Some Albert Pujols Praise and Other Things

When it comes to Cardinals superstar Albert Pujols, I usually have nothing nice to say. He is the star player on the Cubs biggest rival and he usually is good for a three-homer weekend every time the Cubs and Cardinals play. I think Pujols is one of the dumbest people alive, and he seems to turn out two or three downright stupid comments a season. All that being said Pujols has done something very positive for baseball, he skipped the WBC and because of that the Dominican Republic was eliminated. They had no real first baseman and it cost them late. Felipe Alou is pissed about it. I hope Pujols sticks to his guns and doesn't apologize for skipping the WBC. He has to prepare for the real major league season, and if the Cardinals have even a prayer of challenging the Cubs he has to play 162 games. So kudos to Pujols for skipping the WBC and concentrating on the real, meaningful baseball season.

Now I do have a criticism for Pujols as well. This weeks Sports Illustrated has a big article about why we can trust that Pujols isn't on steroids and that he never did steroids. While the intention of the article is good, A-Rod is obviously no better than any other the other cheaters out there and Pujols is next in line for the label as best player in baseball, I think its a bit dumb of Pujols to come out and proclaim his innocence. A-Rod did it, Rafael Palmeiro did it, Roger Clemens did it, and the list goes on. I would ask each and every baseball player to shut the hell up and just play. You are all guilty, each and every one of you. No matter how much Pujols denies it, I don't believe him. He is surrounded by steroid use in an era of steroid use. 

The Cardinals are perhaps the dirtiest team not named the Yankees when it comes to the steroid problem. Manager Tony LaRussa has been defending steroid users for years, he managed and won a World Series with two of the steroid poster boys Mark McGwire and Jose Canseco. He has defending Rick Ankiel who was caught with HGH. Other Cardinals who used steroids or HGH include Gary Bennett, Ryan Franklin, Fernando Vina, Troy Glaus, David Bell, Larry Bigbie, Jason Christiansen, Darren Holmes, Cody McKay, and Kent Mercker. LaRussa and his first base coach Dave McKay were recently profiled by ESPN as steroid enablers. Lets just say this is a franchise that employs quite a few people who have enjoyed the benefits of steroid use.

Quickly back to Pujols. I've presented the evidence, it's mostly guilt by association. Perhaps Pujols is clean, somehow he ignored all the use around him and played it clean. Realistically he joins Sammy Sosa as two very stupid people who were able to outsmart the system. They were smart enough to buy their steroids in cash and most likely in the Dominican where the steroid sellers are probably loyal to their buyers unlike the United States sellers.

I'll have some Cub thoughts later in the day, most likely about Milton Bradley.