born january better known spanish pronunciation dominican american professional baseball baseman mlb previously played received national_league mvp awards time mlb star star angels born dominican_republic moved united_states season college baseball selected cardinals 13th round mlb draft rookie cardinals unanimously voted rookie year played cardinals seasons contributing world series championships season free agent later signed year contract angels highly regarded hitter shown combination contact hitting ability patience raw power time silver twice led home runs led batting average doubles rbi significantly average career regular season batting average walk rate percent considered strong future candidate hall_of_fame early life career born january raised santo domingo dominican_republic grandmother america child father pitcher alcoholic albert father home father got drunk following games growing practiced baseball balls milk glove father grandmother immigrated new_york_city albert witnessed shooting grocery store partly shooting moved independence missouri months later join relatives played baseball fort high school independence named state athlete twice senior walked times protest opposing coaches believed older hit home runs bats home runs travelled feet graduating high school semester early december given baseball scholarship hit grand slam turned triple play game college season playing shortstop batted home runs freshman deciding enter major_league_baseball mlb draft professional baseball career minor league career teams interested uncertainty age position play build tampa bay rays scout recommended team sign quit job failed drafted 13th round major_league_baseball mlb draft selected overall pick initially turned bonus spent summer playing summer league total runs batted rbis team tied ninth history cardinals increased bonus offer signed began minor league career playing base single midwest league batted hits doubles triples home runs rbis games finished second league batting tied ninth doubles tied fourth triples players tied sixth home runs sixth rbis voted league valuable player named star team played games high year batting hits doubles triple home runs rbis finished season appearing regular season games batted playoffs named postseason valuable player mvp won title early career spring training told cardinals manager roster worst moves career later recounted myth opening day roster injured according rest cardinals management impressed decided promote big league club injury team need fill particular position cardinals opening day roster started season base right field left field base opening day colorado april got career hit single pitcher loss days later hits rbis including home run win players hit home runs rookie year july midseason cardinals rookie finished season batting sixth league hits fifth league doubles fifth league home runs runs home runs led cardinals topping named national_league silver award winner base position finished fourth valuable player mvp voting unanimously named rookie year setting rookie record rbis fifth league fourth mlb rookie hit home runs runs rbis cardinals finished season record advanced playoffs wild card team team won wild card round advanced game october hit game winning run home run pitcher victory cardinals eliminated games hits bats playing positions spent left field began season batting cleanup moved spot lineup remained rest cardinals career hit 30th home run got 100th rbi season loss cincinnati_reds august making sixth cardinal home run seasons second cardinal start career rbi seasons following month hit game winning run single victory gave cardinals title finished year batting seventh hits tied fourth doubles eighth home runs 10th runs scored second rbis second player major league history hit home runs runs scored rbis seasons finished second mvp voting bonds cardinal finish mvp voting consecutive seasons end season called outstanding hitter contributions helped cardinals finish home runs second batting average rbi cardinals pitching staff finished fourth era cardinals reached playoffs hits rbis game sweep team advanced championship series lost games san_francisco_giants hits home run rbis series cardinals named led votes straight seasons reach july august game hitting streak tied second longest cardinals history game streak july hit 100th career home run game winner victory dodgers fourth major hit 100th home run season hit home run september game tied home runs player seasons games hit home runs fourth league bonds rbis tied fourth youngest player win batting title batting led league runs hits doubles joined players cardinals history record hits season stellar play cardinals fans chanting home games early june finished second bonds mvp voting won second silver award won year award contributions helped cardinals rank second batting average home runs pitching staff posted era league average cardinals missed playoffs new contract receiving awards seasons rewarded accomplishments february signed seven year million contract extension million club option trade provisions moved base cardinals traded offseason june hit walk home run reds pitcher 10th inning victory highlights later season included july game hit rbis home runs broke hitter giants pitcher september game earned rbi joining players rbis seasons said confident going lot diagnosed second half season finished season average fifth league hits fifth doubles second home runs tied second rbis games led league runs scored finished mvp voting bonds joining cardinals finish voting years row won silver award base position won award teammates earned nickname phenomenal seasons led home runs batting average cardinals won aided pitcher won games era season team game dodgers hit run home run rbis cardinals won took series games game hits scored runs including winning run hit run home run inning victory cardinals won series seven games advancing world series time named mvp batting home runs rbis cardinals bat series boston_red_sox batting cardinals swept boston games baseball fans thought best cardinal picked 100th rbi season august joining williams players rbis seasons hit career home run game reds september making youngest major league player reach milestone second fastest reach