Here in 2009, St. Louis Cardinals first baseman Albert Pujols is competing for another National League batting title to go along with his 2003 crown. His .321 average places him fourth in the race, but Pujols has a large gap to close, currently trailing leader Hanley Ramirez of Florida by 37 points.
Despite being on base four times Wednesday night, Pujols actually lost ground to the Marlins’ shortstop.
How could that be, you ask?
In a statistical oddity, although Pujols reached base four times, each was accomplished without the benefit of a hit. He walked three times, none obviously intentional, and was hit by a pitch. In the other plate appearance, his only official at-bat, Pujols struck out in the sixth inning. He finished the night 0-for-1.
I would be remiss if I did not note that Pujols’ final plate appearance was the key to the game. His ninth-inning walk against Jonathan Broxton led to him stealing second (pictured), reaching third on a throwing error and scoring on a Matt Holliday sacrifice fly.*
That gave the Cardinals a 3-2 win and a two-games-to-one series edge over the home Los Angeles Dodgers. The accomplishment against a playoff-caliber opponent added to the excitement.
With the able assistance of Tom Orf, we can put Pujols’ strange evening into some historical context.
Since at least 1954, no Cardinals player has ever reached base five times in a game without having a hit, but Pujols’ feat of four has been accomplished 35 times in the last 55 years.
Oddly, the Cardinals had eight such games in Tony La Russa’s first three years as manager, from 1996 through 1998, including five during the third season of the three. Yet it has taken the 11 years since for the team to log eight more four-on-base-with-no-hit games.
Not surprisingly, Pujols has the last four, including two this season, and the only ones by a Cardinals hitter since the first two weeks of the 2003 season. Pujols is also only one of four to also steal a base. The others were Ozzie Smith in 1984, Joe Cunningham in 1958 and Stan Musial in 1954.
Cardinals on base four times without a hit, 1954-2009
| Player | Date | Opp | Sco | PA | AB | R | H | RBI | BB | TOB | IBB | SO | HBP | SH | SF | ROE | GDP | SB | CS | |
| Albert Pujols | 8/19/2009 | @LAD | W | 3-2 | 5 | 1 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 3 | 4 | 0 | 1 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 |
| Albert Pujols | 4/26/2009 | CHC | L | 3-10 | 5 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 3 | 4 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0 |
| Albert Pujols | 4/30/2006 | WSN | W | 9-2 | 5 | 1 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 4 | 4 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0 |
| Albert Pujols | 5/27/2004 | PIT | W | 6-3 | 5 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 1 | 4 | 4 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Scott Rolen | 4/12/2003 | @HOU | W | 3-0 | 5 | 1 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 4 | 4 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Fernando Vina | 8/10/2002 | NYM | W | 5-4 | 5 | 1 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 2 | 4 | 0 | 0 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| J.D. Drew | 10/4/2001 | @MIL | W | 10-3 | 6 | 2 | 3 | 0 | 0 | 4 | 4 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Eli Marrero | 8/31/2001 | @LAD | W | 5-1 | 4 | 0 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 4 | 4 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Ron Gant | 9/7/1998 | CHC | W | 3-2 | 4 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 3 | 4 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Fernando Tatis | 1998-08-21(1) | @NYM | W | 10-5 | 5 | 1 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 3 | 4 | 0 | 1 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 |
| Mark McGwire | 8/14/1998 | PIT | W | 10-5 | 4 | 0 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 3 | 4 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Mark McGwire | 6/6/1998 | SFG | L | 4-5 | 7 | 3 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 3 | 4 | 3 | 1 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Mark McGwire | 5/2/1998 | @CHC | L | 3-4 | 5 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 4 | 4 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Ray Lankford | 9/18/1997 | @CHC | L | 3-4 | 5 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 4 | 4 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Mark McGwire | 8/20/1997 | @MON | W | 6-3 | 5 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 3 | 4 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Ron Gant | 9/19/1996 | CHC | W | 5-4 | 6 | 2 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 4 | 4 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Jack Clark | 1987-07-08(2) | LAD | W | 8-7 | 5 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 4 | 4 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Andy Van Slyke | 4/20/1985 | PIT | W | 4-3 | 4 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 3 | 4 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 |
| Ozzie Smith | 9/26/1984 | @MON | W | 5-0 | 5 | 1 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 4 | 4 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 3 | 0 |
| Ozzie Smith | 8/2/1982 | PIT | L | 2-4 | 8 | 4 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 4 | 4 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Darrell Porter | 7/23/1982 | HOU | W | 6-2 | 4 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 3 | 4 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Bobby Bonds | 1980-06-08(1) | @MON | L | 4-6 | 5 | 1 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 4 | 4 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Mike Phillips | 9/23/1979 | @NYM | W | 7-4 | 5 | 1 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 4 | 4 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Ted Sizemore | 8/12/1974 | SDP | W | 6-5 | 7 | 2 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 5 | 5 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Lou Brock | 9/3/1971 | CHC | W | 6-1 | 6 | 2 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 4 | 4 | 0 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Tim McCarver | 8/17/1969 | @ATL | W | 5- | 5 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 4 | 4 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Joe Cunningham | 4/26/1961 | MLN | L | 1-8 | 4 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 4 | 4 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Joe Cunningham | 4/18/1961 | @LAD | L | 4-5 | 5 | 1 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 3 | 4 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Alex Grammas | 7/11/1959 | @PHI | W | 4-3 | 5 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 4 | 4 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 |
| Joe Cunningham | 1958-06-08(2) | PHI | L | 4-6 | 6 | 2 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 4 | 4 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 |
| Wally Moon | 1957-08-04(1) | PHI | L | 4-5 | 6 | 2 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 3 | 4 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Hank Sauer | 6/9/1956 | PIT | W | 8-3 | 5 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 4 | 4 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Ken Boyer | 1955-05-01(1) | @PIT | W | 4-3 | 4 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 4 | 4 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | |
| Solly Hemus | 9/11/1954 | @PIT | W | 7-2 | 5 | 1 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 4 | 4 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | |
| Stan Musial | 5/3/1954 | NYG | W | 8-2 | 5 | 1 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 4 | 4 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 |
* Bonus obscure factoid: Prior to Wednesday, the Cardinals’ most recent game-winning sacrifice fly in the team’s final inning at-bat was on April 10, 2007 in Pittsburgh by Skip Schumaker in a 3-2 win.
