Triple Crown... Can Albert do it?

[shoremen44]

While it is unlikely... can Pujols pull it off?

47 HR... leads by 4... 128 Rbi tie with Prince Fielder

.329 avg... second to Hanley Ramirez with .352

last ten days...

Pujols 11 for 36

Ramirez 9 for 36

[TNTtoys]

My 2 cents... He's having a season for the ages, but I just don't think he will overcome Hanley for the batting title.

[rj_lucas]

I'd love to see it, but 20 points is a big gap to close with 11 games remaining. If Ramirez were to collapse, I wouldn't be surprised to see the Marlins sit him to protect his chance at the battling title. I remember the A's sitting Rickey Henderson in 1990 when he and George Brett were neck and neck in the final days. Brett won the title with Henderson hiding on the bench, and all was right with the world.

To put Albert's incredible season into perspective, his numbers (.329, 47, 128) are already better than Yastrzemski's in 1967 when he won the Triple Crown (.326, 44, 121).

And of course, it's never wise to count out Albert for anything. :)

Rick

[sox83cubs84]

The diiference in batting average says no, but, hey, we've already had a feat in MLB almost as rare this year (Mark Buehrle's perfect game), so why not? :)

Dave M.
Chicago area

[bigtruck260]

We've learned over the years that Albert is capable of hitting .600 in a week, 7 RBI in a game (twice in one week) - and homering at will on days when the Pujols Family Foundation is in the house at Busch.

We never count him out of anything till the last swing.

Hanley is having a career year - Albert is just hitting his career average at .330.

[Rboitano]

He should have won the batting title last year, if Chipper Jones didnt sit himself for a number of games in September. I sold both my Jones bats after that, I lost all respect for him as a player.

[skyking26]

He's the closest candidate....but I say it will never happen with anyone. Too tuff a feat.

[flaco1801]

i dont think you can compare pujois to yaz... yaz would have had higher numbers nowadays... more teams, more slugs....oh dont forget the players are better conditioned now lololol this day in 1969 seaver pitched his 7th straight complete game win... teams dont even have 7 complete games a season

[bronx_burner]

If Pujols and Ramirez both played all of their games the rest of the way, Pujols would have to hit nearly .500 if Ramirez hits only .200 for Pujols to pass him in average. And if you lower Pujols avg to less than .500 the rest of the way, Ramirez will have to hit even lower. Seems nearly impossible to pull off this late.

[xpress34]

While Albert more than likely will NOT win the Triple Crown for this season, he has the chance to pull off an even RARER Triple Crown as long as he doesn't slump and Todd Helton doesn't surge:

The DECADE Triple Crown.

Only done THREE other times:

Ted Williams in the 40's (1940 - 1949)

Babe Ruth in the 20's (1920 - 1929)

Honus Wagner in the 00's (1900 - 1909)

Not a bad group to join in my opinion.

This was being discussed on ESPN radio today - and as stated above, the ONLY thing that could keep him from doing it would be a SURGE by Todd Helton and a SLUMP from Albert for him to lose the Batting Average Title.

[suicide_squeeze]

While Albert more than likely will NOT win the Triple Crown for this season, he has the chance to pull off an even RARER Triple Crown as long as he doesn't slump and Todd Helton doesn't surge:

The DECADE Triple Crown.

Only done THREE other times:

Ted Williams in the 40's (1940 - 1949)

Babe Ruth in the 20's (1920 - 1929)

Honus Wagner in the 00's (1900 - 1909)

Not a bad group to join in my opinion.

This was being discussed on ESPN radio today - and as stated above, the ONLY thing that could keep him from doing it would be a SURGE by Todd Helton and a SLUMP from Albert for him to lose the Batting Average Title.

You lost me.....what exactly is the DECADE triple crown?

You mean winning a batting title, an RBI title, and a home run title within a ten year span? Being in the top three of each categorie every year in a decade?

Please enlighten me....

[rj_lucas]

You lost me.....what exactly is the DECADE triple crown?

You mean winning a batting title, an RBI title, and a home run title within a ten year span? Being in the top three of each categorie every year in a decade?

Please enlighten me....

For any given decade (e.g. 2000-2009):

1) Highest batting average (i.e. for the ten-year period)
2) Highest home run total
3) Highest RBI total

For Pujols to acheive the decade Triple Crown is even more impressive when you consider he spotted the rest of MLB one full year (2000).

Great article from the Post-Dispatch about the decade Triple Crown and Pujols' quest to acheive a CAREER Triple Crown:

http://www.stltoday.com/blogzone/bird-land/bird-land/2009/01/albert-pujols-could-be-close-to-claiming-a-triple-crown-or-two/

Rick

[sportscrazy13]

About 10 games left... don't see it happening this year. If anyone is going to do it this generation it's Albert. It's just almost impossible because every year someone else seems to have a career year in either BA, HR, RBIs. IMO if Pujols ever does it, it will be the biggest single season accomplishment of this era.