games batted second average hits fourth lee doubles home runs lee rbis tied second jones runs scored league time career won mvp award bonds limited games injury returned playoffs cardinals won second year row hits bats runs scored rbis cardinals swept game cardinals trailing runs elimination ninth inning hit game winning run home run landed train tracks minute maid park cardinals won writer later called famous playoff home runs recent years cardinals eliminated game batted home runs rbis series continued success world series games april hit home runs consecutive plate appearances making 20th player accomplish feat maintained game concerned winning numbers don look numbers said don know didn know record guys brought don locked numbers don locked like locked seeing ball helping team win hopefully damage hits rbis including career hit home run cardinals beat cubs april june placed disabled list time career strained right oblique kept weeks august hit run home run grand slam loss september cardinals trailing eighth inning hit game winning run home run helping cardinals win end seven game losing streak win preserved cardinals game division lead said afterward huge huge ones hit finished season average hits doubles home runs second ryan_howard rbis second runs scored tied fifth home runs accounted game winning rbi breaking single season record set finished second howard mvp voting won gold glove award base won consecutive fielding bible awards base position led carpenter cardinals won reached playoffs year row game hit game winning run home run cardinals won game winning rbi hits game cardinals won batted home run rbi series cardinals defeated games game scored runs cardinals won batted home run rbi series cardinals defeated seven games game world series detroit_tigers hit game winning run home run cardinals won game flip play rob hit cardinals clinched series giving career world series ring near beginning season april game cubs hit game winning run home run 10th inning victory tying second time cardinals home run list finished season hits doubles rbis career low league leaders batting average sixth home runs tied tenth scored runs ending streak seasons home runs average runs scored rbis finished ninth mvp voting year finished outside career began reaching base straight games longest streak open season reached base games june placed strained left muscle expected miss weeks activated june hit home run july loss cubs said game homer goes park happy fans waiting september loss cubs hit 100th rbi season making player major league history start career seasons rbis williams regretted milestone came loss saying wish come great win special games batted second average hits reyes doubles tied fourth league home runs tied fourth league howard rbis fourth howard runs scored won second mvp award won silver award fourth time career named year second time career work field named winner considered having surgery season underwent nerve surgery right elbow instead ease discomfort later career second world series april picked career rbi foot grand slam victory cubs hit ball good hit ball said game july hit 10th career grand slam victory reds breaking record grand cardinal grand slam career home run making fastest player reach home runs received highest number votes history year hits runs scored rbis august including grand slam tied record grand season inning victory games batted hits sixth doubles second home runs rbis fielder howard runs scored unanimously named mvp time tying cardinals leader category fifth time career won silver award won year award second consecutive year joining williams players win years fourth year row won fielding bible award base aided midseason acquisition replaced cleanup hitter emergence led wins cardinals returned playoffs year hiatus dodgers batted rbi cardinals swept games following postseason surgery remove bone spurs right elbow cardinals called surgery success decided need surgery time june victory rbis hit home runs 37th career game tied franchise record games pretty special said tying blessed opportunity compared august hit career home run inning loss nationals youngest player reach milestone rodriguez fourth quickest player bats reach milestone september inning loss atlanta rbis reached rbis 10th consecutive year run double longer streak rbi seasons beginning career joined rodriguez having consecutive seasons rbis time career rodriguez players consecutive years home runs rbis day victory braves passed time cardinals leader multi home run games hit home runs 38th time game games batted sixth hits fifth doubles tied eighth led league runs scored home runs rbis won second gold glove award base won base silver award sixth time finished second mvp voting said shocked got place vote cardinals set deadline start spring training contract extension negotiations failed agree extension struggled games season batting batted home runs final games cubs hit consecutive extra inning walk home runs june time carpenter noted game slump earlier year continues great things doubt said things days like old albert june collided causing small fracture left wrist kept inactive july july victory cubs got career hit fifth cardinal reach hits 12th quickest major games milestone cardinals final game season september game winning rbi victory helping cardinals overcome game deficit atlanta win wild card finished season hits tied ninth doubles career low runs scored tied saw streak seasons batting home runs rbis snapped hit home runs fielder batted rbis seventh players major leagues matched categories fielder causing new_york_times write struggles fifth mvp voting game phillies october game winning rbi single cliff lee victory batted rbi series cardinals defeated phillies games game brewers hits runs scored home run rbis victory batted home runs rbis series cardinals defeated brewers games october game world series player hits home runs rbis world series game victory rangers hits home runs runs scored rbis game joined players baseball history hit home runs world series game accomplish feat following year player series history hits consecutive innings tied records hits rbis world series game hit rbis games series world series champion second time cardinals defeated rangers seven games