St. Louis Cardinals Mount Rushmore
By David Hill
Albert Pujols (2001-2011)
It was a shock when Albert Pujols left the St. Louis Cardinals in free agency after the 2011 season. A beloved icon in the city, no baseball player was entrenched in the identity of his team quite like Pujols was.
The adoration that he earned was easy to understand. A true hitting machine, he blended excellent contact and incredible power. Pujols had only one season where he batted under .300 in St. Louis, and did not have fewer than 34 homers in any season. He was a nine time All Star, six time Silver Slugger, and a three time MVP, finishing second on three other occasions. Pujols even won two Gold Glove awards, showcasing his all around ability.
Few players were as dominant was Pujols was during his time with the Cardinals. In those 11 years, he produced a stellar .328/.420/.617 batting line, belting 445 homers and 455 doubles. He drove in 1329 runs, and scored another 1291 runs himself. His time in St. Louis alone gave Pujols a Hall of Fame career.
As the Gold Gloves indicate, he was afar more than a stellar bat. Pujols moved from third to left, and eventually to first, due to a sore arm. However, the change worked out well, as he became a stellar first baseman as well. He led NL first basemen in runs saved six times, and his 110 runs saved overall ranks second all time, trailing only Keith Hernandez.
Albert Pujols was an all time great during his time with the St. Louis Cardinals. When he goes into the Hall of Fame, it will be with those familiar birds on a bat.