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12.03.06: Pujols earns
first Gold Glove, World Series Ring
Story by Brady
Holtzhauer
Batting titles, the 2005 NL
MVP award, 5 All-Star Games … the accolades
for Albert Pujols during his six seasons in
the majors are abundant. And the 2006 season
brought two new honors to help round out his
massive resume:
**A Gold Glove marked Albert's
great work ethic in improving his defense
at first base.
**And, even more important,
a World Series Championship marked a gutsy
team effort by Albert and his cohorts.
The team's improbable postseason
run didn't seem quite so improbable early
in the season. After playing for his native
Dominican Republic in the March World Baseball
Classic, Albert started the regular season
hitting .315 with 25 homeruns through May
while helping the Cardinals climb to 34-19.
But injuries took a toll on
the team throughout much of the season, and
Albert wasn't immune. He went on the DL for
the first time in his career when he strained
his right oblique muscle in a loss to the
Chicago Cubs.
But almost three weeks later
he provided a slight sign of things to come.
Returning to the lineup in time to face the
Detroit Tigers in an interleague matchup,
Albert went 4-for-4 with his 26th homerun.
Three months later, a finally
healthy Cardinals lineup barely staved off
the Houston Astros to reach the postseason.
Albert began the NLDS vs. the San Diego Padres
with a game-breaking two-run homer in the
first game of the series. That helped pave
the way to the Cardinals' fifth NLCS bid in
seven years.
An absolutely electrifying
and oh-so nerve-wracking 7-game NLCS with
the heavily favored Mets included a clutch
homerun by Pujols vs. Tom Glavine and four
more runs scored by Pujols, who was walked
seven times in the series.
That NLCS title paved the way
for the rematch with the Tigers, who had swept
the Cardinals in June and were projected by
many to again dominate the matchup. But once
more, Albert helped set the stage with a big
Game 1 homer, this time launching his first
World Series home run in a three-run third
inning en route to a 7-2 win. Four games later,
thanks to giant performances by shortstop
David Eckstein and reliever Adam Wainwright
and key plays from many Cardinals - including
Albert's throw from his back to catch Placido
Polanco at first base in Game 5, the Cardinals
won their first World Championship since 1982.
"Now I can say I have
a World Series ring in my trophy case,"
said Albert to reporters. "And that's
what you play for. It doesn't matter how much
money you make or what kind of numbers you
put up in the big leagues. If you walk out
of this game and you don't have a ring, you
haven't accomplished everything."
Albert's always strong batting
numbers included a top-five finish in the
NL in batting average, batting average with
runners in scoring position, home runs, RBIs,
runs, on-base percentage and slugging percentage.
He also went on to finish second in voting
for NL MVP, marking his third second-place
finish. He has finished in the top four for
the award in each of his six of his major-league
seasons.
Not to be overlooked, Albert's
Gold Glove for his work in the field was the
Cardinals' first at first base since 1982,
when Keith Hernandez won the honor. (Teammate
and third baseman Scott Rolen earned his seventh
Gold Glove in 2006, marking his fourth in
five seasons with the Cardinals.) Albert made
the move to first base full-time for the 2004
season and in 2006 posted a .996 fielding
percentage.
"He knew what he needed
to do," Cardinals third-base coach Jose
Oquendo told the St. Louis Post-Dispatch.
"He knew when he needed to make a certain
play and when he didn't need to. He was aggressive
at the right time and took the sure out at
the right time. He also got a lot better at
the double play."
"I've always had good
hands but Oquendo helped me relax and just
play the game over there," Albert told
the Post. "He worked with me a lot from
the first day I went over there. He never
stopped, not three years ago, not this year."
Story submitted by
aspiring sports writer Brady Holtzhauer. Brady
is a 17 year old high school student from
Gillett, Arkansas.
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