Albert Pujols

Infobox MLB player
name= Albert Pujols


width=300
position=First baseman
team=St. Louis Cardinals
number=5| bats=Right
throws=Right
birthdate=birth date and age|1980|1|16
city-state|Santo Domingo|Dominican Republic
debutdate=April 2
debutyear=2001
debutteam=St. Louis Cardinals
statyear=September 28, 2008
stat1label=Batting average
stat1value=.334 (#1 in MLB, active)
stat2label=Hits
stat2value=1,531
stat3label=Doubles
stat3value=342
stat4label=Home runs
stat4value=319
stat5label=Runs batted in
stat5value=977
stat6label=Slugging percentage
stat6value=.624 (#1 in MLB, active)
stat7label=On-Base plus Slugging
stat7value=1.049)
awards=
* 7x All-Star (2001, 2003, 2004, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2008)
* 2006 World Series Champion
* Gold Glove (2006)
* National League Most Valuable Player (2005)
* 3x Silver Slugger (2001 3B, 2003 OF, 2004 1B)
* National League Batting Champion (2003)
* National League Rookie of the Year 2001
teams=
* St. Louis Cardinals (by|2001-present)

José Alberto Pujols Alcántara (IPA: /IPA|puˌˡxols/), (born January 16, 1980 in Santo Domingo, Dominican Republic), (nicknamed Prince Albert, Sir Albert, Phat Albert, or El Hombre [cite web | title=Albert Pujols Statistics | url=http://www.baseball-reference.com/p/pujolal01.shtml | year=2008 | accessdate=2008-05-09] ) is a Major League Baseball first baseman for the St. Louis Cardinals. He is widely regarded as one of the best players in the game today [cite web | url=http://sports.espn.go.com/espn/page2/story?page=silver/060418_2 | title=Baseball's most valuable players | author=Nate Silver | year=2006 | publisher=ESPN.com] [cite web | url=http://www.usatoday.com/sports/baseball/2006-10-31-elias-rankings_x.htm?POE=SPOISVA | title=Cardinals slugger Pujols earns perfect score in annual Elias player rankings | author=Hal Bodley | date=2006-10-31 | publisher=USA Today] and was voted the most feared hitter in baseball in a poll of all 30 big-league managers. [cite web |url=http://sports.espn.go.com/mlb/columns/story?columnist=stark_jayson&page=rumblings/080424 |title=Identifying the most feared hitter in the bigs |first=Jayson |last=Stark |publisher= ESPN.com |date=2008-04-24]

He already ranks 98th on the List of the Top 500 home run hitters in the history of the game, in less than eight seasons. On July 4th, 2008, Albert hit his 300th career home run, off Chicago Cubs' setup man Bobby Howry, a line drive off the foul pole, in the eighth inning at Busch Stadium, becoming the fifth-youngest player (28 yrs., 170 days) in MLB history to reach that milestone. [cite web |url=http://stlouis.cardinals.mlb.com/news/article.jsp?ymd=20080704&content_id=3068034&vkey=news_stl&fext=.jsp&c_id=stl |title=Pujols swats career homer No. 300: Slugger becomes fifth-youngest player to reach total |publisher=MLB.com |date=2008-07-04] He is 6' 3" and weighs 230 pounds. [ [http://mlb.mlb.com/team/player.jsp?player_id=405395 Albert Pujols Stats, Bio, Photos, Highlights] ]

Early life and career

Born on January 16, 1980, Pujols was raised in Santo Domingo by his grandmother America. When Pujols was a young boy, he would show his father Bienvenido's passion for baseball by going to dirt fields to play. His favorite player in the majors was Julio Franco. Pujols and his family immigrated to the United States from the Dominican Republic in 1996, first to New York City. In New York, the Pujols family realised that the Big Apple was not a place they wanted to live. One day, Albert had seen a man shot to death while running an errand. His grandmother demanded that they move to somewhere safe. They then settled in a Dominican enclave in the Independence, Missouri area. In the U.S., Pujols displayed his love for baseball, batting over .500 in his first season of baseball at Fort Osage High School in Independence. He hit .660 with eight home runs his final year of high school. At Fort Osage, Pujols earned all-state honors in baseball twice. After starring for Fort Osage, Pujols graduated from high school in December 1998. He went on to attend Maple Woods Community College in the Kansas City area during the spring of by|1999. In his only season with the community college, Pujols hit a grand slam and turned an unassisted triple play in his first game. [cite web |url=http://www.boston.com/sports/baseball/redsox/articles/2006/10/11/one_that_got_away/ |title=One that got away: Scout recalls Red Sox passing on Pujols |first=Gordon |last=Edes |publisher= Boston Globe |year=2006 |accessdate=2008-09-01] He batted .461 for the year.

