In Major League Baseball history, there are now only four players who have hit more home runs than Dominican and Angels slugger Albert Pujols, who hit his 660 career homer Sunday to equal Hall member for fifth place. of Giants legend and fame, Willie Mays.
Pujols’ historic hit came at a key moment, as a two-run cannon shot off fellow Dominican Carlos Estévez in the eighth inning gave the Angels a 4-3 lead at Coors Field. He hit it on a 1-1 count and the ball traveled a projected distance of 402 feet, according to Statcast. Only Barry Bonds (762), Hank Aaron (755), Babe Ruth (714) and Rodriguez (696) have more home runs than Pujols.
“That it was the winning hit, on top of everything else, was like a perfect moment for him,” Angels manager Joe Maddon said. And for us. We are not out of this race yet, mathematically, and a hit like that can lift our spirits for the next few days. “
It’s another impressive milestone for Pujols, who has made countless incredible accomplishments throughout his 20-year career, including reaching 3,000 hits in 2018 and recently passing Alex Rodriguez to clinch the second half on the por’s chart. life of pushed races. Pujols also passed Craig Biggio for fifth all-time in doubles with 669 on Saturday and is the only member of the 650-homer and 650-doubles club.
“I have seen him set a lot of records and do very special things, so one might think that at some point it will cease to matter so much to you, as you get used to it, but it is not like that,” said left-hander Andrew Heaney, who took the victory thanks to the hit of Pujols. “When a guy ties Willie Mays with 660 home runs, you know it’s almost indescribable.”
It took Pujols a long time to catch up with Mays. He hit 659 on Aug. 4 after hitting three home runs in his first eight games, but then hit a 22-game homerless pothole through Sunday.
“I don’t think about that,” Pujols said. “If it were, I’d be hitting a lot of rollings, striking out and not swinging well. I knew that sooner or later, whether it was this year or the next, it was going to happen. It was only a matter of time”.
Pujols, a three-time MVP winner and a 10-time All-Star call-up, hit 445 home runs in 11 seasons with the Cardinals and 215 in nine years with the Angels. He remains under contract until next season. He led the National League in home runs twice with 47 in 2009 and 42 in 2010. His top with the Angels is 40 in 2015, the last season he went to the All-Star Game.
“Those are things you have to think about to really understand,” Maddon said. “And normally, it takes me a while, usually a whole winter, to reflect. But for him and his family, it is something very special, because Willie Mays is one of the best players of all time and they will speak of Albert in those same terms. “
Mays played 22 seasons, hitting 646 home runs for the Giants and 14 for the Mets. Mays, a 24-time All-Star player, is considered by many to be the best position player in the game’s history, and Pujols has said in the past what it means to him that his name is mentioned alongside Mays.
“Legend,” Pujols said of Mays. “It’s something amazing. They are things that one dreams of. I had the opportunity to meet him several times when we were going to San Francisco. He is a legend, it is impressive that they mention my name in the same sentence with Willie Mays. It is something incredible, that makes me feel very honored. It is something that I am going to tell my children, my grandchildren, and it is a legacy that will live forever ”.
What Pujols achieved did not go unnoticed in the Rockies clubhouse. “It’s a huge number,” said shorstop Trevor Story. “For me, the guy is an all-time legend. And for others too. It has been incredible to play against him. I know he is a good, very special player. And that he is also a special person. It means a lot to the game. It is a tremendous example to follow for the children, and for me, being honest ”.
Pujols also ranks second on the RBI list with 2,097, trailing just another Hall of Famer, Aaron, who had 2,297 scoring marks in 23 seasons.
The subject of towed in the record book can be a bit confusing. For starters, charters didn’t become an official statistic until 1920, which means that Elias does not consider Babe Ruth and Cap Anson as members of the 2,000 RBI club, although in some records both are considered to have reached that threshold. by retroactively including trailers landed before 1920. On those listings, Ruth is ahead of Pujols at 2,214.
On the next rung on the home run list is Rodriguez, but Pujols, 40, acknowledged that he’s a long way off. Pujols, under contract until the end of next season, had his chance of beating A-Rod cut short with this shortened 60-game season.
“It’s pretty far away,” Pujols said. “I really don’t think about it. If it passes, if it is written that I am going to tie Alex or give 700, then it will pass. But I don’t want to force it. I don’t want to go out and play to look for numbers or records ”. (GG)(Taken MLB.COM)