Another shot at history
ST. LOUIS – As the electronic portion of the sports world, and to a somewhat lesser extent the print side, have become enchanted with Barry Bonds’ pursuit of Babe Ruth’s magical home run total of 714, there is a record-setting pace going on here.
While San Francisco Giants slugger Bonds has tried to chase down the fabled Ruth for second place on the career home run list behind Henry Aaron’s 755, Cardinals first baseman Albert Pujols is on target to hit a record-breaking 83 home runs for the season.
Pujols cracked his 18th Wednesday in the Cardinals’ 35th game. Only Cy Williams of the 1923 Philadelphia Phillies hit his 18th sooner, homering in his team’s 34th game.
“I’m sure there have been better starts,” said Cardinals closer Jason Isringhausen. “But there can’t be too many, can there?”
Pujols is ahead of the home run paces of both Mark McGwire of the Cardinals and Bonds, when they hit record-breaking home run totals of 70 and 73, respectively, in 1998 and 2001.
While Pujols hit his 18th homer in the club’s 35th game, McGwire hit his 18th, 19th and 20th in the club’s 43rd game on a six-RBIs night in Philadelphia.
But even as hot as Pujols is, he will be hard-pressed to stay ahead of Bonds, who reached 18, 19 and 20 in 2001 in his team’s 42nd game. That hat trick came in the midst of a furious six-game stretch in which Bonds clouted nine home runs, at least one in every game, and by game 45 of the Giants’ season, he had 24. Pujols would have to homer six more times in the next 10 games just to match that.
In his Most Valuable Player season of 2005, Pujols didn’t hit his 18th homer until June 20. He finished with 43.
“As far as history, I don’t know what it looks like,” Cardinals center fielder Jim Edmonds said. “But as far as what I’m watching, it’s a pretty impressive start he’s put together – quietly.
“That’s all right. That’s how he likes it.”
But Cards second baseman Aaron Miles wonders if it should be so quiet.
“Everybody’s overshadowed by Bonds and the whole Ruth chase,” Miles said. “They’re showing every at-bat by Bonds on ESPN. It would be pretty exciting to throw in Pujols’ at-bats every time, too.”
With what’s gone on, one does not put too much past Pujols, who already has accounted for 10 game-winning runs batted in this season in the Cardinals’ 22 wins.
Wednesday’s game-winner came in the first inning. His three-run homer in the eighth won Tuesday’s game. He has 11 homers at Busch Stadium.
“This is my fourth year here,” said Chris Carpenter, the reigning Cy Young Award winner, “and I haven’t seen him hit like he’s hitting now.
“It’s unbelievable, is what it is. He continues to amaze not only myself but a lot of guys in this clubhouse. It seems like every time he goes up there, he’s going to do something big.”
Carpenter noted that Pujols is producing off all types of pitchers and pitches.
“And he’s doing it in pressure situations,” Carpenter said. “He’s a human being, and he’s going to make mistakes and make outs. But … when we need him the most, he comes through. He does it with everybody in the crowd, everybody in the media and probably a lot of guys on the bench expecting him to do it. It’s unfair to him.
“That’s a lot of pressure to put on one guy to expect him every time he comes up there to do something huge. Guys in the media and fans … if he gets a base hit and drives in two runs, it’s like they say, ‘That’s sweet. He got a base hit and drove in two runs.’ But everybody in the stands is like, ‘I wish he had hit a homer.’ “