Minor Leagues

Few big league teams were very interested in Pujols. A Colorado Rockies scout reported favorably about the young hitter, but the club took no action. The Tampa Bay Devil Rays arranged a tryout for Pujols, but it went poorly (after the team did not draft him, the scout who had found Pujols resigned). [ [http://www.signonsandiego.com/sports/sullivan/20041026-9999-1s26sullivan.html SignOnSanDiego.com > Sports - 401 players taken before Pujols in '99] ] The St. Louis Cardinals drafted Pujols in the 13th round of the 1999 draft with the 402nd overall pick. However, Pujols initially turned down a USD $10,000 bonus and opted to play in the Jayhawk League in Kansas instead. By the end of the summer of 1999, the Cardinals increased their bonus offer to $70,000, and Pujols signed with the team. He was assigned to the minor leagues.

In 2000, Pujols played for the Peoria Chiefs of the single-A Midwest League, where he was voted league MVP. Pujols quickly progressed through the ranks of the St. Louis farm clubs, first at the Potomac Cannons in the high-A Carolina League and then with the Memphis Redbirds in the Class AAA Pacific Coast League.

Major leagues

2001 Season: Rookie of the Year

During spring training in 2001, the Cardinals were preparing for Pujols to join the Major League ranks. Pujols played extremely well in spring and won a spot on the Opening Day roster (Bobby Bonilla's placement on the disabled list did not affect his position on the roster).

In the season's second series, playing against the Arizona Diamondbacks, Pujols hit a home run, three doubles and eight RBI, securing his spot on the team. In May, he was named National League Rookie of the Month. In June, he was named to the Major League Baseball All-Star Game by NL manager Bobby Valentine, the first Cardinal rookie selected since by|1955. Pujols' phenomenal rookie season helped the Cardinals tie for the National League Central Division title. For the season, Pujols batted .329/.403/.610 with 37 home runs and 130 RBI, and was unanimously named the National League Rookie of the Year. [cite web | date= November 11 2001 | title=St. Louis' Pujols named NL Rookie of the Year | url=http://www.usatoday.com/sports/baseball/stories/2001-11-12-nl-rookie.htm | publisher=USA Today |accessdate=2008-09-01] His 37 home runs were one short of the National League rookie record of 38, held by Wally Berger of the by|1930 Boston Braves and Frank Robinson of the by|1956 Cincinnati Redlegs. His 130 RBI set an NL rookie record.

2002 Season

In by|2002, Pujols struggled early on, but continued to bat extremely well throughout the season, hitting .314/.394/.561 with 34 homers and 127 RBI. The Cardinals finished first in the NL Central during a difficult campaign that saw the deaths of team announcer Jack Buck and pitcher Darryl Kile. The Cardinals defeated the Diamondbacks in the first round of the playoffs, but lost to the San Francisco Giants in the National League Championship series. Pujols finished second in the MVP voting behind Barry Bonds. [cite web | date= November 12 2002 | title=Bonds walks away with NL MVP honors: Slugger edges out Albert Pujols for his fifth MVP | url=http://media.www.dailytexanonline.com/media/storage/paper410/news/2002/11/12/Sports/Bonds.Walks.Away.With.Nl.Mvp.Honors-497537.shtml | publisher=Daily Texan |accessdate=2008-09-01]

2003 Season

In the by|2003 season, Pujols had one of the best individual offensive seasons in Cardinals history, batting .359/.439/.667 with 43 home runs and 124 RBI. He won the National League batting title while also leading the league in runs, hits, doubles, extra base hits and total bases. At 23, Pujols became the youngest NL batting champion since 1962 and joined Rogers Hornsby as the only players in Cardinals history to record 40+ homers and 200+ hits in the same season. The Cardinals, however, failed to make the playoffs, faltering in the stretch to the Chicago Cubs in the NL Central. Pujols finished second in the MVP voting to Barry Bonds [cite web | date= November 19 2003 | title=Bonds wins 3rd straight; Pujols distant 2nd | url=http://sports.espn.go.com/mlb/news/story?id=1664815 | publisher=ESPN.com |accessdate=2008-09-01] for the second straight year and had a 30-game hitting streak.

