his team was leading by one run, tied, or having the possibility of tying run on base, at bat, or on deck after the seventh inning ("late-and-close") with a home run.

Pujols scored five RBI and two home runs against Dontrelle Willis in their 37th multi-homer game, beating Musial's franchise record for multi-homer games. "It's pretty unique" he said of tying Musial. "I'm blessed to be compared to him" at times.

In a 13-inning, 11–10 loss to the Nationals on August 26, he scored his 400th home run against Jordan Zimmermann in his 400th home run. He became the third-youngest player to reach the milestone, behind Griffey Jr. and Rodriguez, and became the fourth fastest player to reach the tournament (behind McGwire, Babe Ruth, Harmon Killebrew, and Thome). Pujols had three RBI and 100 RBI against Tommy Hanson on September 11, his ninth consecutive year. Simmons has a longer streak of 100 RBI seasons at the start of a career, with 11. Jimmie Foxx, Lou Gehrig, and Rodriguez have all had 100 or more RBI in a season. Foxx and Rodriguez are the only two players besides Pujols to have ten years of 30 home runs and 100 RBI. He made the next day, beating the Braves 7-3 to win by a single day in a game, when he struck two home runs against Tim Hudson for the 38th time in a game.

Pujols batted.312 (sixth) with 183 hits (tied for eighth with Marlon Byrd); he led the league in runs scored (115), home runs (42) and RBI (118). He received his second Gold Glove Award for first base, as well as his sixth Gold Glove Award. Joey Votto came in second second place in the NL MVP voting, and he expressed surprise" that Pujols received just one first-place vote in the first round.

Pujols and the Cardinals set a deadline for beginning 2011 spring training for contract extension talks, but the Cardinals and Pujols were unable to reach an agreement. Pujols batted.316 in his final 117 games after struggling in his first 30 games of the season in batting.231. On June 4 and 5, he recorded his first walk-off home runs against the Cubs for the first time since Albert Belle in 1995. Pujols' slump earlier this year was over, Carpenter said after the game: "He continues to do amazing stuff, there is no doubt about it." "He's been doing the same as Albert" for the past few days.

Wilson Betemit collided with Pujols on June 19, resulting in a small fracture of his left wrist and keeping him inactive until July 5. He scored his 2,000th major league player by games on July 30, beating the Cubs 9-2 to win their 2,000th game in his career. In the Cardinals' last game of the season, he had the game-winning RBI against Brett Myers in the 8-0 victory, assisting the Cardinals in beating the Astros in their 8-0 victory, overcoming a 10.5-game deficit to Atlanta to win the Wild Card. Pujols finished the season with 173 hits (tied for ninth with Aramis Ramrez), 29 doubles (a career-low), and 105 runs scored (tied for third with Justin Upton, behind Ryan Braun's 109 and Matt Kemp's 115). He saw his streak of seasons batting at least.300 with 30 home runs and 100 RBI snaps when he hit 37 home runs (third, behind Fielder's 38 and Kemp's 39), but Tyler Kepner of The New York Times wrote, "Even if Pujols struggles, he excels." He was grounded into a major-league leading 29 double plays. In MVP voting, he came in fifth.

Pujols defeated the Phillies 5–4 in Game 2 of the NLDS on October 2, with a game-winning RBI single against Cliff Lee. As the Cardinals defeated the Phillies in five games, he batted.350 with one RBI in the series. In a 12-3 victory over the Brewers in Game 2 of the NLCS, he had four hits, three runs scored, one home run, and five RBI. The Cardinals defeated the Brewers in six games, with a.478 with two home runs and nine RBI in the series.

Pujols had five hits, three home runs, four runs scored, and six RBI in a 16–7 victory over the Rangers on October 22, Game 3 of the World Series. He joined Babe Ruth and Reggie Jackson as the first player in baseball history to hit three home runs in a World Series game, set a series record of 14 total bases, and tied for the most hits and RBI in a World Series game. He had one hit and no RBI in the other six games of the season, but the Cardinals defeated the Rangers for the second time in two games. For the first time in his career, he became a free agent after the season.

