We tend to get cynical in this business, especially when we see approximately one million people all wearing the same shirt in hero worship of one guy. It’s almost cult like the way they act around here about Albert Pujols. And by “we,” I mean “me.”
Anyway, when the Cardinals traveled to Clearwater to play the Phillies during spring training, I inched in very close to watch Albert Pujols to take BP. Then I went back to the press box and wrote this:
CLEARWATER, Fla. - Guys like me get jaded. Hang around the ballpark for as long as I have and some days and events tend to blend together. As a result, sometimes things that are really, really cool get lost in the shuffle.
Take last October for instance -- there were so many significant moments that got lost in uber-poignant events that it's difficult to remember them all. For instance, Shane Victorino's little tête-à-tête with Hiroki Kuroda and the Dodgers in the NLCS in L.A. was pretty big. It definitely set some sort of tone for the rest of that series, just like Brett Myers' AB vs. CC Sabathia in the NLDS and Pat Burrell's two-homer game in the clincher in Milwaukee.
Phew! Yes, October was such a blur.
So this afternoon I took a little me time. A moment to enjoy something that doesn't come around all that much in these parts.
Yep, I watched Albert Pujols take batting practice and, man, let me tell you... the dude smashed some whompers. The ball takes a different flight off Pujols' bat compared to his counterparts'. It's almost exactly like a plane taking off -- it builds up speed on a straight line and then, whoosh, it takes off.
The aftermath is an assault on firm standing structures like tiki bars, scoreboards and people that leave dents and welts so it's best to seek cover when Pujols takes BP.
Here's the thing:
Albert Pujols is the best hitter I've ever seen. Yes, that's what I said...
Albert Pujols is the best hitter I've ever seen.