season free agent time career anaheim present contract signing teams reported interested offseason cardinals miami anaheim cardinals offered year million deal million deferred rejected wife explained radio talk insulted confused cardinals initially offered year deal reportedly offered year contract december signed year deal angels worth million contract offered reportedly value offered angels history fire sales refused include trade clause contract season perform begin season batting home runs rbis month april soon angels called prospect fired hitting coach numbers began rise batted home runs july hit home runs victory rangers game holland observed ended early season struggles definitely turned doubt said slow start picked great hitter trout great job picking angels august rbi including game winning run home run victory cleveland_indians games batted hits doubles second home runs rbi 7th runs scored season august ruled remainder season suffering knee injury far worst season career failing play games time career posted career hits runs scored doubles home runs rbi walks batting average base percentage slugging percentage overall games batted hits doubles home runs rbi runs scored august cardinals player accused performance enhancing drugs radio clark served cardinals hitting coach early tenure morning august issued statement denying taken denounced clark allegations irresponsible reckless threatened sue clark allegations partly legal threats owns weekday time agreement cut ties clark october filed lawsuit clark response october clark challenged tests resolve telling truth february clark apologized retracted accusations saying knowledge whatsoever heated discussion air clark said return dropped suit season april hit home run career game versus nationals park 26th player reach home run mark youngest reach player hit career home runs game hit career home run season participating longest game year mlb longest history angel stadium ended inning contest solo home run final score walk home run angel june september collected career hit run ahead double 9th inning passed run mark game process fifth player major league history hits home runs maintaining lifetime batting average leads active players doubles season traveled japan join team mlb stars playing stars major_league_baseball japan star series season season enjoying offseason injured recovering injury angels offensive production slow month season end april batting rbis plate appearances suggested older age recent poor health angels simply bad luck offensive production started come june batted rbi posted time leading american_league home runs pace hit july announced selected star game reserve american_league injury days tigers instead start base 10th selection classic member angels september hit career home run pass sole possession 14th place time career home run october game season hit 40th home run season seventh time hit home runs season career times active mlb player reached mark times trailing times season april hit career home run passing 13th time list april player career plate appearances 20th player time career total bases hit career home run passing 12th time list june hit career home run passing 11th time playing style swing praised consistency swing time teammate said ability repeat swing leads consistent cardinals video coordinator said sports_illustrated writer described swing quick quiet uses bat right handed pitchers uses bat left avoid trying pull ball swings defensively won gold glove awards moving base credited hitting ability partly pitchers personal life married wife january children isabella daughter previous relationship albert offseason live albert wife supporters people syndrome condition isabella born citizen scoring perfect citizenship test close friends baseman teammate cardinals called closest friend baseball godfather son friends selected home run derby asked donated money mike memorial tournament allowing event occur sponsor backed august attended rally washington assured rally political rally presented medal field efforts business ventures family opened restaurant located missouri foot statue dedicated november outside restaurant anonymous donor commissioned sculptor create statue belongs signed angels restaurant renamed teamed group looking bring franchise area group bid franchise unsuccessful minor league soccer team created instead christianity wife christians christian november influenced grandmother writings family foundation website states family god distant second writes life goal bring glory jesus life dedicated lord committed jesus christ god given ability succeed game baseball baseball end baseball means wife god baseball simply platform elevate jesus christ lord tenure cardinals family attended church missouri albert launched non profit dedicated commitment faith family organization promotes awareness syndrome works support families aids poor dominican_republic supports people disabilities life threatening illnesses activities foundation hosts events people syndrome foundation gave resources open office hire staff opened missouri present opening november taken trips dominican_republic taking supplies team doctors poor need medical care holds annual golf tournament raise money send dominican_republic accomplishments ranked players major league history statistical categories slugging percentage fifth base plus slugging sixth tied ninth end season led active players batting average slugging percentage ranked active players doubles ninth home runs fourth rodriguez rbis sixth runs scored ninth fielding percentage base set major league single season record assists cardinals statistics second doubles home runs rbis seventh games seventh batting average runs scored fourth hits single season cardinals records runs scored tied seventh doubles tied sixth holds cardinals home run totals rbis tied seventh earned praise fellow players coaches named feared hitter baseball poll mlb managers called best player managed referred greatest hitters time called great hitter said best said cardinals face cardinals said play solely numbers don play numbers play god accomplish game everybody wants accomplish getting world series coming win end things try focus try sure day rest career awards honors
Albert Pujols