Pujols appreciation thread

[KeithandDJ]

Hit #632 today. Needs 28 to catch Willie Mays! Time to heat up again!

[speedyjg13]

HR #633 and RBI #1979

[speedyjg13]

RBI #1980

[speedyjg13]

Add another: RBI #1981

[KeithandDJ]

Just read article that Albert is looking forward to being able to work out his legs and core this upcoming offseason. Could pass Gehrig and Bonds in RBIs this season then run down Arod for no. 3 all-time next season. Numbers are good this season and among top 5 in hard hit balls... great he has held up in field so well!

[rman112]

Originally Posted by KeithandDJ

Just read article that Albert is looking forward to being able to work out his legs and core this upcoming offseason. Could pass Gehrig and Bonds in RBIs this season then run down Arod for no. 3 all-time next season. Numbers are good this season and among top 5 in hard hit balls... great he has held up in field so well!

The idea that he'll be able to get his lower half back isn't much more than plain optimism, though. He lost weight this offseason, but that hasn't made a difference.

No offense intended, but his numbers this season haven't even been close to good.

[ThoseBackPages]

more juice, love it!

[Peties Army]

Originally Posted by rman112

The idea that he'll be able to get his lower half back isn't much more than plain optimism, though. He lost weight this offseason, but that hasn't made a difference.

No offense intended, but his numbers this season haven't even been close to good.

No they have not been

So basically 3.5 more season like this to get to 700 HRs? Not looking to likely

[KeithandDJ]

Originally Posted by rman112

The idea that he'll be able to get his lower half back isn't much more than plain optimism, though. He lost weight this offseason, but that hasn't made a difference.

No offense intended, but his numbers this season haven't even been close to good.

He wants to get his “lower half” stronger, which shouldn’t be hard to do since he can now workout. If you don’t think he’s in much better shape this season then you haven’t seen him play much.

[rman112]

Originally Posted by KeithandDJ

He wants to get his “lower half” stronger, which shouldn’t be hard to do since he can now workout. If you don’t think he’s in much better shape this season then you haven’t seen him play much.

Yeah, but if he's in much better shape, why hasn't that translated to anything? To say that he's been 'rough' this year is putting it kindly. Plus he's still strictly base to base, with doubles for 99% of other players becoming singles, and plenty more hits taken away because he can't do more than jog.

I get the philosophy regarding workout, but you gotta realize how knotted up and tense he must be be in his lower body. That's not going away from working out.

[KeithandDJ]

Originally Posted by rman112

Yeah, but if he's in much better shape, why hasn't that translated to anything? To say that he's been 'rough' this year is putting it kindly. Plus he's still strictly base to base, with doubles for 99% of other players becoming singles, and plenty more hits taken away because he can't do more than jog.

I get the philosophy regarding workout, but you gotta realize how knotted up and tense he must be be in his lower body. That's not going away from working out.

You realize he is playing in the field this season? That would be a major difference in the shape he is in. Yes he is very slow yet has as many doubles as Lorenzo Cain.

[rman112]

Originally Posted by KeithandDJ

You realize he is playing in the field this season? That would be a major difference in the shape he is in. Yes he is very slow yet has as many doubles as Lorenzo Cain.

That's a good point re: playing the field. But the fact that he's playing the field doesn't even begin to help negate the fact that he just can't hit anymore. The Angels would obviously take a healthier Pujols that can hit vs. a healthier Pujols that can give them time at 1st.

20 doubles? That's tied for 101st in baseball. Would you agree that he'd have a good number more if he could run even a little bit? I literally saw him a few weeks ago hit a ball past the 3rd baseman down the line, it rattled around a bit down the line, and he was held to a single!

[KeithandDJ]

Originally Posted by rman112

That's a good point re: playing the field. But the fact that he's playing the field doesn't even begin to help negate the fact that he just can't hit anymore. The Angels would obviously take a healthier Pujols that can hit vs. a healthier Pujols that can give them time at 1st.

20 doubles? That's tied for 101st in baseball. Would you agree that he'd have a good number more if he could run even a little bit? I literally saw him a few weeks ago hit a ball past the 3rd baseman down the line, it rattled around a bit down the line, and he was held to a single!

They wanted him to be healthy to play first to make room for Ohtani to DH, that was key to the whole Ohtani deal. So the fact that he is in the field can’t be dismissed or regarded as much less important than hitting.

[epatmythes]

Dang, I thought this was an Albert Pujols appreciation thread... Guess it's now a lets be critical of every facet of his aging body and play thread... SMH

Sent from my XT1096 using Tapatalk

[rman112]

Originally Posted by KeithandDJ

They wanted him to be healthy to play first to make room for Ohtani to DH, that was key to the whole Ohtani deal. So the fact that he is in the field can’t be dismissed or regarded as much less important than hitting.

I understand what you're saying, but at the end of the day they need him to be MUCH more productive offensively. He's just not cutting it, being able to play 1st (where, can I assume he's not exactly Keith Hernandez?) or no.

