Albert Pujols already has more 36 doubles-36 home run seasons than anyone in MLB history.
What sore elbow?
Despite an anti-inflammatory shot intended to diminish pain in his left elbow that caused him to miss one game earlier this week, St. Louis Cardinals first baseman Albert Pujols continues to put on a power demonstration – whether the balls leave the park or not.
The most obvious measure is home runs, but doubles are important, too.
With two-base hits in Games 1 and 2 of the San Diego series on Thursday and Friday nights, Pujols collected his 35th and 36th doubles of the season. He is currently tied for eighth in the NL in that department, with teammate Matt Holliday third with 42.
Though he hasn’t hit any home runs since launching two last Sunday, September 12 against Atlanta, Pujols’ 39 still leads the National League by four over his nearest competitor, Washington’s Adam Dunn. Albert also was first in the NL in long balls in 2009 with 47.
Put the two together, and 2010 has become Pujols’ seventh 36-36 season in his ten-year career, including each of the last three years. No one else in the history of the game has more than five. In fact, no other player has even six such seasons.
36 doubles and 36 home runs, season, MLB, 1920-current
| Yrs | From | To | Age | |
| Albert Pujols | 7 | 2001 | 2010 | 21-30 |
| Albert Belle | 5 | 1993 | 1999 | 26-32 |
| Lou Gehrig | 5 | 1927 | 1937 | 24-34 |
| Alfonso Soriano | 4 | 2002 | 2006 | 26-30 |
| Vladimir Guerrero | 4 | 1998 | 2004 | 23-29 |
| Carlos Delgado | 4 | 1998 | 2003 | 26-31 |
| Babe Ruth | 4 | 1920 | 1924 | 25-29 |
| Manny Ramirez | 3 | 2003 | 2008 | 31-36 |
| Jeff Bagwell | 3 | 1997 | 2001 | 29-33 |
| Rafael Palmeiro | 3 | 1993 | 1998 | 28-33 |
| Hank Greenberg | 3 | 1935 | 1940 | 24-29 |
| Chuck Klein | 3 | 1929 | 1932 | 24-27 |
| Rogers Hornsby | 3 | 1922 | 1929 | 26-33 |
The table that follows illustrates Pujols’ consistency over the years. He has led the league in doubles once previously. Seasons in bold indicate his 36-36 years.
Albert Pujols, doubles and home runs by season
| 2B | HR | |
| 2001 | 47 | 37 |
| 2002 | 40 | 34 |
| 2003 | 51L | 43 |
| 2004 | 51 | 46 |
| 2005 | 38 | 41 |
| 2006 | 33 | 49 |
| 2007 | 38 | 32 |
| 2008 | 44 | 37 |
| 2009 | 45 | 47L |
| 2010 YTD | 36 | 39L |
| L=led league |
The bottom line is that every time Pujols takes the field, he enhances his Hall of Fame credentials.
Thanks to researcher Tom Orf for providing the first table above.
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LaRue’s retirement being forced by getting kicked in the head is preposterous. It’s a real shame that it had to play out that way.
Albert Pujols is the best hitter in baseball today, maybe even in MLB history. Is there any offensive stat in which Albert is at or near the top?
On another topic, I was sad to hear Jason LaRue’s career is over. Didn’t the same thing happen to Mike Matheny? This just underscores the the need to change MLB’s discipline policies. Jason LaRue is a class act.
That was supposed to be any offensive stat in which Albert is NOT at or near the top? Too bad there is no edit function.
On the radio, Mo made a point of mentioning trying to bring Westbrook back this winter. I believe it was said that since the trade he has the lowest ERA of our starters.
He also said he wants to resolve whether Tony will be back right away after the season, saying that with all the vacancies this winter, top candidates will go quickly, and he doesn’t want to get ‘left at the alter’. Kind of sounds like filling the job from within is not the first choice if Tony is not back.
My guess is that Westbrook follows the Weaver/Suppan/Pineiro model and finds more years and money elsewhere. Keeping him would help salve the losing Ludwick wound, however. Cards will likely receive no compensation draft picks if Jake walks.
Recent signals seem to imply that TLR will return.
TLR probably doesn’t want this sorry season to be his last. But, if he is the cause of this sorry season, then the Cardinals are in deep doo doo.
Waino gets # 19. I thought he might have a no-hitter there for a while.
lineup: Skip 2B, Jay RF, Pujols 1B, Holliday LF, Rasmus CF, Molina C, Feliz 3B, Carp P, Ryan SS
It’s been very quiet here lately.
I’ve been (and still am) traveling. Can’t speak for the others…
That was a quick loss. I’m glad the new fall TV season has started.
Yesterday the Cards got 4 runs on only 6 hits, taking advantages of opportunities. Today evened it out. The Marlins got the runs.
I am thinking about who or what to blame for the disappointing end to the season. Freese’s injuries, Ryan and Lopez head the list of suspects.
The ’09 season ended pretty much the same way even though many of the characters are different. Some aren’t different though, so I’d start by looking there.
There are three significant needs for the offseason. Re-ink Albert. Second, find another pitcher to replace Westbrook/Penny. Third, find another 3Bman. (Another need is LOOGY, but one should be findable.)
One of the harder jobs is finding a 3rd baseman. We seem unlikely to afford Adrian Beltre. After that, good 3bmen are not easy to find.
I dont trust Freese to bounce back. The Cards have a terrible gap in the lineup, embodied by Pedro Feliz.
Where we have a terrible need, we also have a sleeper prospect in Matt Carpenter, who succeeded with the bat at AA.
Behind Carpenter, Zach Cox.
Need a lead-off hitter.
Lead-off hitter/second baseman, I think. Skip isn’t getting it done defensively and is barely getting it done offensively, but only vs RHP.
Still, I agree. Do you think that they are comfortable with Jay at RF for next season?
It depends on the definition of ‘they’. Tony, no. Everybody else, yes. It also depends a bit on what happens at third base. And, I suppose, what happens with Colby. There needs to be some kind of power somewhere, besides Albert and Matt. My opinion is that with both Colby and Jay you have to play them everyday, against every pitcher, in every situation, until you find out what you have. The way Tony has played Rasmus, its been two years, and we still don’t know. The result, I’m afraid, is that Colby is somewhat diminished, and I hope the same doesn’t happen to Jay.
I am heartened at least a little by the release of Lopez. The reason is that I don’t think it was Tony’s doing.
RF is down the priority list. We went into one year, 05 I think it was, with Bigby, J Rod and Taguchi for LF. They make Jay and Craig look good. We are not going to spend a bunch of money on RF.