2004 Season

Pujols started his major league career playing primarily as a third baseman. During his rookie season, he started at four different positions (1B, 3B, LF and RF), and has also appeared at 2B (late in the 2001 All-Star game as well as a regular season game in April 2008) and SS (late in one 2002 regular season game). When Scott Rolen joined the team in 2002, Pujols was moved to left field. Following an injury scare in 2003, Pujols was moved to his current position at first base.

Pujols signed a seven-year, $100 million contract extension with a $16 million club option for 2011 on February 20, 2004. He received a full no-trade clause for 2004-2006, and a limited no-trade clause for the remainder of the deal. [ [http://stlcardinals.scout.com/a.z?s=321&p=8&c=1&nid=3488958 Scout.com] ]

Throughout the year, Pujols was nagged by plantar fasciitis, but was still a powerful hitter, hitting .331/.415/.657 with 46 home runs and 123 RBI. Pujols, along with teammates Jim Edmonds and Scott Rolen, earned the nickname MV3 for their phenomenal 2004 seasons. In addition, Pujols was chosen to appear on the cover of EA Sports' video game, "MVP Baseball 2004" [cite web | date= November 20 2003 | title=EA Votes in Albert Pujols as Its MVP; St. Louis Cardinals All-Star to Grace Cover of MVP Baseball 2004 | url=http://www.businesswire.com/portal/site/google/?ndmViewId=news_view&newsId=20031120005173&newsLang=en | publisher=EA Sports |accessdate=2008-09-01] . He was also the MVP of the 2004 National League Championship Series, helping his team reach the World Series, [cite web | date= October 22 2004 | title=Pujols led Cards with 9 RBI in NLCS | url=http://sports.espn.go.com/mlb/playoffs2004/news/story?id=1907067 | publisher=ESPN.com |accessdate=2008-09-01] where they were swept by the Boston Red Sox.

2005 Season: Most Valuable Player

The by|2005 season saw Pujols establish career highs in walks and stolen bases, while leading his team in almost every offensive category. He finished batting .330/.430/.609, with 41 home runs (including his 200th career homer), 117 RBI, 97 walks, and 16 stolen bases (leading all major league first basemen). His performance in 2005 earned him the National League Most Valuable Player award. [cite web |last=Shpigel | first=Ben | authorlink= | date= November 16 2005 | title=Pujols's Excellence Finally Earns Him an M.V.P. | url=http://www.nytimes.com/2005/11/16/sports/baseball/16mvp.html | publisher=New York Times |accessdate=2008-09-01]

The Cardinals were eliminated by the Houston Astros 4 games to 2 in the National League Championship Series, but Pujols hit a memorable home run in Game 5 as the Cardinals were only one out from elimination. With the Astros leading 4-2 with two outs in the ninth inning, David Eckstein singled. The next batter, Jim Edmonds, walked. Pujols then hit a massive game-winning home run off closer Brad Lidge that landed on the landmark train tracks in the back of Minute Maid Park. [cite web |last=Leach | first=Matthew | authorlink= | date= October 15 2005 | title=Pujols keeps Cards' season alive | url=http://mlb.mlb.com/news/gameday_recap.jsp?ymd=20051017&content_id=1253412&vkey=recap&fext=.jsp&c_id=stl | publisher=MLB |accessdate=2007-07-08]

In 2005, John Dewan noted in "The Fielding Bible" that no first baseman was better at digging balls out of the dirt than Pujols. Pujols saved 42 bad throws by his fielders in 2005 (Derrek Lee was second with 23). At the same time, Pujols shared the major league lead in errors for a first baseman, with 14.

