Albert Pujols
Albert Pujols
José Alberto Pujols Alcántara, better known as Albert Pujols, is a Dominican American professional baseball first baseman for the Los Angeles Angels of Anaheim of Major League Baseball. He previously played for the St. Louis Cardinals, where he received three National LeagueMVP awardsand was a nine-time MLB All-Star. He was also an All-Star with the Angels in 2015...
NationalityDominican
ProfessionBaseball Player
Date of Birth16 January 1980
CitySanto Domingo, Dominican Republic
CountryDominica
I consider myself a line drive hitter with power. I just try to put my best swing on the ball every time.
When you get a walk-off homer, you get to do whatever you want. You need to be excited about it. You don't get too many of those, so you need to enjoy them when they come.
People from other teams want to play in St. Louis and they're jealous that we're in St. Louis because the fans are unbelievable. So why would you want to leave a place like St. Louis to go somewhere else and make $3 or $4 more million a year? It's not about the money. I already got my money. It's about winning and that's it. It's about accomplishing my goal and my goal is to try to win. If this organization shifts the other way then I have to go the other way.
What motivates me more than money are God and my family.
In my heart and mind, I know I can hit anybody. I'm always relaxed. It's hard to explain. It's like playing with my kids. It feels natural.
I thought about it a lot (losing the 2002 NLCS). It's something you have to go home and wrap it up because if you keep thinking about it, you're going to take that to Spring Training and you're not going to be able to concentrate on your work.
To me playing third base and left field and moving all over the place, it doesn't bother me because I still have to grab that bat and hit no matter where I play.
It doesn't matter the numbers, it doesn't matter the records, it doesn't matter the money that you make. What matters is to raise that trophy and to be able to bring that smile to the city of St. Louis.
I hope by the time that I'm done in this game, I can have half the numbers Stan Musial had in his career.
There's three things that as a professional athlete you want. You want to get to the big leagues, and I accomplished that. Winning a World Series ring, I got that. And then getting to the Hall of Fame. That's everybody's dream. Every athlete, they want to be up there in the Hall of Fame, mentioned with the greatest players to ever play this game.
Every year it gets tougher and tougher. Mentally and physically. That's why you need to train and prepare.
A lot of people said I could be a good player. I just wanted the opportunity to show it. I just let it happen.
What I lose today I can't make up tomorrow. I have to do it today.
I never take things for granted. I always look to help out me teammates, to win and be better.