Posted on 09/24/2022 11:17:23 AM PDT by Rummyfan
Twenty-two years. Seven hundred home runs.
Albert Pujols achieved a level of greatness only three other players in the history of the game have matched when he hit No. 700 on Friday night -- his second homer of the evening at Dodger Stadium. He joins Barry Bonds, Henry Aaron and Babe Ruth as the only players in the exclusive 700-home run club.
As the St. Louis Cardinals slugger made his march for history, ESPN's Jesse Rogers, Buster Olney and Alden Gonzalez asked current and former teammates, opposing pitchers and other greats in the game to describe their favorite moments and what it has been like playing with, pitching to and simply witnessing an all-time great home run hitter during Pujols' two decades in the majors.
(Excerpt) Read more at espn.com ...
Maddux pitched a complete game 2-hitter.
He threw 78 pitches. To put that in context, a pitcher would have to throw 81 pitches if he struck out every opposing batter on three pitches.
The game was over in about an hour and 50 minutes. It was a night game scheduled to start at 7:00 PM. It was still light out when Maddux walked off the mound after the final out.
“The fact he hit two in a row, suggests the Dodgers pitchers were grooving big time.”
One of the advantages he has is that at this point, he hasn’t hit .300 for over a decade and he has collected 76 hits in 287 at bats with just 25 bases on balls this year. So patience is going to be the answer for his continued success with a .265 batting average. The pitchers are less afraid to challenge him this year so he is going to get more hittable pitches. Also, with Goldschmidt, who is just tearing up the league this year, and Arenado hitting behind him, they don’t want to walk him. So, he’ll see more pitches.
wy69
There are advantages to not having a TeeVee.
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Yes, of course, you get to virtue signal about it!
Pujols and then Cardinals manager Tony LaRussa spoke at a religious rally in Washington DC in that featured Glenn Beck and Sarah Palin. They spoke on the condition that it would not feature any political speeches.
LaRussa was under criticism then because he said the Tea Party and Arizona’s immigration were good.
I prefer the Braves&Twins series in...was it 1991 or so?
Never heard of him
County Stadium in Milwaukee, and Atlanta Stadium, were among the smallest ballparks in the majors?
I do not like foot ball at all and as a result, I keep my butt off foot ball threads.
Go ahead, search all the foot ball threads, you wont find my sorry butt on any of them in almost 20 years now.
I have watched exactly one f.b. game in my 77 years, I actually enjoyed it and that was because my then 8 year old grandson was playing in it.
Take enjoyable entertainment where you find it everybody.
The fact that the Dodgers’ crowd and team show so much affection for him after a brief time with the team says a lot about the Dodger team, its fans and Pujols himself.
Here’s Albert Pujols’ first day with the Dodgers in 2021.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=AlpkA_1plZI&t=430s
If he needs a coaching job after his retirement I bet the Dodgers will offer him one.
Exactly, Mays did the following with two of his most productive years in the army after winning rookie of the year and just before winning MVP...
.302 life time batting average
3283 hits
660 home runs
1903 life time RBIs
338 Stolen bases
24x all-star
12 golden gloves
He was no where near average in his time. All these stats are among the highest for any career at any time. But he had all these stats at the same time. He was dangerous on the bases. He hit for average and was among the best in triples doubles as well as home runs. He was an amazing center fielder with great speed and a great arm. Plus he was the last of the basket catchers. Catching the ball on belt buckle.
There were great players around his time. Hank Arron for one. But Willie and Hank played at a time when the pitcher mound was higher and the brush back pitch was allowed. Outfield walls were much further out. In fact the middle of the Right field wall to the middle of the left field wall in the Polo Grounds was over 450 feet from the plate. His stats are more impressive because of when he played.
With a 21 game lead in the NL West, the fans weren't standing during Pujols at bats rooting for a walk or strikeout. 699 was grooved. 700 was boarder line inside lower half of the strike zone.
Mays is the GOAT.
He is also a wonderful strong Christian.
ping
No player in history had a first decade with the batting numbers Pujols had.
Awesome!
Yes Braves - Twins was 1991. Notable because it was the first time the home team - won all games. Twins had home field advantage so….
Atlanta Fulton County Stadium was nicknamed ‘The Launching Pad’ FWIW….
For pitchers, consider Don Sutton and Dennis Martinez. Although to his credit, Martinez won 100 games in each league.
Martinez was a workhorse and the best player to ever come out of Nicaragua. Overshadowed by Palmer and Flanagan when he was with the Orioles.
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