For certain, the Memorial Day one-third-of-the-season milepost is too early to be speculating about Triple Crowns. And let the record show that Pujols has won exactly one of the three jewels — a 2003 batting title. We’ll even acknowledge and agree with Cardinals manager Tony La Russa, who told the St. Louis Post-Dispatch last week in response to a question about home runs:
“I don’t think it’s smart and productive for Albert, and it’s not productive for our team to get into (that) discussion. These numbers happen as the result of doing something right. Play the game. Just play the game, and whatever the numbers are, the numbers are.’’
But then again, this is no ordinary star we’re talking about. Pujols’ first five seasons are nothing less than historic — all five with at least a .314 batting average, 34 homers and 117 RBI. A .332 cumulative batting average with a batting title, and one league-leading hit total. A total of 201 home runs, with a high of 46. A total of 621 RBI, with a high of 124. Three consecutive runs scored titles and two total-bases titles.
And now he is off to a start that portends him reaching even greater heights. What these numbers are as June 1 approaches are mind-boggling:
With 24 home runs in the Cardinals’ first 50 games, Pujols was the fastest to reach a handful of mileposts, including 14 in the month of April. He is almost a month ahead of Babe Ruth’s 60-homer pace in 1927. Pujols hit No. 23 on May 23rd, Ruth didn’t belt his 23rd until June 22. Barry Bonds hit his 23rd in 2001 on May 21, then went on a tear and had 28 by the end of May on his way to 73.
Sixty RBIs by June 1 is rare in the game’s long history, but more commonplace in the recently-completed (so we think) Steroids Era. Juan Gonzalez, Mark McGwire, Manny Ramirez and Ken Griffey Jr. all did it from 1997-99. Pujols has a couple of more days to increase his total of 61.
And with title hogs such as Bonds and Tony Gwynn no longer dominating individual categories, Pujols’ power-and-average combination makes him at the very least a legitimate possibility for the first Triple Crown winner in 39 seasons.
Who can stop him, and in what category? Here’s a look:
Home runs: Through Sunday, Pujols (career high 46) had a six-homer edge on Alfonso Soriano (career high 39), and led Carlos Lee (career high 32), Morgan Ensberg (career high 36) and Ryan Howard (career high 22) by seven.
Two more emerging young sluggers — Adam Dunn and Jason Bay — were next with 16, the latter with 10 in the last 10 days. Dunn has hit 86 in the previous two seasons. Andruw Jones belted 51 to win the title and top Pujols by 10 last season, and currently has 12, so he must be watched. So should Carlos Delgado and Carlos Beltran.
Otherwise, there isn’t much to fear in terms of recent winners. Before Jones, the previous NL home-run leaders were Adrian Beltre and Jim Thome — both in the American League — now-retired Sammy Sosa, and Bonds, who finally hit No. 7 to pass Babe Ruth at 715 and counting.