Why pitch to Pujols?

[RME JICO]

I cannot understand why the NL is pitching to Pujols so much. The Cards are 17-3 when Pujols homers, and most of those wins are because of his production. He now has 23 homers, and the entire Cards team has only 47, while the next closest player has a whopping 5.

 

There are six players that have as many or more BBs as Pujols (Abreu, Bonds, Giambi, Dunn, Hafner, and Thome), and Pujols has hit as many HRs as the first 3 combined.

 

The Cards are 4-8 when Pujols is held without a hit. He now has 57 RBIs in 44 games; his next closest teammate has 29 RBI.

 

It seems like teams are letting Pujols beat them, and they are not taking him out of the equation. Why are they not giving him crap to hit? I know you can't walk him everytime he is up, but from the highlights it seems like they are actually giving him some good pitches to hit (which he does on a frequent basis).

 

When will the league catch on and start pitching around Pujols?

[greasywheels121]

I'm glad they do though. I love watching the guy hit. Baseball's boring when they're just pitching around people constantly. It's kind of like what Wilbon says on PTI, how the game's sissified because of all that. The pitchers just need to learn how to keep him in the park.

[Kyyle23]

I'm glad they do though. I love watching the guy hit. Baseball's boring when they're just pitching around people constantly. It's kind of like what Wilbon says on PTI, how the game's sissified because of all that. The pitchers just need to learn how to keep him in the park.

 

and after that, pitchers need to learn to how to fly, because that is just as easy.

[Phuck the Cubs]

There's nothing you can do. Edmonds and Rolen are too good of hitters to allow a lot of BB to Pujols.

[NUKE_CLEVELAND]

There's nothing you can do. Edmonds and Rolen are too good of hitters to allow a lot of BB to Pujols.

 

 

 

^^^^^^^^^

 

 

Which is why they can't afford to just put him on base. You play the Cards you better bring your bats because you're gonna have to outgun them to win. Of course thats easier said than done.

[RME JICO]

I'm glad they do though. I love watching the guy hit. Baseball's boring when they're just pitching around people constantly. It's kind of like what Wilbon says on PTI, how the game's sissified because of all that. The pitchers just need to learn how to keep him in the park.

I agree that he is exciting to watch, but you would think he would be getting the Barry Bonds treatment and see less good pitches to hit and a few more walks.

 

There's nothing you can do. Edmonds and Rolen are too good of hitters to allow a lot of BB to Pujols.

Would you rather pitch to Pujols or Edmonds/Rolen? I would take the latter who have a combined 9 HRs in 265 ABs compared to 23 in 154 ABs. I wouldn't call Edmonds a good hitter either, at least not this year (.248 AVG, .739 OPS).

 

I am not talking about every AB, but there seems like there are numerous situations where Pujols is up to bat and a BB would be a better scenario than a 2-run HR by Pujols, and he hits one.

Edited May 24, 2006 by RME JICO

[Phuck the Cubs]

^ Well then what do you do if Edmonds or Rolen jack a grand slam?

[Balta1701]

Rolen is hitting .323 with an OPS approaching .900. His home runs are down, but he's doing some work.

 

Edmonds is only hitting .248, but that's after an atrocious April. He's hitting .288 in May. His power also is down though.

 

Either of those guys get a power streak going, and that will answer your question. But neither of them are slouches.

[Milkman delivers]

Why pitch to Pujols?

 

Because I want to see him break Bonds' record in Barry's last year in baseball.

[Drew]

Why pitch to Pujols?

 

Because I want to see him break Bonds' record in Barry's last year in baseball.

 

 

^^^^^

 

I've said it before and will say it again. I think the best thing that could happen for baseball is if a class act like Pujols hit 74 home runs this year.

 

Of course it'd be better if Jim Thome hits 74, though.

 

[Milkman delivers]

^^^^^

 

I've said it before and will say it again. I think the best thing that could happen for baseball is if a class act like Pujols hit 74 home runs this year.

 

Of course it'd be better if Jim Thome hits 74, though.

 

 

I'd settle for Thome finishing second in a homerun race to break that record, but I like the way you think

[BHAMBARONS]

I agree that he is exciting to watch, but you would think he would be getting the Barry Bonds treatment and see less good pitches to hit and a few more walks.

Would you rather pitch to Pujols or Edmonds/Rolen? I would take the latter who have a combined 9 HRs in 265 ABs compared to 23 in 154 ABs. I wouldn't call Edmonds a good hitter either, at least not this year (.248 AVG, .739 OPS).

 

I am not talking about every AB, but there seems like there are numerous situations where Pujols is up to bat and a BB would be a better scenario than a 2-run HR by Pujols, and he hits one.

 

 

The Dbacks did that 3 times the begining of the month (Worked Twice and Rolen hit a HR the other) but the key is to get Eckstein and the 2 hole hitter out. Last night SF did not and had no choice but to pitch to Pujols and got hammered.

[Kyyle23]

^ Well then what do you do if Edmonds or Rolen jack a grand slam?

 

Is it going to be a bases loaded situation every time that Pujols gets walked? The point he was trying to make was that in most instances when you walk Pujols to get to Rolen or Edmonds you are going to have a better chance, because Albert has almost 3 times as many HRs as Rolen and Edmonds do in half of the at-bats. At this point, its foolish to even consider pitching to Pujols because Rolen and Edmonds arent having close to the offensive year that Pujols is having, and to beat the Cardinals you have to make the other guys beat you, not let Pujols beat you.

[Yoda]

The only occasion I would go ahead and pitch to Pujols is if he’s leading off in an inning. Or if you’re team is ahead by a lot. Other than that, I wouldn’t want to see him put the bat on the ball.

[RME JICO]

Pujols hits game winning 3-run HR in bottom of 7th with 2 out. That was his only hit of the game.