2006 Season: World Series Champion

Pujols set the record for the most home runs hit in the first month of the season, at 14, on April 29, 2006. The record was tied by Alex Rodriguez of the New York Yankees in 2007. On June 3, 2006, Pujols suffered an oblique strain chasing a foul pop fly off the bat of Cubs third baseman Aramis Ramirez. He was later placed on the 15-day disabled list for the first time in his career on June 4 – June 21, missing 15 games. Pujols, at the time of his injury, had 25 home runs and 65 RBI and was on pace to break the single-season records held by Barry Bonds (73 HRs) and Hack Wilson (191 RBI). He returned in time to help the Cardinals win the NL Central. He started at first base for the 2006 National League All-Star team. Pujols finished the season with a .331/.431/.671 line, establishing new career-highs in slugging percentage (in which he led the majors), home runs (49)(second) and RBIs (137) (second). In the 2006 National League MVP voting, he came in a close second to Ryan Howard, garnering 12 of 32 first-place votes. [cite web |last=Curry | first=Jack | authorlink= | date= November 21 2006 | title=Phillies’ Howard Beats Out Pujols for M.V.P. of National League | url=http://www.nytimes.com/2006/11/21/sports/baseball/21mvp.html | publisher=New York Times |accessdate=2008-09-01]

After appearing in the playoffs with the Cardinals in four of his first five years in the big leagues but falling short each time, Pujols won his first championship ring when the Cardinals won the 2006 World Series, defeating the Detroit Tigers four games to one. [cite web |date= October 27 2006 | title=Cards roll past Tigers for first Series win since '82 | url=http://sports.espn.go.com/mlb/recap?gameId=261027124 | publisher=ESPN.com |accessdate=2008-09-01]

After the by|2006 season Pujols' defensive improvements were recognized as he was given his the Gold Glove award. He had the highest range factor among first basemen in his two full seasons at the position, and led the National League in that category in 2006; emblematic was the [http://sports.espn.go.com/mlb/recap?gameId=261027124 sprawling, flip-from-his-back play] Pujols made to rob Plácido Polanco of a hit in the 7th inning of Game 5 of the World Series.

2007 Season

Pujols had a slower start in the spring than in previous years due to several injuries in his right elbow. Following the All-Star Break, he hit four home runs in his first three games back. Pujols was also awarded the Player of the Week honors on July 15th after going 9-for-15 with a 1.357 slugging percentage and 19 total bases, all while batting .429.

He hit his 25th home run on August 15, making him the fifth player to hit 25 home runs in his first seven seasons in the major leagues, and the first since Darryl Strawberry. On August 22, he hit his 30th home run of the season, becoming the first major league player to hit at least 30 home runs in each of his first 7 seasons. It was his fifth consecutive game with a home run, tying the Cardinals' single-season record. He finished August batting .317, slugging .558 with 30 home runs and 84 runs batted in, while still sporting an excellent .416 on-base percentage despite his slower-than-usual start in April.

In a pre-game warmup on the field before a September 18 game at home, Pujols suffered a strained calf muscle in his left leg and was not able to start or appear later in the game. In September, he hit two home runs for a total of 32, the last one giving him 16 RBI for the month, and 100 RBI for the seventh consecutive year to become only the third player to accomplish the feat at the start of his career.

Pujols won the Fielding Bible Award in 2007 for his defensive excellence at first base. [ [http://stlouis.cardinals.mlb.com/news/article.jsp?ymd=20071102&content_id=2291100&vkey=news_stl&fext=.jsp&c_id=stl The Official Site of The St. Louis Cardinals: News: St. Louis Cardinals News ] ]

2008 Season

Pujols reached another milestone early in the season when he hit his 300th career double in April 2008. [cite web |url=http://presspass.mlb.com/pp_viewer.asp?d=38336 |title=St. Louis Cardinals GAME NOTES |page=3 |publisher=St. Louis Cardinals |date=2008-03-05 |accessdate=2008-03-06] For the month of April, he reached base safely (via hit, walk, or hit-by-pitch) in all 29 team games played starting on April 1. His streak eventually reached 42 games, ending on May 16. It was the longest streak in baseball since Derek Jeter's 53-game streak in 1999. [cite web |url=http://presspass.mlb.com/dbdocs/77/129/3700_1790.pdf|format=PDF |title=St. Louis Cardinals GAME NOTES |publisher=MLB.com |date=2008-05-11]

On May 22, Pujols was involved in causing injuries to two players on the San Diego Padres within the same inning. In the second inning, he lined a pitch by Padres starting pitcher Chris Young into Young's face, breaking his nose and forcing him to leave the game. Later, as Pujols tried to score on a single by Troy Glaus, he slid into catcher Josh Bard, spraining Bard's ankle and forcing him to leave the game as well [cite web |url=http://sports.yahoo.com/mlb/recap?gid=280521125 |title=Ludwick, Glaus lift Cards to 11-3 win over Padres |publisher=Yahoo! |date=2008-05-22] .

