Good luck analyzing the short career of Albert Pujols and not
looking like a shameless fan. It can’t be done.

Every number, every season, every highlight reel–all are awe
inspiring.

A Cubs fan may take indignation with the time he spends staring
down his shot after answering a Kerry Wood knockdown pitch with a
420-foot home run.

An Astros or Pirates fan may cringe in disgust at the way he
rudely destroys their pitching staff with every visit he makes.

No, Albert is not a good guest. Just look at his road numbers
this season. He boasts a .335 average with 24 home runs in games
away from Busch Stadium.

Numbers like these elicit the typical “damn-he-beat-us-again”
tooth-gritting snarl; but in spite of it all, no baseball fan can
really do anything but sit back and be amazed.

The most convincing argument, if an argument about his greatness
even exists, may be to look at his numbers through the lens of past
baseball phenoms.

He can easily draw comparison to the latter-day stars. Then
there are those of the archaic mold, from the so called “live-ball”
era, that he matches up with as well.

Beginning with Barry Bonds–it took almost four seasons to get
his career rolling. He was an average hitter, with a .255 mark
through those years, who showed some signs of speed and power.

He never broke 40 home runs in a season until his eighth year in
the league, his first with San Francisco.

Like Albert, A-Rod started amazingly fast. In his first four
years as a starter he hit for a .313 average, collected 143 home
runs and 442 RBIs.

But still, he was not quite as fast, as Rodriguez did see time
in the 1994 and 1995 season, but only played in 65 games between
those two years combined, collecting not-as-impressive stats
omitted from the above numbers.

Rolling back the clock a few years, Joe DiMaggio and Ted
Williams may be the only two players, ever, who had careers that
started as well as Pujols’.

Joltin’ Joe averaged .331 with 791 hits through four years, and
Williams collected 749 hits and went for a remarkable .355 during
the same clip.

How does Pujols stack up?

Albert, at a glance, has so far hit at a .331 average with 740
hits. He has 447 RBIs, and his collective 173 doubles is tops for
any fourth-year player.

He does not strike out–only doing so 268 times so far, with
season totals decreasing yearly.

This may be because he prefers to walk–he has done so on 18
more occasions, with 286.

He can go first to third; he plays three positions at near Gold
Glove caliber–although it appears he is now settled in at first.
Aside from stealing bases, he does it all.

But what does everyone really care about? The long ball.

And as early as July of this season, Pujols had already knocked
out more home runs than anyone in their first four seasons. More
than Babe Ruth, Hank Aaron, Barry Bonds-anyone. As of last night,
that number was 153.

Also noted, all of the numbers for the greats listed herein are
considered for four completed years. Yes, Albert still has about a
month to play to reach that mark.

The other intangible qualities that affect the perception of
greatness may be more fate driven than anything else–such as
longevity, ask Ken Griffey Jr., or World Series rings, like Yogi
Berra, who has more than a handful.

Pujols, though, has passed the point of a one or even two-year
wonder–he may not have any rings, yet, but they would only further
add to the baseball epoch he is creating.

If he never played another game, Albert would still be
remembered. He has left an indelible mark on baseball–or, that is,
many baseballs–either way.

Few compare, and all who do are marquee names at
Cooperstown.

Did all of that sound like the ranting of a raving Cardinals
nut?

Possibly, but love him or hate him, other means of examining
Pujols are sparse–which may be why only the shameless fans care to
analyze him.