It was actually Sir Albert who inspired this entire project — when a scout who had been following the Cardinals observed one day: “It’s beyond me why anybody ever pitches to that first baseman.”

Pujols has finished in the top four in the NL in intentional walks three years in a row. But this year, as the offensive cast around him thins, he’s tied for the league lead with Ryan Howard — and is on a 46-intentional-walk pace.

Just to put that in perspective, if he does get to 46, he’d be only the third player in history to get that many free journeys to first (joining only Bonds and Willie McCovey).

So Pujols was such a clear-cut pick in this poll that even his own manager (Tony La Russa) and one American League manager (Jim Leyland) voted for him.

Currently, Pujols is giving managers reason to be scared. He’s hitting .377 with four homers and 17 RBIs. In the polling, Pujols got nearly three times as many votes as any other player.

Photo credit: Wikimedia Commons

Post from: Knuckle Curve

Pujols asked Cardinals media relations director Brian Bartow to make a reporter and cameraman from St. Louis Fox affiliate KTVI leave the room where Pujols’ news conference was taking place on the final day of the Cardinals’ winter warmup.

Not that you can blame Pujols. Assuming he’s clean, someone has tarnished his reputation, which is a bad thing in any line of work, much less one that involves such high visibility among its employees.

Sigh. When will it all end? Let’s get real; it probably won’t…

Post from: Knuckle Curve

American League

• Mariners at Yankees, 4:05 p.m. PT — I’m contractually obligated to pimp the Yankees game, because no-one else will. Philip Hughes gets the start for New York. He’s coughed up five runs in each of his past three starts, but whatever. Outfielder Wladimir Balentien is up for Seattle. In addition to the great name, Balentien has some of the sickest power I’ve seen in the minors. Dude hit some serious shots when he was in the California League. Big kid.
• Orioles at Devil Rays, 4:10 p.m. PT — Dude, don’t actually watch this one. I just couldn’t resist including Radhames Liz and Andy Sonnanstine in this post. And now that I think of it, B.J. Upton is worth watching, as is the inexplicably resurgent Carlos Pena.

National League

• Dodgers at Cubs, 5:05 p.m. PT — Eric Stults takes the mound for LA. I loved him in Fast Times at Ridgemont High (some jokes never get old, they’re just lame to begin with). On the other side, Ted Lilly gets the call against his former employer. Lilly never made it to the big club, but he was drafted by the Dodgers back in ‘96. Lilly also was part of a July 2002 trade that included the aforementioned Pena. The Tigers ended up with Pena and Jeremy Bonderman, the A’s got Lilly, and the Yankees drew the short straw, er, I mean Jeff Weaver.
• Pirates at Cardinals, 5:10 p.m. PT — Mark Mulder makes his 2007 debut for St. Louis, bringing new meaning to the term “fashionably late.” As was the case in ‘06, the Cardinals find themselves in the thick of a pennant race despite being a .500 ballclub. Yippee for them. Rick Ankiel continues to defy logic by being a productive everyday outfielder. He’s even destroying lefties. It’s a small sample, but how could would that be if Ankiel ends up having a decent big-league career after all? Russell Branyan also somehow has found his way to St. Louis. Elvis is everywhere? No, Russell is everywhere.
• Padres at Diamondbacks, 6:40 p.m. PT — Jake Peavy, Livan Hernandez, battle for supremacy in the NL West, etc.

One game? As usual, I’m partial to San Diego/Arizona. Happy watching!

Post from: Knuckle Curve

• Tigers at Yankees, 12:55 p.m. PT — Two teams fighting for a playoff berth, Roger Clemens pitching… Clemens’ career ERA by team: Tor, 2.33; Hou, 2.40; Bos, 3.06; NYA, 3.99.
• Angels at Red Sox, 4:05 p.m. PT — Same as above, but with Curt Schilling instead of Clemens.
• Cardinals at Cubs, 12:55 p.m. PT — Take the NL Central, please. Nobody wants it, and here come the Cards. Gee, I sure hope another 83-win team wins the World Series this year.
• Diamondbacks at Braves, 4:05 p.m. PT — Bobby Cox has his team in the wild card chase. Greg Maddux and Tom Glavine have been replaced by Buddy Carlyle and Chuck James. But, oh, that is a fun lineup.

There you go…

Post from: Knuckle Curve

Unfortunately, two of the three games they’re offering on Saturday (12:30 p.m. PT) are complete dogs. Dodgers at Cardinals? Eh, mild playoff implications there. Pirates at Giants. Ooh, the battle for — what’s the opposite of supremacy? — in the NL Central and West, respectively. With luck, you’ll get the Red Sox at Orioles. This still isn’t the best game on tap (that would be Dan Haren and the A’s at Detroit, which counters with Justin Verlander), but at least Josh Beckett is pitching.

My recommendation? The Tigers game doesn’t start until 4:05 p.m. PT, so you still have time to fly to Detroit and see the game in person, assuming it’s not already sold out. Happy watching!

Post from: Knuckle Curve

More constructive than trying to lay blame on others would be taking steps to minimize the risk of similar events occurring in the future. Anything less cheapens the value of life. Hancock isn’t coming back, and no amount of money will change that. Here’s hoping Hancock’s family can find a better way to honor Josh and heal their own wounds than by lashing out at the rest of the world.

Post from: Knuckle Curve