On June 10, Pujols strained his left-calf muscle and went on the 15-day disabled list for the second time in his eight-year career. [cite web |url=http://stlouis.cardinals.mlb.com/news/article.jsp?ymd=20080610&content_id=2885019&vkey=news_stl&fext=.jsp&c_id=stl |title=Pujols suffers strained left calf: Cards slugger to be examined Wednesday, likely headed to DL |publisher=MLB.com |date=2008-06-11] [cite web |url=http://mlb.mlb.com/news/article.jsp?ymd=20080611&content_id=2891897&vkey=news_stl&fext=.jsp&c_id=stl |title=Pujols to miss at least three weeks: With slugger sidelined due to calf strain, Cards recall Duncan |publisher=MLB.com |date=2008-06-11] He was re-activated on June 26 after missing 13 games. [cite web |url=http://stlouis.cardinals.mlb.com/news/article.jsp?ymd=20080626&content_id=3007817&vkey=news_stl&fext=.jsp&c_id=stl |title=Pujols returns to fold at DH in finale: Slugger comes off 15-day disabled list to face the Tigers |author=Matthew Leach |publisher=MLB.com |date=2008-06-26] He went 4 for 4 the day of his return.

On July 4th, Pujols hit his 300th career home run against the Chicago Cubs. [cite web |url=http://stlouis.cardinals.mlb.com/news/gameday_recap.jsp?ymd=20080704&content_id=3065158&vkey=recap&fext=.jsp&c_id=stl |title=Pujols' power not enough vs. Cubs: Slugger's 300th homer accounts for Cards' only run |publisher=MLB.com |date=2008-07-04] He was the fifth youngest player to reach the mark.

On Monday, August 25, he won the NL Player of the Week award (Aug. 18-24) for the seventh time in his career after batting .579 (11-for-19) with a .652 on-base percentage, a 1.105 slugging percentage, and 10 RBIs. The five-game outburst effectively tied him with the Braves' Chipper Jones for the NL batting title, both at .359. . [ [http://stlouis.cardinals.mlb.com/news/article.jsp?ymd=20080826&content_id=3369706&vkey=news_stl&fext=.jsp&c_id=stl Pujols wins NL Player of the Week: Cardinals slugger hits .579 with 10 RBIs to earn award] ]

Pujols had his 1,500th career hit on August 30th against the Houston Astros. [ [http://stlouis.cardinals.mlb.com/news/gameday_recap.jsp?ymd=20080830&content_id=3391433&vkey=recap&fext=.jsp&c_id=stl Looper rocked by Astros in Houston] ] On September 1st, Pujols hit his 30th home run of the season off of Randy Johnson to start his career with eight consecutive 30 HR seasons, the first player to do so in MLB history. [ [http://stlouis.cardinals.mlb.com/news/gameday_recap.jsp?ymd=20080901&content_id=3401145&vkey=recap&fext=.jsp&c_id=stl Cards lose wild slugfest to D-backs] ] [ [http://sports.espn.go.com/mlb/recap?gameId=280901129 Cards rough up Unit, but Eckstein, Drew's cycle rally D-backs] ] Pujols hit his 100th RBI on Thursday, September 11th off of Rich Harden (also Albert's 40th double of the season) to become the first player in MLB history to start his career with eight seasons of at least 30 HR, 100 RBI, a .300 BA and 99 runs. [ [http://www.stltoday.com/stltoday/sports/stories.nsf/cardinals/story/0810C479175075BA862574C20012F730?OpenDocument Pujols hits milestone in loss to Cubs] ]

