MLB Hall of Fame: 10 current players who are locks
2. Albert Pujols
Albert Pujols has always been one of my favorite players, and while I’m not a St. Louis Cardinals fan, I tuned in to watch him play as often as I could when it didn’t conflict with my Atlanta Braves.
While with the St. Louis Cardinals, where he played for his first eleven seasons, Pujols put up unbelievable numbers. He’s waxed and waned since moving to the Los Angeles Angels, and it’s only that obvious regression he seems to be experiencing that keeps him from being number 1 on my list.
In 14 seasons as a professional, Albert has a career slash line that is simply amazing – .319 Batting Average/.406 On-Base Percentage/.593 Slugging Percentage/.999 OPS (On-Base + Slugging). Few can compare to Pujols for a 14 year slash line, and the accolades he’s received since his rookie year in 2001 are amazing.
In just his rookie year in 2001, Pujols was an All-Star selection, Rookie of the Year, 4th in MPV voting, and won a Silver Slugger award! He went on from there to receive eight more All-Star selections, 3 Most Valuable Player awards (and was a top 5 candidate multiple times as well), five more Silver Slugger awards, and was twice a Gold Glove award winner!
Some Quotes About Albert Pujols
"“Every time you turned on Xbox or PlayStation, you always wanted to pick Albert — he was hitting some home runs, for sure,” Trout said. “It’s pretty wild to be in the same clubhouse with him, to see him chase history. They call him ‘The Machine,’ so I pick his brain every chance I get.” – Mike Trout “He’s a once-in-a-generation player,” Angels Manager Mike Scioscia said. “There’s no doubt he’s the gold standard for what guys did not only in the batter’s box but in the field — he’s a Gold Glove first baseman. He’s put up incredible numbers.” – Mike Scioscia “It’s so obvious and evident, if you watch him closely, that from his rookie year to today, he has played the game to win,” La Russa said. “That means when he’s on base, he’s trying to do something to win a game as a baserunner. It’s the same on defense, at bat. If he needs to start a rally, he’ll stroke an opposite-field hit. The biggest compliment I can give Albert is he’s never changed. He’s a perfect player. In all categories of the game — hitting, running defense, cheerleading, being a mentor — you see Hall-of-Fame greatness.” – Tony La Russa"
All you need to do really is look at Albert Pujols numbers (nevermind that he’s not been as good since moving to the Angels) to know that he is almost a certain lock for the Hall of Fame! Couple those numbers with the respect he gets around the league, and Pujols is a certainty.