PEORIA, IL----
Former Peoria Chiefs infielder Albert Pujols was named the National League Most
Valuable Player for the third time in his nine-year career on Tuesday. Pujols joins Jim Tracy, who
was named NL Manager of the Year last week, as former Chiefs to bring home major hardware
this off-season. Pujols received every first place vote from the BBWAA voters making him the first
unanimous selection since Barry Bonds in 2002.Pujols led the St. Louis Cardinals to a surprise NL Central title this season by hitting.327 with 47 home runs, 45 doubles, 124 runs scored and 135 RBI. He has batted at least.300 with 32 or more homers and 103 or more RBI in each of his nine Major League seasons. Pujols led the NL this season in home runs, runs scored, intentional walks (44), slugging percentage (.658), on- base percentage (.443), OPS (1.101) and total bases (374). He also finished third in batting average, second in games played, second in doubles, third in RBI and third in walks. Pujols set new career highs in walks with 115 and intentional walks with 44, which is also a Cardinals record. The first baseman also set a Major League record this year with 186 assists and established a new Cardinals record with seven assists in a single game. Despite the Cardinals first-round playoff exit, Pujols hit.300 in the three games with three walks and a RBI. The home run title by Pujols this season is the first ever by a former Chiefs player.
The 2009 MVP Award just adds to Pujols' trophy case. He was named the NL Rookie of the Year in 2001 and has claimed Silver Slugger Awards in 2001, 2003, 2004, 2008 and 2009. He won the 2004 NLCS MVP in 2004 and added a Gold Glove in 2006, as he also led the Cardinals to the World Series title. Pujols has also won the NL Hank Aaron Award in 2003 and 2009 while winning the prestigious Roberto Clemente Award in 2008. An eight-time NL All-Star at three different positions, Pujols claimed the 2003 NL Batting Title. He has been named
The Sporting News Player of the Year three times (2003, 2008, 2009) and won three ESPY Awards for Best MLB Player (2005, 2006, 2009). Pujols has also won the Players Choice Award for Player of the Year three times (2003, 2008, 2009) and was named Player of the Decade by The Sporting News earlier this year.
The 29-year old currently ranks in the top 15 in Major League Baseball history in on-base percentage, slugging percentage and OPS. He holds the MLB record for most career home runs in his first nine seasons and was the third-youngest to ever hit.350. Pujols already holds the Cardinals franchise record for most grand slams with nine, and he is third on the St. Louis list for career RBI. He will enter the 2010 season with a career batting average of.334 to go along with 366 home runs, 387 doubles, 1,071 runs scored, 1,112 RBI, a.427 on-base percentage and a .628 slugging percentage. He leads all active players in batting average slugging and OPS while raking second among active players in on-base percentage and 12th in home runs. In baseball history only Babe Ruth (.690), Lou Gehrig (.634) and Ted Williams (.632) have higher career slugging percentages than Pujols at.628.
He is the ninth player in Major League history to win three or more Most Valuable Player Awards joining Jimmie Foxx (1932, 33, 38), Joe DiMaggio (1939, 41, 47), Stan Musial (1943, 46, 48), Roy Campanella (1951, 53, 55), Yogi Berra (1951, 54, 55), Mickey Mantle (1957, 58, 62), Mike Schimdt (1980, 81, 86), Barry Bonds (1990, 92, 93, 2001, 02, 03, 04) and Alex Rodriguez (2003, 05, 07). Only Bonds, with seven, has ever won more than three MVP Awards.
Pujols has finished in the top 10 of the N.L. MVP voting in each of his nine Major League seasons and has finished in the top five eight times. Those eight top-five finishes are matched in Major League history by just six players (Barry Bonds with 12, Ted Williams with 10, Stan Musial, Mickey Mantle and Willie Mays with 9 and Hank Aaron with 8).
Pujols, the only former Chiefs player to ever win a Most Valuable Player Award in the Majors, was drafted in the 13th round of the 1999 draft by the St. Louis Cardinals out of Maple Woods Community College in Kansas City, MO. On April 6, 2000 he went 2-for-4 in his professional and Chiefs debut with a home run, double and three RBI at Kane County. On April 19 of that season he hit his first home run at Pete Vonachen Stadium against South Bend. In 109 total games for the Chiefs he hit.324 with 17 home runs, 32 doubles, 84 RBI and 62 runs scored while drawing 38 walks and striking out just 37 times. He still holds the Chiefs single season and career records for slugging percentage at.565 and ranks in the top 10 on the single-season list for RBI, batting average and OPS. Pujols was named the Midwest League Most Valuable Player and Prospect of the Year despite leaving in August in a promotion to High-A Potomac where he hit.284 in 21 games. Pujols finished the 2000 season leading the Memphis Redbirds to the Pacific Coast League Championship where he was named the series MVP.
• Discuss this story on the Midwest League message board...
• Digg this story
• Add to Del.icio.us
The opinions expressed in this release are those of the organization issuing it, and do not necessarily reflect the thoughts or opinions of OurSports Central or its staff.