Personal

Pujols married his wife Deidre on January 1, 2000. They have three children, Isabella (Deidre's daughter, adopted by Albert), Albert Jr., and Sophia. Albert and his wife are active in the cause of people with Down syndrome, as Isabella was born with this condition. He has taken part-ownership in Patrick's Restaurant in Maryland Heights, Missouri. The remodeled restaurant was re-opened as Pujols 5 on August 30, 2006. [cite web | url = http://www.stltoday.com/stltoday/entertainment/stories.nsf/dining/story/A7C63E16936FE2DE862571D900734BBE?OpenDocument | title = Pujols Swings, and it's a grand...opening | work=St. Louis Post Dispatch | accessdate = 2006-09-02 ]

Pujols is close friends with second baseman Plácido Polanco, a former teammate with the St. Louis Cardinals. Pujols is godfather to Polanco's 3-year-old son, Ismael. [cite web | url=http://sports.espn.go.com/mlb/playoffs2006/columns/story?id=2635875 | title=Pujols is godfather to Polanco's son | author=Enrique Rojas | date=2006-10-23 | publisher=ESPN.com] Polanco played for the 2006 Detroit Tigers team that lost to the Cardinals in the 2006 World Series.

On February 7, 2007, Pujols became a U.S. citizen, [cite web|url=http://mlb.mlb.com/news/article.jsp?ymd=20070208&content_id=1798239&vkey=news_mlb&fext=.jsp&c_id=mlb |title=Pujols officially becomes U.S. citizen |first=Matthew |last=Leach |publisher= MLB.com |date=2007-02-08] scoring a perfect 100 on his citizenship test. [cite web | url=http://media.www.dailyvidette.com/media/storage/paper420/news/2007/02/09/Sports/Pujols.Officially.Becomes.U.s.Citizen-2708450.shtml | title=Pujols officially becomes U.S. citizen | author=AP | year=2007 | publisher=Daily Vidette online]

On April 24, 2007, Upper Deck Authenticated announced it had signed Pujols to an exclusive autographed memorabilia agreement.

Pujols and his wife are active Christians; his foundation's website states, "In the Pujols family, God is first. Everything else is a distant second." [cite web | url = http://www.pujolsfamilyfoundation.org/faith.htm | title = About Our Faith | work = Pujols Family Foundation | accessdate = 2006-08-10 ]

Pujols Family Foundation

In 2005, Albert and Diedre Pujols launched the Pujols Family Foundation, which is dedicated to "the love, care and development of people with Down syndrome and their families," as well as helping the poor in the Dominican Republic. Pujols has taken several trips to the Dominican, by taking supplies as well as a team of doctors and dentists to the poor who need medical care. [cite web | url = http://www.pujolsfamilyfoundation.org/foundation.htm | title = Mission Statement | work = Pujols Family Foundation | accessdate = 2006-08-10 ] The Pujols Family Foundation also holds an annual golf tournament in which members from the Cardinals and other people play golf to raise money to send dentists to the Dominican Republic. [http://stlouis.cardinals.mlb.com/news/article.jsp?ymd=20080908&content_id=3439416&vkey=news_stl&fext=.jsp&c_id=stl Pujols' golf event]