[xpress34]

For any given decade (e.g. 2000-2009):

1) Highest batting average (i.e. for the ten-year period)
2) Highest home run total
3) Highest RBI total

For Pujols to acheive the decade Triple Crown is even more impressive when you consider he spotted the rest of MLB one full year (2000).

Great article from the Post-Dispatch about the decade Triple Crown and Pujols' quest to acheive a CAREER Triple Crown:

http://www.stltoday.com/blogzone/bird-land/bird-land/2009/01/albert-pujols-could-be-close-to-claiming-a-triple-crown-or-two/

Rick

RJ -

Thanks for enlightening SS... ;)

And I agree - considering he gave everyone a year head start on their HR and RBI totals (it may have given him a slight advantage in the BA dept. - less PA) - it has to be one of the more impressive feats I can remember in some time in MLB.

- Chris

[BMH]

Hanley was in our factory last week while the Marlins were in Cinci. Great kid, signed a bunch of bats for my workers and even gave our turner's a couple of hugs for making great bats. I'm going to have to support Ramirez on this one.

[CollectGU]

He's not taking the batting crown and may not even have the top RBI spot at the end of the season. An MVP caliber season, but certainly not one for the ages in my opinion...

Dave

[bigtruck260]

An MVP caliber season, but certainly not one for the ages in my opinion...

Dave

Explain your reasoning.

He's so consistent that it's become passe. I think the biggest thing Albert does, is something he doesn't do...strike out.
Add in the 5 grand slams he's hit this year - and his batting average with the bases loaded...AND the amount of intentional walks he's recieved....he's put up 47 homers and 129 RBI with very little to hit.

People say he's flat footed and slow, yet he's taken 14 bases.

If you watch the Cards play every day, you would see that he does the little things that rarely get mentioned on Sports Center - that help his team win. He wins games with his glove, his bat and his mental awareness.

Maybe not a triple crown year, but he's still better than anyone else in the game...He has a triple crown for the NL central, he's leading the majors in homers - and his team is in first place.

What exactly does he have to do to have a 'season for the ages'?

[shoremen44]

What exactly does he have to do to have a 'season for the ages'?

Dave,
Maybe he has to go all Roy Hobbs and knock the lights out of the stadium... oh wait... he did that this year too!!

Season for the ages... how about a career for the ages

[CollectGU]

A season forr the ages is just that. One that can be compared to and stands out against the best offensive season's ever and this isn't one of them. MVP year sure, just don't see it as one for the ages. Not head and shoulder above his peers. Here are two better and I'm even sure if therse are ones for the ages:

Manny's 1999:

Avg: 333
RBI's : 165
Runs: 131
HR's: 44

Arod 1998 (2001 was better as well)

Avg: 311
HR: 42
SB's: 46
Runs: 123
RBI's: 124

[bigtruck260]

A season forr the ages is just that. One that can be compared to and stands out against the best offensive season's ever and this isn't one of them. MVP year sure, just don't see it as one for the ages. Not head and shoulder above his peers. Here are two better and I'm even sure if therse are ones for the ages:

Manny's 1999:

Avg: 333
RBI's : 165
Runs: 131
HR's: 44

Arod 1998 (2001 was better as well)

Avg: 311
HR: 42
SB's: 46
Runs: 123
RBI's: 124

OK - I'll compare Dave....

There are still 9 games left in a season - and you know what Albert is capable of in 9 games;)

Alex in 1998 to Albert in 2009:

Arod 1998 Albert 2009

AB 686 534
BB 45 110
IBB 0 43
HR 42 47
RBI 124 129
SB 46 14
K 121 61
Avg. .310 .330
OBP. .360 .447
OPS. .919 1.123
R 123 120 - 9 games left
Hits 213 176
Dbls 35 42
Slg. .560 .676
TB 384 361 - 9 games left


Albert's slugging % is more than 100 points higher.
Albert will likely have more than 123 runs.
Albert's OPS is higher
Albert's average is 20 points higher
Albert's HR total is higher
Albert's RBI total is higher
Albert's Strikeout total is way lower (50%)
Albert's intentional walks are far higher (43-0)
Albert has more doulbes
Alex had 150 more at bats (and instead of walking he was striking out)


Alex had a 40/40 season - one of only 3 guys to do that.
Alex had more hits
Alex will likely have more stolen bases.

in 1998, the Mariners finished third in their division
in 2009, the Cards will likely clinch this weekend.


Did I miss anything?

[bigtruck260]

And Manny's whole career has been 'for the ages' too...so has Rodriguez's for that matter.

Just trying to say that when you compare stuff like that, it's all really in the eye of the beholder. Rickey Henderson had a few 'years for the ages' when he hit less than .300, less than 20 HR and far less than 100RBI.

Dave

[CollectGU]

Forget triple crown, Albert almost went 0-3 in the major categories...great season but he sputtered down the stretch and almost lost the HR title as well........