This article will discuss the five best seasons of Albert Pujols’ career with the St. Louis Cardinals. This analysis will include statistics and other relevant information in order to determine where each season ranks among all others.-
Albert Pujols has had 5 seasons with the St. Louis Cardinals that have been considered his best. The author ranks them in order from best to worst.
Albert Pujols of the St. Louis Cardinals should have a lengthy conversation with whomever said that you can’t go home again.
Midway through spring training, the three-time National League MVP, who played with the Cardinals from 2001 to 2011, returned to his old squad. On Monday, March 28, Pujols, who turned 42 in January, revealed that the 2022 season will be his last in the major leagues. The last round will be with the club that picked him in 1999 and saw him develop into one of the game’s finest hitters.
On the eve of the Cardinals’ 2022 season, it seems like the right moment to reflect on Pujols’ finest years with the team. We considered statistics, the team’s ultimate result, and the circumstances surrounding the seasons in question while compiling this list.
Pujols’ best Cardinals campaigns rank as follows, taking into account the aforementioned prerequisites:
5. Pujols takes to the air (2003)
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The fact is that Pujols was so outstanding in each of his 11 seasons with the Cardinals that included every year that isn’t on this list would effectively be including every year that isn’t on this list. We apologize to anyone who believed that his three home runs in Game 3 of the 2011 World Series would be enough to vault that season into our top ten.
Let’s go back to 2003 now that it’s out of the way. In 157 games, the 23-year-old Pujols hit.359 with 43 home runs, 124 RBI, and 1.106 on-base plus slugging (OPS). The two-time All-Star led the league in batting average, runs scored (137), hits (212), and doubles (51) his way to finishing second in the National League MVP voting, behind only San Francisco Giants star left fielder Barry Bonds. Unless you were one of the opposing pitchers, it was a good time.
4. The best in the industry (2008)
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In each of his first six seasons, Pujols finished fourth or higher in the NL MVP vote, winning the award in 2005. Despite hitting.327 with 32 home runs and 103 RBI in 2007, the experienced first baseman came in ninth place in the MVP voting. After a year, how did The Machine react? As you browse through this list, some of the balls he hit may still be on their way. In collecting his second career MVP Award, Pujols hit.357, the second-highest mark of his career, with 37 home runs (including his 300th career home run), 116 RBI, and 44 doubles.
Pujols’ 1.114 OPS, as well as his 342 total bases and 34 intentional walks, lead the league. Consider how many more home runs he would have hit if pitchers had pitched to him.
3. Crush in October (2005)
For a substantial proportion of batters who have ever taken the field in a Major League Baseball season, Pujols’ 2005 season would easily be the best statistically.
It only comes in third place here.
For the NL Central-winning Cardinals, Pujols hit.330 with 41 home runs, 117 RBI, 38 doubles, and a career-high 16 stolen bases. The Machine won his first of three National League MVP Awards with those stats. Pujols blasted two home runs in the NLCS after hitting.556 in the National League Division Series against the San Diego Padres. The Wild Card-winning Houston Astros (yep, the Astros used to play in the National League) defeated the Cardinals in six games to claim the NL title.
Pujols’ 2005 season was unquestionably the best of his 11 years with the Cardinals. However, you’ll quickly see why two other campaigns made the top of our list.
2. At long last, a champion (2006)
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Despite hitting.200 in the World Series with one home run and two RBI, Pujols’ 2006 season is remembered by the Cardinals’ Fall Classic success. It’s easy to forget that during the regular season, the 26-year-old first baseman hit.331 with a career-high 49 home runs, 137 RBI, and 33 doubles in 143 games.
Pujols led the league with a.671 slugging percentage and 1.102 OPS, and he finished second in the NL MVP voting behind Philadelphia Phillies first baseman Ryan Howard. Howard had a league-high 58 home runs and 149 RBI, according to Baseball-Reference, while Pujols had an MLB-high 8.5 WAR. It’s a tough decision.
1. Not once, not twice, but three times… (2009)
We’re not exaggerating when we say Pujols was unstoppable in 2009. With a.327 average, 47 home runs, 135 RBI, 45 doubles, 16 stolen bases, and a 1.101 OPS, the 29-year-old finished his seventh major league season with a.327 average, 47 home runs, 135 RBI, 45 doubles, 16 stolen bases, and a 1.101 OPS. Those figures were more than enough to secure him the NL MVP Award for the second time in a row.
Despite hitting.300 in the NLDS, Pujols only drove in one run as the Los Angeles Dodgers swept the St. Louis Cardinals. Despite this, we’re confident in declaring 2014 his finest season with the Cardinals, particularly because Baseball-Reference rated his WAR at an astounding 9.7.
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Frequently Asked Questions
Who is the greatest Cardinal ever?
A: The best Cardinals player to ever play in the MLB is Stan Musial, who played for 9 seasons from 1943-1947 and 1948.
Who is the best player on the St. Louis Cardinals?
A: Jason Heyward is the best player on the St. Louis Cardinals because he has a career OPS of .921 with 73 home runs and 275 RBIs.
Is Albert Pujols the greatest hitter of all time?
A: Yes.
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