During the 2011 offseason, three franchises were rumored to be interested in Pujols: the Cardinals, the Miami Marlins, and the Los Angeles Angels. Pujols was offered a 10-year, $210 million contract (with $30 million deferred), but Pujols turned down the offer. On a radio talk show, Deidre's wife said they were "insulted" and "confused" that the Cardinals had initially promised Pujols a five-year contract. Pujols was reportedly given a 10-year deal by the Marlins, but the Angels reportedly broke him on December 8, the Angels' Chris Pujols, who agreed to a 10-year contract worth $254 million.

In the month of April, the Pujols did not do well to start the 2012 season, batting.217 with no home runs and four RBI. Pujols' numbers began to climb as he batted.323 with 13 home runs from May 15 to the All-Star Break shortly after the Angels called up top prospect Mike Trout and fired hit coach Mickey Hatcher. In a 6–2 victory over the Rangers on July 31, he struck two home runs against Derek Holland. Holland declared that Pujols had "definitely turned it around," after the game, but there was no doubt about it... He had a slow start to his career, but he's picked it up. Pujols had four RBIs, including a game-winning three-run home run against Ubaldo Jiménez in a 9–6 win over the Cleveland Indians on August 14, and he's a great hitter."

Pujols batted.285 (at the time, a career low) in 153 games with 173 hits, 50 doubles (second to Alex Gordon's 51), and 85 runs scored in 2012, with 173 hits, 50 RBIs (second in AL) and 85 runs scored.

Pujols had by far his worst season of his career to date in 2013, losing to play at least 100 games in a season for the first time. The Pujols also set career lows in hits, runs scored, doubles, home runs, RBI,, walks, batting average, slugging percentage, and OPS. Pujols batted.258 in 99 games, 19 doubles, 17 home runs, 64 RBI, and 49 runs scored. Pujols was out for the remainder of the 2013 season after suffering a foot injury on August 19, 2013.

Former Cardinals player Jack Clark accused Pujols of using performance-enhancing drugs on his St. Louis WGNU radio show in August 2013. Clark was the Cardinals' hitting coach during the early days of Pujols' tenure in St. Louis. Pujols released a statement denying ever taking PEDs on the morning of August 9. Clark branded Clark's allegations as "irresponsible and reckless," and threatening to sue Clark and WGNU for the allegations. Partly due to legal issues posed by Pujols, InsideSTL Enterprises, which owns WGNU's weekday airtime under a time brokerage agreement, has broken ties with Clark. Clark was defamation charged on October 4, 2013. Clark blasted Pujols, claiming that they should all perform polygraph tests to determine who is telling the truth. Clark apologised and retracted his charges against Pujols on February 10, 2014, saying he had "no idea" that Pujols had ever used PEDs. "I misspoke during a tense discussion on air," Clark said. Pujols dropped the suit in return.

Pujols' Taylor Jordan, a Washington Nationals alum, reached his 499th and 500th home runs off the Washington Nationals' Taylor Jordan at Nationals Park in the 2010 season, where he had reached his 400th home run in his career. Pujols became the third-youngest to reach the 500-home run record and the youngest player to reach No. 1 in the game. In the same game, there are 499 and 500. On August 10, he appeared in MLB's longest game of the year and the longest in the history of Angel Stadium, winning by a 5–4 final score by a solo home run against the Red Sox. It was his first walk-off home run as an Angel and the first since June 2011. Pujols hit his 2,500th appearance against the Minnesota Twins on September 6, a two-run go-ahead double off Jared Burton in the 9th inning. In the same game, he also hit the 1,500-run mark. He made history by becoming the fifth player in major league history with 2,500 hits and 500 home runs while still maintaining a.310 lifetime batting average, according to Babe Ruth, Jimmie Foxx, Ted Williams, and Manny Ramirez.

Pujols batted.272 and grounded into an American League-leading 28 double plays for the 2014 season. At $23 million, he was ranked as the third highest salary in the AL.

Pujols moved to Japan to compete against the 2014 Major League Baseball Japan All-Stars in the Nippon Professional Baseball.

