Albert Pujols retiring after the season

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Popeye_Card
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Re: Albert Pujols retiring after the season

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heyzeus wrote:
February 25 21, 9:38 am
go birds wrote:
February 25 21, 8:45 am
pujols never hit 50 homers in a season which seems weird to think about.

he came really close in 2006 though when he lost the MVP to.........................ryan howard
Pujols in that way is comparable to Hank Aaron - just metronomic excellence. Aaron of course provided his high level for considerably longer than Pujols, but at the same time, Pujols' 11 year run was at a higher level than Aaron's peak.

Frank Thomas really is the best comp for AP, but like Michael said, throw in excellent defense.

Y'all remember the years that Albert decided "hey, maybe I'll just also become a great runner, too, despite weighing 240 pounds?" For example, 2005: 16 stolen bases, two caught stealing. His baseball accumen is so unbelievably high, he could wait all season to pick those spots.
Completely off-subject, but one of the odd things that always gets me about baseball is that this guy stole 319 bases in his career, including a high of 56 in 1987.
[SHOW]
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The '80s were weird, man.

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Re: Albert Pujols retiring after the season

Post by Michael »

Popeye_Card wrote:
February 25 21, 9:57 am
The '80s were weird, man.
Cocaine is a hell of a drug.

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Joe Shlabotnik
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Re: Albert Pujols retiring after the season

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Michael wrote:
February 25 21, 10:24 am
Popeye_Card wrote:
February 25 21, 9:57 am
The '80s were weird, man.
Cocaine is a hell of a drug.
He wasn't fat in his prime. Husky maybe. Not fat though. Or chubby. Definitely not chubby. Or chunky either come to think of it.

Yeah. Husky.

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Re: Albert Pujols retiring after the season

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Joe Shlabotnik wrote:
February 25 21, 11:00 am
Michael wrote:
February 25 21, 10:24 am
Popeye_Card wrote:
February 25 21, 9:57 am
The '80s were weird, man.
Cocaine is a hell of a drug.
He wasn't fat in his prime. Husky maybe. Not fat though. Or chubby. Definitely not chubby. Or chunky either come to think of it.

Yeah. Husky.
Still, 56 steals! Even Billy Hamilton has only topped out at 59 in a season in recent years. Such a different game.

Rickey Henderson stole 130 bases in 1982, and was caught 42 times. He attempted a steal 172 times!

I feel like we could create a whole separate thread on the lost art of the stolen base.

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Re: Albert Pujols retiring after the season

Post by Michael »

Popeye_Card wrote:
February 25 21, 11:43 am
I feel like we could create a whole separate thread on the lost art of the stolen base.
I'd love it if MLB changed the rules to emphasize stolen bases. For example, limit the number of times the pitcher can throw to 1B. Stolen bases are one of the most exciting plays in baseball and it has been completely buried in the modern game.

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Re: Albert Pujols retiring after the season

Post by Joe Shlabotnik »

Michael wrote:
February 25 21, 11:50 am
Popeye_Card wrote:
February 25 21, 11:43 am
I feel like we could create a whole separate thread on the lost art of the stolen base.
I'd love it if MLB changed the rules to emphasize stolen bases. For example, limit the number of times the pitcher can throw to 1B. Stolen bases are one of the most exciting plays in baseball and it has been completely buried in the modern game.
+1

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Re: Albert Pujols retiring after the season

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Popeye_Card wrote:
February 25 21, 11:43 am
Joe Shlabotnik wrote:
February 25 21, 11:00 am
Michael wrote:
February 25 21, 10:24 am
Popeye_Card wrote:
February 25 21, 9:57 am
The '80s were weird, man.
Cocaine is a hell of a drug.
He wasn't fat in his prime. Husky maybe. Not fat though. Or chubby. Definitely not chubby. Or chunky either come to think of it.

Yeah. Husky.
Still, 56 steals! Even Billy Hamilton has only topped out at 59 in a season in recent years. Such a different game.

Rickey Henderson stole 130 bases in 1982, and was caught 42 times. He attempted a steal 172 times!

I feel like we could create a whole separate thread on the lost art of the stolen base.
Gwynn probably had a lot more chances to steal than Hamilton; since Hamilton's biggest problem was getting on base in the first place.

But yeah...the stolen base is a lost art.

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Re: Albert Pujols retiring after the season

Post by Joe Shlabotnik »

Michael wrote:
February 25 21, 11:50 am
Popeye_Card wrote:
February 25 21, 11:43 am
I feel like we could create a whole separate thread on the lost art of the stolen base.
I'd love it if MLB changed the rules to emphasize stolen bases. For example, limit the number of times the pitcher can throw to 1B. Stolen bases are one of the most exciting plays in baseball and it has been completely buried in the modern game.
+1

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Re: Albert Pujols retiring after the season

Post by Jocephus »

since we're all getting mushy

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Re: Albert Pujols retiring after the season

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Michael wrote:
February 25 21, 11:50 am
Popeye_Card wrote:
February 25 21, 11:43 am
I feel like we could create a whole separate thread on the lost art of the stolen base.
I'd love it if MLB changed the rules to emphasize stolen bases. For example, limit the number of times the pitcher can throw to 1B. Stolen bases are one of the most exciting plays in baseball and it has been completely buried in the modern game.
Agreed. There isn't much better than a guy stealing 2nd, then turning around and stealing 3rd on the next pitch. Stealing 3rd in general is such an exciting play, which we hardly see anymore other than when the pitcher is completely napping. When guys like Vince would get out there, and the pitcher *knew* that he was going to take 2nd and then take 3rd, and still couldn't do anything about it - just a thing of beauty.

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