Accomplishments

* Seven-time All-Star (2001, 2003-08)
* 48-game consecutive on-base streak in 2001, from July 28 - September 22.
* MVP of the National League in (2005) and finishing second three times (2002, 2003 & 2006)
* National League Batting Champion, 2003
* Second all-time for most home runs hit in first five seasons (201 home runs from 2001 through 2005), behind Ralph Kiner
* Named to Major League Baseball's Latino Legends Team in 2005 as the starting first baseman.
* Hit the first Cardinal home run in new Busch Stadium (Apr. 10, 2006) [ [http://sports.yahoo.com/mlb/recap?gid=260410124 Recap of first game at New Busch (Apr. 10, 2006).] ]
* Became the 35th player to hit home runs in four consecutive at-bats, and the 20th batter to hit four home runs in four consecutive plate appearances, on April 16 and 17, 2006.
* Holds the record for most home runs in the month of April with 14 in 2006 (tied with Alex Rodriguez, 2007).
* Became the fastest player in Major League history to reach 19 home runs in a season, doing so on May 13, 2006.
* Became the third-fastest, after Barry Bonds and Mark McGwire, to reach 25 home runs in a season, doing so on May 29, 2006.
* Became the 16th batter to hit three home runs in a game twice in the same season in 2006 (April 16 & September 3).
* 20 of his 49 home runs accounted for the game-winning RBI in 2006, breaking Willie Mays' single-season record set in 1962. [cite web | url=http://sports.espn.go.com/mlb/recap?gameId=260927124| title=Three-run Pujols blast helps Cards snap 7-game skid | author=AP| date=2006-09-27 | publisher=ESPN.com] [cite web | url=http://sports.espn.go.com/mlb/recap?gameId=260929124| title=Cards power past Brewers, extend narrow division lead | author=AP| date=2006-09-29 | publisher=ESPN.com]
* 2006 World Series Championship.
* Hit his 300th career home run on July 4th, 2008.
* Became the fastest player to get career home run 300 from their 1st (April 6th, 2001 - July 4th 2008), totaling 2,646 days, beating Alex Rodriguez by 572 days (June 12th, 1995 - April 3rd, 2003).
* Became only the second player to hit 300 home runs in his first eight seasons. Ralph Kiner, the first to do it, had 329 home runs in his first eight seasons.
* Became one of only four players in major league history with a career batting average of .330 or higher [.332] and fewer than 500 strikeouts [480] at the time of their 300th home run. Ted Williams, Stan Musial, and Joe DiMaggio were the others.
* Became only the third player in baseball history to start his career with eight consecutive seasons of 100+ RBIs, on September 11, 2008. Al Simmons (1924-1934) with 11, and Ted Williams (1939-42, 1946-49) with 8, were the only other players to accomplish that feat. [cite web |url=http://stlouis.cardinals.mlb.com/news/article.jsp?ymd=20080911&content_id=3459160&vkey=news_stl&fext=.jsp&c_id=stl |title=Pujols reaches RBI century mark: Third player to begin career with eight straight such seasons |author=Matthew Leach |publisher=MLB.com |date=2008-09-12]
* Became the only player in baseball history to start his career in eight consecutive seasons with a .300+ batting average, 30+ HRs, and 100+ RBIs.

Awards

* Rookie of the Year, 2001
* Three-time Silver Slugger (2001, 2003-04) (Note: Pujols has won a Silver Slugger at three different positions: first base, third base, and outfield).
* National League Player of the Month for May-June 2003 and for April 2006
* Hank Aaron Award, 2003
* NL batting champion, 2003
* TSN Player of the Year, 2003
* NLCS MVP, 2004
* National League MVP, 2005
* Fielding Bible Award at first base, 2006
* Gold Glove Award at first base, 2006
* Fielding Bible Award at first base, 2007
* 'NL Player of the Week' Award for the eighth time (September 28, 2008)

Miscellaneous statistics and facts

*Career rankings among active players and on the All-Time lists, respectively, (as of September 28, 2008) [Bonds, Sosa, Piazza, Green, Klesko, and Cirillo not on any active roster]
**.3344 Batting average - 1st and 23rd
**.4250 On-base percentage - 2nd and 13th
**.6238 Slugging average - 1st and 4th
** 1.0489 OPS - 1st and 5th
** 170 Adjusted OPS+ - 1st and 7th
**.7770 Offensive Win% - 1st and 13th
** 1,531 Hits - 52nd and 539th
** 857 Singles - 72nd and 908th (had 800th on June 26, 2008)
** 342 Doubles - 38th and 266th
** 319 Home runs - 16th and 98th (300th on July 4, 2008)
** 977 RBI - 29th and 279th
** 947 Runs - 31st and 349th
** 674 Extra-base hits - 25th and 177th
** 2,856 Total Bases - 32nd and 314th
** 501 Adjusted Batting Runs - 8th and 43rd
** 46.40 Batting Wins - 8th and 51st
** 1,199 Runs Created - 23rd and 180th
** 9.00 ABs per SO - 15th (best) [not in Top 200 career]
** 14.40 ABs per HR - 4th and 9th
** 696 Walks - 32nd and 331st
** 154 Intentional Walks - 8th and 38th
** 157 Grounded Into Double Plays - 24th and 213th

[http://www.baseball-reference.com/leaders Baseball-Reference.com Leader and Record Board Index]

Career Statistics