Pujols enjoyed his first offseason with the Angels, during which he was both injury-free and recovery from injury. However, his offensive numbers slowed to his previous performances in the first month of the season. Pujols was batting.208 with three home runs and nine RBI in 86 plate appearances by the end of April. Pujols' offensive output had started to come around next month. He batted.356 with 15 home runs, 30 RBI, and a 1.326 OPS between May 28 and June 22, a 3.326 OPS. With 23 runs, he was leading the American League in home runs at this point.

Pujols was named AL Player of the Month for the first time and seventh overall monthly award in 2016, after batting.303/.395/.737 with 13 home runs in June 2015. Manny Machado came first in the AL after his home run total led the major leagues and 73 total bases tied Manny Machado for first place. His batting average on balls in play was.288, considerably lower than the league average of about.300.

Pujols was announced as a reserve for the American League after being selected to the All Star Game. Pujols instead started at first base after suffering with a wrist injury just days earlier with the Tigers' Miguel Cabrera. It was his 10th overall pick to the midsummer classic and first as a member of the Angels, and his first as a member of the team.

Pujols earned his 556th home run to top Ramrez for the sole possession of 14th on the all-time career home run leaderboard on September 22, 2015. Pujols scored his 40th home run in the season's final game of the season on October 4, the seventh time he had done so in a season. Alex Rodriguez had the highest number among active MLB players, beating him by eighteen. With Trout hitting 40 home runs, the 2015 Angels became the 31st team in MLB history with multiple players to reach 40+ home runs in a season.

He batted.244/.307/.480 for the 2015 season, posting his lowest batting average on balls in play (.217) of all major league players. At $24 million, he was tied for the third highest salary in the AL at $34 million.

Pujols made his 85th appearance on the plate on April 30, 2016. Pujols became the 20th player to amass 5,000 bases on May 2nd, the 20th player all time. Pujols became the first other player to be walked over 300 times on August 17, beating Barry Bonds as the only other player to be intentionally walked over 300 times. He hit 100 RBI on August 25, the fifth player to do so in his career, while the Toronto Blue Jays were the fifth player to do so.

Pujols played in Cincinnati on August 29 for his 26th home run and 103rd RBI of the season. Frank Robinson, who ranked ninth on the all-time home run list at 586, made him the seventh player to reach 1,800 RBIs, with the 21st placing 1,800 runs. Pujols made history by becoming the 16th player to reach 600 career doubles on September 16, the 16th player all time to reach 600 career doubles.

Pujols batted.268 in the 2016 season. With 24 points, he tied for second in the AL in double plays grounded into. He made the sixth highest salary in the league, at $25 million.

Pujols made history by hitting at least 600 home runs when he collided with Ervin Santana of the Minnesota Twins on June 3, 2017. He was the fourth-youngest player to do so (behind Alex Rodriguez, Babe Ruth, and Hank Aaron), and the first to earn a grand slam for his 600th home run.

Pujols played in 149 games and saw 593 at bats, but they had career-lows in batting average (.286), doubles (17), and walks (37), but not to majors by grounding into 26 double plays. He had the slowest baserunning sprint speed of all major league players, at 21.8 feet per second. He made the 6th highest salary in the AL at $26 million.

Pujols hit Mike Leake of the Seattle Mariners on May 4, 2018, his third major league appearance in the league. Pujols reached his 630th home run on July 12, joining Ken Griffey Jr. for sixth place all time for that class. Pujols was put on the 10-day disabled list the next day due to left knee pain. On August 10, he scored a single for his 1,000th appearance as an Angel, becoming the ninth player to reach 1,000 hits in both the American League and National League. In August, he underwent surgery on his left knee, extending his season, and in September, he cut a bone spur.

He batted.289/.411 in 2018 with 19 home runs and 64 RBIs, his lowest season total of his career. For the second year in a row, he had the slowest baserunning sprint speed of all major league players, at 22.2 feet per second. He was the sixth-oldest player in the American League. At $27 million, he made the fifth-highest salary in the AL.

Pujols claimed to be the fourth player in major league history to hit 2,000 RBIs against the Detroit Tigers in Comerica Park on May 9, 2019. A 2,000 RBI ball was thrown by a fan but he refused to hand it over to MLB authorities, who said he wanted to sleep on it before making a decision. MLB has refused to authenticate the ball, as shown by the in response. Ely Hydes, a Pujols fan, eventually decided he wanted to return the ball to Pujols, who refused, saying that the fan should either keep the ball or donate it to the Baseball Hall of Fame.

