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This Card's an ace Pujols has quietly become one of baseball's best playersPosted: Wednesday June 25, 2003 12:29 PMUpdated: Wednesday June 25, 2003 12:47 PM
Click here to send a question to Tom Verducci's Mailbag. Is Albert Pujols of the Cardinals so good we're starting to take him for granted? I hope not, because we're looking at one of the finest young hitters to come along in years. As a reader pointed out, it's a real shame this guy isn't among the top three vote-getters in the All-Star balloting. Obviously, his profile remains a whole lot lower than his talent level. But Pujols is a humble man, not the kind of character who draws attention to himself. It may cost him some votes, but it sure earns him respect. Why don't I hear anyone discussing the monster season Albert Pujols is having? He's in contention for the Triple Crown, but I don't see many stories about him. Right now, he is hands down the best all-around player in baseball. Who's better? And remember, Pujols can play three positions well.
You want to read a story on Pujols? Go to the newsstand and pick up the latest issue of Sports Illustrated (June 30, 2003). Pujols is a joy to watch, a throwback hitter who puts the ball in play, goes hard and doesn't look to promote himself at all. He may be the best pure right-handed hitter in the game -- a title that for years belonged to Edgar Martinez. But if I were starting a team today, I'd still take Alex Rodriguez first. What does it say about the state of All-Star balloting when Albert Pujols is in fourth place among NL outfielders? Somehow, Sammy Sosa, who is having a rather poor season by his standards, is in second place. I don't know if this is a lack of respect for St. Louis or just general moronic behavior by the voting public, but this is exactly the kind of idiocy that keeps me from watching the All-Star Game. What are your thoughts?
It's all about Q ratings, my friend. Sammy is the best-known player in the game, so your casual fan is going to punch the hole next to his name. I realize the fans don't always get it right, but I like the spirit of the vote. Let the fans have a say in who they want to see. And you can bet Pujols will be at the All-Star Game, anyway. The Astros seem to be stuck with Craig Biggio and Jeff Bagwell until their retirements. Given baseball's "win now" mentality, I don't think it makes sense to hang on to the duo just because they've been Astros for their entire careers. Is there a market for Bagwell and Biggio? I love these two for what they have done for Houston, but I do not like them for what they are now -- overpaid vets who take up spots which could be given to better players. Have the Astros held on to these guys too long?
As you probably know, both of them could block a trade to another team, but no, I don't think the Astros have held on to Bagwell and Biggio too long. Did the Utah Jazz hold on to John Stockton and Karl Malone too long? Bagwell and Biggio are great players and good citizens in the Houston area. They play hard and rarely miss a game. I would hate to see them traded just because the Astros want to try to turn their luck around or something. You said in your last mailbag that only time will tell if the Blue Jays are buying or selling. Do you think the Yankees' struggles should enter into Toronto's decision-making? The Yanks blew it with their offseason acquisitions this year. Shouldn't the Blue Jays pick up a Curt Schilling-type player and make their run before the behemoth can retool?
I think the more the Yankees squirm, the more they sink into quicksand -- Jeff Weaver, Raul Mondesi, Ruben Sierra, Juan Acevedo . . . hardly the pillars to restore the grinder's mentality the Yankees have lost. I might fear the Yanks' money -- will they blow away Vladimir Guerrero with a huge offer when he becomes a free agent in the offseason? -- but I don't fear their future. If I'm Toronto I stay the course -- hold on to the young players and maybe find a second-tier pitcher on the trade market. I'd be hard-pressed to think of a better pitcher to come through Toronto than Roy Halladay (excluding Roger Clemens). How would you rank Roy against the other elite pitchers in the majors? In my opinion, he is one of the top five hurlers in the game.
Well, because Schilling, Randy Johnson and Pedro Martinez have not been healthy, and Greg Maddux has become a six- or seven-inning pitcher who gets hit sometimes, I'd have to throw in Halladay as a definite top-10 starter -- and, yes, I could buy an argument that he's among the top five. Give the guy credit. He went all the way back down to Class A ball to get his game back. The 26-year-old right-hander is a tough guy. Do you think it's time for the Red Sox to consider another manager? The team has some of the best players in the game, but it cannot put together a winning streak. Rumor has it that the Sox are thinking about bringing Ugueth Urbina back. Would that be a wise move considering he is expensive and did not fare very well with Boston last year?
I would definitely consider bringing Urbina back for the right price. He may be the best reliever out there and we know how much Boston needs help out of the pen. And yes, I do think Grady Little is on a short leash. I realize that managing with the bullpen he has isn't easy, but allowing young right-handers to pitch to Jim Thome with the game on the line in the late innings, as Little did Saturday, is just one example of the skipper's head-shaking moves. What is your take on Roberto Alomar? Is he done or is he slumping because he's playing with the Mets? Will a trade rejuvenate his career or are his great days long gone?
That's a great question because a lot of people in baseball are wondering the same thing. Alomar's body just hasn't had the same life and energy since he joined the Mets, and he's been so bad hitting right-handed that he'll bunt with two outs and nobody on base against a lefty. It's strange to see him be a shadow of the player we once knew. However, I do think Alomar loves baseball and will respond to a different situation. He just has never seemed comfortable in New York.
How long is Peter Angelos going to tolerate Mike Hargrove's incompetence? Hargrove does not know how to handle pitchers nor does he know how to develop young players. The Orioles are going nowhere, so why is Hargrove playing veterans such as David Segui, Jeff Conine and B.J. Surhoff? Why not start players like Luis Matos, Brian Roberts, Jerry Hairston, etc. and let them play themselves in or out of the majors?
I actually thought Hargrove did an excellent job getting the Orioles to play hard last year up until that 4-32 collapse. I respect his knowledge of the game. As for the younger guys, perhaps he doesn't want to overexpose them and perhaps he has pressure from the front office to put up some wins for a franchise that is desperate for any amount of respectability. I haven't seen big problems with Hargrove. Now that the Cubs traded Mark Bellhorn for Jose Hernandez, will they not go after Mike Lowell?
Well, no. The Cubs just couldn't wait around for the trading deadline, when the Marlins will decide whether to move Lowell. The Bellhorn-for-Hernandez deal gives the Cubs a good option now and, if Lowell stays off the market, Chicago still has a pretty good hitter at the position. However, I do think the Cubs and Marlins will continue to talk. Why do you think the Phillies are playing so poorly? They made major upgrades at first and third and added Kevin Millwood, but they haven't gone on a roll yet. Should the Phillies make some changes before the trade deadline or do you think they should just ride out the year and hope for the best?
I'm very surprised the Phillies haven't hit, particularly Pat Burrell. He's the one guy that can turn that team around in a hurry. Once he gets going, Thome and the rest of the lineup will find their jobs easier. I think the answers have to come from within for Philadelphia. Sports Illustrated senior writer Tom Verducci covers baseball for the magazine and is a regular contributor to SI.com. Click here to send a question to his Mailbag.
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