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Hall of Fame baseball writer Hal McCoy is in his 37th year of covering the Cincinnati Reds, the longest tenure for any active writer covering one team. Counting spring training and postseason games, McCoy has covered more than 7,000 major-league baseball games, written close to 18,000 baseball stories and eaten enough hot dogs to give Babe Ruth indigestion.Home > Blogs > The Real McCoy | Cincinnati Reds baseball news > Archives > 2009 > November > 24 > Entry
Just call him Albert the Great
FORMER CINCINNATI Reds manager Jerry Narron once referred to Albert Pujols simply as Albert the Great - no last name. And everybody in the room knew exactly to whom he referred.
I laughed loudly at the reference and Narron enjoyed that I appreciated his sense of humor. Never again did he refer to him as Albert Pujols. It always was Albert the Great.
And no nickname ever fit more snugly.
Albert Pujols truly is Albert the Great.
When MVP ballots arrive, voters are asked to list their Top Ten candidates, ranking them One through Ten. On this year’s ballot I was tempted to scribble on my ballot, “Albert Pujols and any other nine guys you can think of.”
Apparently, I wasn’t alone in this thinking. Pujols was listed No. 1 on all 32 ballots (two votes from each National League city) to win the NL MVP for 2009.
IN MY 37 YEARS of covering baseball, I never saw a hitter more feared than Albert the Great. And rightfully so. He can beat you with a home run or he can beat you with a double or he can beat you with single or he can beat you with a walk.
He has beaten the Reds so many times, including a ninth-inning grand slam off David Weathers, if I’m managing the Reds I don’t EVER let him beat me. No way. No how. If the Reds had a three-run lead in the ninth inning and the St. Louis Cardinals had the bases loaded with Albert the Great due up, I walk him and take my chances with the next guy.
He is that potent.
And there is another reason I love this guy.
The Cardinals were playing the Reds two years ago, when Cincinnati first baseman Joey Votto was a rookie. Before one game, I was standing by the batting cage when Pujols walked by. Votto spotted him and stopped him.
He asked Pujols a question about playing first base and for the next 20 minutes Pujols was demonstrating not only the footwork at first base but some batting stances. I mean, there was a guy from an opposing team, a team that plays in the same division as the Reds, and he was imparting knowledge (very, very good knowledge) to the other team’s first baseman.
Judging by the improvement Votto has made defensively and at the plate, I’d say what Pujols told him must have been applied.
What is outstandingly amazing to me is that this is Pujols’ third MVP, his second in a row. And he isn’t even 30. There are many more in his future.
To me, the difference between the Cardinals and the Reds is one thing - Albert the Great. If the Reds had a player of his caliber, things might be different on the riverfront. Then you couldn’t say that the Reds put the ‘less’ in hopeless.
And to think, the Cardinals are ‘only’ paying him $16 million a year - about half of what A-Rod makes. Given a choice, I’d take Pujols over A-Rod every time. I’d take Pujols over anybody.
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Comments
By Bill Topp
December 25, 2009 1:57 PM | Link to this
I really enjoyed reading your comments about your dining in Indy with Tony Perez, Tom Seaver, etc. It is great to hear off the field stories as told by greats of the past. I have heard it said by some baseball experts, that Joey Votto is a flash in the pan, and will be out of the Reds lineup after 2 or 3 more years. What is your take?
By Dean
November 28, 2009 8:23 AM | Link to this
I remember Albert from the 2000 season when he came to Dayton as a member of the Peoria team. He stood out then as a man among boys.
By MAC
November 27, 2009 1:06 AM | Link to this
I too luv Albert the Great, but I have a hard time believing he’s only 29 and that he hasn’t had a supplement (illegal?) along the way?
By Decker
November 25, 2009 10:58 PM | Link to this
I remember when Albert and Dunn came into the league and people were amazed by both. Dunn stood pat and Pujols has worked - the difference shows.
By Big Daddy
November 25, 2009 10:39 PM | Link to this
Lets’ see: Pujols is better than all the Roid users, yet I am supposed to believe is isn’t user(most likely hgh)? Don’t think so. Just come clean now Albert. You’ll get exposed. All the “great” ones have so far.
By Deaner
November 25, 2009 8:19 PM | Link to this
Isn’t this sad… A great player and person like Albert Pujols and most of us have that “Is he clean?” question in the back of our minds.
By Aaron B.
November 25, 2009 1:42 PM | Link to this
THis is crazy out-of-the box thinking here… but why can’t the Reds, Cubs, Astros, and Pirates all get together and each donate some cash to an American League team so they can make an outrageous offer for Pujols and get him out of our division? Between those 5 teams we could easily hand someone like the White Sox 12M per season and they can match it with their own cash and then offer Pujols 24M/season to sign with them. That would be money well spent!
By George from New York
November 25, 2009 11:44 AM | Link to this
Hi Hal— I agree that Pujols is the best player, but I remember entire weeks where Barry Bonds was walked out of fear of him. Now I by no means am a Bonds fan, but he seemed to generate more fear at his juiced up peak than Pujols. Not a lot more, but more.
By Floyd
November 25, 2009 10:23 AM | Link to this
I think the four consecutive years that Barry Bonds was MVP he was more feared. I hope Pujols is clean, he certainly seems like a great guy. I agree that I wouldn’t let Pujols beat me even if I had to walk him with the bases loaded.
By Wordman
November 25, 2009 9:42 AM | Link to this
I would sure like to have the first pick in my fantasy league some year … so I could draft Albert the Great!
By Shane
November 24, 2009 10:57 PM | Link to this
Pujols is a better player and human being than A-Roid…without steroids!!! (At least I hope so)
By bobinCT
November 24, 2009 8:57 PM | Link to this
I have to agree Hal, if I’m starting a team,I’m starting with Albert. The cards would be smart to give him an A-rod like contract in fact they will be lucky if they can keep him at that price.
By wizard
November 24, 2009 4:03 PM | Link to this
Me Too, Hal! But, I’d take A-rod and Jeter, too!