Pujols scored his 200th home run as an Angel on June 13, becoming only the sixth player to reach 200 home runs with two different clubs.

He batted.244/305/.430 in 2019. Pujols had the lowest line drive percentage of all major league hitters (15.3%), and the 16.7% of balls he hit to the opposite field were the lowest in baseball. At 22.5 feet per second, he had the second-fastest sprint speed of all major league players. He was the third-oldest player in the American League, behind Ichiro Suzuki (who retired in March) and Fernando Rodney. At $28 million, he was tied for the 4th highest salary in the AL.

Pujols, at the age of 40, was the first player to play in the major leagues at the start of the 2020 season. Pujols made a single against the Astros on August 24, putting him second on the all-time RBIs list. He took second place in his 2,087th RBI, behind only Hank Aaron's 2,297. (Babe Ruth has 2,214 RBIs as reported by Baseball Reference, but only 1,989 on the official MLB list; MLB does not track pre-1920 RBIs because it was not yet a reported statistic.) Pujols won his 661st home run on September 18, defeating Willie Mays for fifth place all time.

Pujols batted.224/.395 with 6 home runs and 25 RBIs in 152 at bats in 2020. He had the fastest sprint speed of all major league players, at 22.0 feet per second. At $29 million, he was tied for the 7th highest salary in the league.

Pujols with the Angels started the 2021 season. Pujols were assigned to assignment by the Angels on May 6, 2021. Pujols was hitting.198/.372 with five home runs in 24 games. Pujols obtained waivers and became a free agent on May 13.

Pujols reached.256 with 222 home runs and 783 runs batted in in nine-plus seasons with the Angels. The team won the AL West once (in 2014) and won no postseason games during his time with the Angels.

Pujols was described as "a cautionary tale against major contracts" and "an overpaid designated hitter in the middle of the lineup for a going-nowhere Los Angeles Angels team" in 2016.

According to ESPN sportswriter Alden Gonzalez, "how the shift has ruined Albert Pujols" has been published in an August 7, 2018.

Pujols agreed to a one-year major league contract with the Los Angeles Dodgers on May 17, 2021. He made his Dodgers debut against the Arizona Diamondbacks that night as the starting first baseman. Pujols selected the number 55, as well as the Bible, after his longtime number 5 was assigned to Corey Seager. "If you know the Bible," Pujols said, "it's the number of grace." So, I'm 5-5, double grace."

Pujols' first home run as a Dodger, off Merrill Kelly of the Arizona Diamondbacks, came home on May 20. Pujols had "flourished beyond expectations, scorching lefties for a.306 average," according to Scott Miller of The New York Times in October.

Overall, he played in 85 games for the Dodgers in 2021 and finished.299 on base percentage, 12 home runs, and 38 RBIs. He had the second slowest baserunning sprint speed of any major league players in his second season in a row, at 22.4 feet per second. His line drive percentage of 15.4% was the lowest in the major leagues, and his 16.7% of balls hit to the opposite field was the lowest in the majors. He was the league's second oldest player in a row and his fifth-highest salary was $30 million.

He appeared in nine games for the Dodgers in his first postseason appearance since 2014, with five hits in 18 at bats for a batting average of.278. Pujols announced later that he would play in the Dominican Professional Baseball League (LIDOM) in the offseason for Leones del Escogido.

Pujols announced that 2022 would be his last season on March 28, 2022, and that 2022 would be his one-year contract to return to the St. Louis Cardinals. "There were a lot of teams involved," he said. "We had the best supporters in baseball for 12 hours, maybe even less." It seems that I never left." He was the third season in a row.

Pujols made his pitching debut on May 15, the first player to do so since 1929. In a 15–6 victory over the San Francisco Giants, he gave up two home runs and four earned runs in the ninth inning. On June 4, he became the 10th major league player to play 3,000 games against the Chicago Cubs, serving as a health substitute for Corey Dickerson. Pujols hit the Tampa Bay Rays on June 7 for his 3,320th career strike, defeating Paul Molitor for his tenth all-time hit. Pujols got off to a slow start against a right-handed pitcher on July 10, the first time Philadelphia had shut down in three straight games, and his three runs, including a home run, aided in a 4-3 victory. Pujols' 1,377th home run tied for third all-time with Musial, tying him for third all-time with Musial.

