The True Victim of the Steroids Era: Albert Pujols?

MVP awards are somewhat vacuous. We can easily look at players’ numbers are say, yes, Pujols is undoubtedly an all-time great. Who cares if some folks voted for him or not for the MVP.

And the whole steroids issues is just a mess to deal with. How do we know Pujols never indulged? What percentage of players juiced over the past 10-15 years? If a majority that means the playing field was pretty level given the era, so should we diminish the accomplishments of players who also used?

It’s just not the kind of thing we can evaluate objectively. We can, however, see that Pujols was objectively great (e.g. has has the most rWAR by far since 2001) and is 32nd all-time already. Can’t we leave it at that?

I don’t make those kinds of assumptions anymore from this era. I’ve been wrong TOO MANY TIMES about guys that I liked to watch play the game that I love.

Pujols is a physical monster and was ignored by the local team in his own backyard during the draft. Funny how he grew is size and stature immediately after becoming a pro. He is also from the Dominican Republic and had access.

I’m sure that most will disagree with me, but many of us didn’t want to admit that several others were using either.

Pujols is a guy with a great character and people like him a lot, but that only wins him favor in the court of public opinion (which is probably what matters most) and doesn’t necessarily clear him of suspicion in my view. When I see a prematurely balding fellow with his physical stature dominating the sport like he is, I have my doubts.

I still have images of Rafael Palmeiro shaking a finger at congress and denying his usage and a very misguided Roger Clemens taking the stand to commit perjury even though he didn’t have to take the stand in the first place, but was so adament about “clearing his name.”

IF Pujols is clean, then yes, I agree that he is a victim here as the greatest baseball player from a tainted era, but given that he is dominating in an era in which everyone else uses makes me question how legitimate his own accomplishments are. Is he really so physically gifted that he can be clean and still be better than everyone else?

But MVP awards really don’t mean much. If it’s Hall of Fame that you’re contemplating, he’ll get in even if he won no MVP’s. Barry Larkin should have won the gold glove 16 times but he played the same time as Ozzie Smith, I don’t think people will hold it against him.

The game needs a hero. I would hate to see him get caught using. The game has already had too many black eyes lately.

I don’t understand why it’s “suspicious” for a player to have one big season. Are we really assuming that a player will use for one season, have it work EXTREMELY well, and then swear the stuff off? And that none of the effects will last? Frankly, that just doesn’t make that much sense to me, and it’s not like having one season power outbursts is a new thing (see Davey Johnson, 1973):

but as an underscore to just how darned impressive Pujols has been for the last decade, this is a fine piece of writing.

In 2004, Beltre hit 48 home runs and had a batting average of .334. Not including 2004, Beltre has only gone above 25 home runs once, in 2007, when he hit 26. Also, not including 2004, Beltre has only had two seasons where he has batted above .280, and that was in 2000 and 2010. To me, that raises lots of question marks.

Actually, that’s not true. Beltre hit 28 home runs in 2010….

Do know how many major leaguers have taken roids? A good amount. period.

No accusations, because none of us have an inside in who takes it or doesn’t.