I had been looking through sacrifice fly numbers for the Cardinals and they seemed awfully low to me, but I didn’t follow up and try to find a baseline to which to compare them.
While there are a host of single-dimensional players and some great multi-dimensional players, Albert must be the only active player who is omni-dimensional! Thank you for the focus on “Pujols’ four-on-base, no-hit oddity”: It brings fresh light upon Albert’s stellar singularity.
Albert is in trouble. All of the singularity hype is just burying him at this point. He is being delt with competitivly by a number of contending teams right now. The Cards seems destined to make the playoffs with the colapse of the Cubs, but we wii be in a world of hurt against LA, Phillies, SF or even the Rockies if starting pitching give up more than 3or 4 runs.
Albert is doing just enough to stay in a state of denial about the effectivness of the adjustments he is now exploring. Below 300 is on the horizon. His performance I believe is now effecting both Holiday and Lugo. Luddy is bringing his own woe. Least I remind some of you, while these guys are bright, no scolarships are likely to be given out that don’t place wood or horsehyde in their hands. Hal McRae’s ability to stay annonymous when the heat is on is Tony’s weakness. Old school loyalty. I think we should be talking about this if we are to be of any help. For those in denial, like Tim M. over at El Birdos, I was on this days after the AllStar game. It is has been said there, and here for over a month now. Tony should start to hear it from a few of the writers. How about you Bernie. Come on Brian, take a look at what he is really doing. The rookies and the cripples will be gone soon enough.
WC, let’s try looking at some hard facts, not suppositions. Here are Albert’s numbers in 17 August games: .302/.429/.635/1.063. Pujols’ CAREER OPS is 1.054. To be clear, he has been BETTER in August than his career average.
His August home run total of five projected over 162 games is 48 home runs. His 13 August RBI project to a 124-RBI season. I don’t need to see or say any more than that.
1 playoff team. A desimated Pittsburg, I won’t mention Cinci or Huston. He hit a bomb off a rookie knukeler in LA. Your message was here was concerning “walks”. Lots of them.
Anyone that can pitch is dealing to him. Live and learn. His at bats are starting to rival Chris Duncan. The real problem is he will damage himself in this struggle. The hard facts are just that.
WCW, methinks your jaundiced point-of-view must be the result of waking-up on the wrong side of the bed today! Reviewing Albert’s nine years as a Major Leaguer, a reasonable human being can see only singularity, not “hype” (by any stretch of the imagination). Yes, he has been in a slump since the All-Star Break, but the world is not coming to an end. Yes, he may yet go below .300, but there can be no doubt that he will rediscover his stride (and not “damage himself in this struggle”). You express concern about our pitching against Play-off caliber teams. The fact that we beat the team with the best record in the National League twice (3-out-of-4 at home and 2 out-of-3 on the road) plainly tells me that we can also beat the teams with lesser records (such as San Francisco, Colorado and Philadelphia).
Albert is what he is 57. He is having some problems. This isn’t about Albert. Its about the hype he is choking on, foolisly invited by his “pay everthing back” crap.
Lohse wasn’t that bad after he got a little angry.. He went up to 94 there for a few innings. That groin will turn out to be the best thing that happened to him this year. He has gone mental, which is old territory he really shouldn’t revist anyway.
I am a big Albert fan, but he needs to be riled up so he gets off his own back.
If I had a modicum of your insight, I would have understood where you are coming from at the very outset of this discussion. While reading your response concerning Albert’s psychological condition (“foolishly invited by his ‘pay everything back’ crap” and “he needs to be riled-up so he gets off his own back”), my mind flashed on his behavior as the de facto host for the All-Star Game and his performance at the Home Run Derby. You’re right; indications point to the suggestion that everything going on in his head has affected his batting swing mechanics. Perhaps the observation that Lohse “has gone mental”, that Albert’s performance is “now effecting both Holiday and Lugo” and that “Luddy is bringing his own woe” is too disturbing for me to consider (knowing that Greene is already a certified mental case). God willing, the presence and influence of John Smoltz in the clubhouse will serve to loosen things up and promote a healthier state of mind within Albert, Matt, Julio and Ryan. As for tonight, the superiority of the Padres mediocre (Richard) over our mediocre (Lohse) was aggravated by the impotence of our Murderers Row (Albert, Matt, Ryan and Mark)! At least the Cubs also lost, so we remain 7 games ahead…
With regard to tonight’s classic pitching duel, “Waino versus Wandy” (August 25th), there can be no mistake that Albert Pujols represented the decisive factor, driving in the man whose base running faux pas had earned his resentful glare only a couple of nights previous! Aye, while yet in his “slump”, Albert had once again won a game! Adam Wainwright’s feat was astounding, to say the least, but it was not superior to what Wandy Rodriquez had offered (both had given-up only 3 hits and Wandy struck-out 1 more batter than Adam). The sole difference was in the lone run produced by Albert!