Pujols was selected by MLB Commissioner Rob Manfred as a "legacy" pick to honor his career accomplishments in the 2022 Major League Baseball All-Star Game as a "legacy" selection to recognize his service. He was also selected to compete in the 2022 Major League Baseball Home Run Derby, where he advanced to the second round but fell one home run shy of eventual winner Juan Soto.

Stan Musial came in second place all time in total bases, trailing only Henry Aaron on August 20. He and colleague Paul Goldschmidt were named National League Player of the Week on August 22 after hitting.615 with three home runs and seven RBIs. Pujols' Ross Detwiler of the Cincinnati Reds scored a third-inning home run on August 29, the Cincinnati Reds' Ross Detwiler. Detwiler was the 450th unique pitcher to forfeit a home run to Pujols, beating Barry Bonds' previous total number.

Pujols' 696th and 697th home runs against the Pittsburgh Pirates on September 10 and 11, giving him his sixth and sixth home runs at PNC Park against the Pittsburgh Pirates, putting him fourth on the all-time list. He became the second player in MLB history to officially record 2,200 RBIs on September 14. Pujols became the fourth player to reach 700 home runs on September 23, the fourth in the nation's fourth century. During an 11–0 victory for the Cardinals at Dodger Stadium, he hit his 699th and 700th home runs in a row. He was rated No. 9. Andrew Heaney's 200th home run off a left-handed pitcher; his 700th off a right-handed pitcher; and his 500th off Ben Bickford's 500th home run off a right-handed pitcher. He reached No. 2 on October 2 on October 2, the second most popular American. In his last home game of his career, he was 702, mirroring the home run he hit in his St. Louis debut two decades ago. On October 3, he reached No. 1 on the charts. 703, which put him in second place on the all-time RBI list, over Ruth's total number.

The Cardinals won the National League Central division, earning a spot in the 2022 Major League Baseball postseason and allowing Pujols' 10th and final postseason appearances. With the Philadelphia Phillies, he went 2-for-8 in the National League Wild Card Series. Pujols was singled out in his last two at-bats in Game 2 on October 8. The Phillies won the game, excluding the Cardinals and bringing Pujols' playing career to an end.

Source

Andruw Jones' No. 2 is expected to be retired by the Braves. In September, there were 25 jerseys available in the country

www.dailymail.co.uk, April 3, 2023
'It's a great honor to have your number retired.' If you're playing, you don't think about things like that. You just play the sport you love,' Jones, a 5-time All-Star and 10-time Gold Glove winner, said. During his 17-year career, the 45-year-old batted.254 with 434 home runs and 1,289 RBIs, with 12 of them with the Braves (1996-2007). In 2005, the former outfielder reached 51 home runs, a Major League record, though he came in second in the NL MVP competition to Albert Pujols that year, despite winning a Silver Slugger and Hank Aaron Award.

Following the seventh inning homer at a Royals-Dodgers game, the dog regains baseball

www.dailymail.co.uk, March 26, 2023
In a spring training game involving the Los Angeles Dodgers and Kansas City Royals, a dog made his owner's day by fetching a baseball that flew into the stands. In the seventh inning for his second homer of the spring, Dodgers prospect Michael Busch batted a ball over the fence, and fans scrambled to retrieve the ball as they often do during regular-season and playoff games. However, a cunning canine grabbed the ball and rushed back to its owner before anyone could stop it.

During Game 1 of the World Series, Houston Astros catcher Martin Maldonado "used an unlawful bat."

www.dailymail.co.uk, October 30, 2022
During Game 1 of the World Series on Friday night, Houston Astros catcher Martin Maldonado allegedly used an illegal bat. Ex-St. Louis Cardinals player Albert Pujols is reportedly sent Maldonado by the bat before the Fall Classic's first game. However, the gift may have meant that Maldonado mistakenly cheated against the Philadelphia Phillies.
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