[KeithandDJ]

Originally Posted by epatmythes

Dang, I thought this was an Albert Pujols appreciation thread... Guess it's now a lets be critical of every facet of his aging body and play thread... SMH

Sent from my XT1096 using Tapatalk

Agreeance. I collect Aaron and Mays and all I can think of at times like these is how much did fans complain about them as they wound down their careers. I imagine fans back then wouldn’t complain about how bad they were but remember how good they were and on occasion see a flash that reflects just how special they were. I appreciate Pujols career including the wind down. Whenever he smokes a homer that he gets around on and it’s a classic Pujols bomb it makes me feel pretty good as a fan. He’s one of about 10 players I want to see every at bat in case something special happens. Huge fan of his play and LOVE the work he does for kids with Downs Syndrome.

[COEFOR]

Originally Posted by KeithandDJ

Agreeance. I collect Aaron and Mays and all I can think of at times like these is how much did fans complain about them as they wound down their careers. I imagine fans back then wouldn’t complain about how bad they were but remember how good they were and on occasion see a flash that reflects just how special they were.

While I understand what you are saying, Mays and Aaron were nowhere near the level Pujols is at during their twilight years. I see Pujols more in the mold of Griffey where they both continued to accumulate counting stats at the expense of their rate stats (although Griffey really fell off a cliff). Sure, Mays and Aaron were not up to the level of their prime, but by no means were they merely average or below average players. The numbers that they put up look even better when considering Pujols hasn't even hit the ages where they started to slow down.

WAR after 30:
Mays - 79.4
Aaron - 62.5
Pujols - 18.9
Griffey - 7.5

OPS+ by age

[KeithandDJ]

Originally Posted by COEFOR

While I understand what you are saying, Mays and Aaron were nowhere near the level Pujols is at during their twilight years. I see Pujols more in the mold of Griffey where they both continued to accumulate counting stats at the expense of their rate stats (although Griffey really fell off a cliff). Sure, Mays and Aaron were not up to the level of their prime, but by no means were they merely average or below average players. The numbers that they put up look even better when considering Pujols hasn't even hit the ages where they started to slow down.

WAR after 30:
Mays - 79.4
Aaron - 62.5
Pujols - 18.9
Griffey - 7.5

OPS+ by age

Wow, those are incredible numbers, speaks to their greatness. I blame the plantar fasciitis for a lot of Pujols decline. He’s a grinder that’s for sure, shows up to play.

[speedyjg13]

Originally Posted by COEFOR

While I understand what you are saying, Mays and Aaron were nowhere near the level Pujols is at during their twilight years. I see Pujols more in the mold of Griffey where they both continued to accumulate counting stats at the expense of their rate stats (although Griffey really fell off a cliff). Sure, Mays and Aaron were not up to the level of their prime, but by no means were they merely average or below average players. The numbers that they put up look even better when considering Pujols hasn't even hit the ages where they started to slow down.

WAR after 30:
Mays - 79.4
Aaron - 62.5
Pujols - 18.9
Griffey - 7.5

OPS+ by age

Wow thanks for sharing! I'm hoping Big Al retires after he gets RBI 2000. Really hope he doesnt ride out his contract

[COEFOR]

Originally Posted by speedyjg13

Wow thanks for sharing! I'm hoping Big Al retires after he gets RBI 2000. Really hope he doesnt ride out his contract

One of Mantle’s biggest regrets was not retiring before his average fell below .300. Unfortunately I don’t see any way that doesn’t happen with Pujols by next year.

[speedyjg13]

Originally Posted by COEFOR

One of Mantle’s biggest regrets was not retiring before his average fell below .300. Unfortunately I don’t see any way that doesn’t happen with Pujols by next year.

Wonder if this new injury will make him retire just so he can have a lifetime avg of over .300

[rman112]

Originally Posted by speedyjg13

Wonder if this new injury will make him retire just so he can have a lifetime avg of over .300

And give up 87 mil?

[KeithandDJ]

He will be back. Angels open at St. Louis next season. No way he misses that! Then probably announce one more season to get his rocking chair tour he is due.

[KeithandDJ]

Any guesses on Pujols homer total for this season? He will get 2,000 career RBI before All-Star break. I am going with projections of .285, 26 homers and 87 RBI.

[WizardofOz1982]

Originally Posted by speedyjg13

Wonder if this new injury will make him retire just so he can have a lifetime avg of over .300

A couple years ago I ran the numbers and didn't think there was any way Albert could fall under .300 career but sadly if he repeats last season this year then he will be at .2997 which they'll round up probably. Another bad season in 2020 and he'll be well below.

If he's going to get 465 or so At Bats going forward then he needs about 135 hits a year to maintain his .300 career average. That's around a .285 average and I don't see that happening

Originally Posted by KeithandDJ

Any guesses on Pujols homer total for this season? He will get 2,000 career RBI before All-Star break. I am going with projections of .285, 26 homers and 87 RBI.

I'm thinking 22 homers this year.

I think he rebounds a little at the plate this year for some reason, maybe focusing on contact over power now that he has 600, but it won't be great. I'm thinking .264/.316/.415 with 22 HRs, 60 runs, and 88 RBIs.

Honestly I'm hoping he goes on a 2 month spring tear and then makes a throw that causes his UCL to finally pop and he calls it quits at the All Star Break instead of going through all the rehab from TJS. He's raking in spring training so maybe there's some hope.