Eyes on the 2,000 RBI prize

The Angels’ Albert Pujols has reached notable milestones the past few seasons by collecting his 3,000th hit and 600th home run. He’ll join ever more exclusive company soon on baseball’s all-time list for most runs batted in.

The 2,000 RBI mark is next on the list for Pujols, the former St. Louis Cardinals legend. The native of the Dominican Republic will become just the fifth player in baseball history to collect 2,000 RBI.

The list of those who have eclipsed 2,000 RBI reads like a who’s who of baseball greats – Adrian “Cap” Anson, Alex Rodríguez, Babe Ruth, and Hank Aaron. Among Latinos, Pujols trails only Rodríguez, a New York native who is the son of Dominican immigrants.

Rodríguez finished his mercurial career 2,086 RBI.

Pujols’ productivity has no doubt declined from his St. Louis days when he earned “The Machine” nickname. His pursuit of these milestones is nonetheless special for his fans, especially in the Dominican Republic, St. Louis, Anaheim, Calif., and throughout Latin America and among Latinos in the United States.

We get to witness Pujols move into elite company. Indeed, not every generation of Latino fans have been able to witness a Latino player ascend and join names like Aaron and Ruth while surpassing legendary Hall of Famers such as Lou Gehrig, Stan Musial and Ty Cobb.

Moreover, Pujols’ accomplishment is a reminder that these all-time lists once did not even include Latinos.

What’s In a Stat

In becoming just the fifth to reach 2,000 RBI Pujols has etched his name among the game’s greatest run producers.

The RBI stat has been officially kept since 1920. More recently, the significance of the RBI stat has been debated in parts of the baseball analytics community. A few contend that accumulating RBI is more a product of a player’s place in the batting lineup than it is a strong indicator of individual productivity. Others hold firm to the position that RBI is a valid indicator of a player’s productivity—scoring runs, after all, are the key to winning.

For Pujols, the 2,000 RBI mark means a lot, perhaps even more than 600 home runs. RBI show that he has been a big-time run producer, someone who has consistently contributed to his team’s offense versus just an individual stat. Indeed, he has amassed 14 seasons with more than 100 RBI.

From the Dominican to the “Show Me” State

Pujols has had an incredible journey inside and outside of baseball. Born in Santo Domingo, he moved with his family to Independence, Missouri, Mo., when he was a teenager. Moving to the States as a 16-year old meant an intensive course in cultural adjustment, learning the ways of U.S. culture and developing his English-speaking abilities.

Baseball, however, was a cultural practice that connected the Pujols family from where they migrated to where they planted new roots. His baseball skills became self-evident at Fort Osage High School. He then matriculated at Maple Woods Community College in Missouri, from where the Cardinals selected him in the 13th round in the June 1999 draft.

Pujols made his major league debut at 21 years old less than two seasons after being selected.

Big League Hitter

The Dominican standout proved to everyone that he could hit. What he didn’t have in 2001 was a regular field position for the Cardinals.

On Opening Day 2001 Pujols started in left field for St. Louis. The following game he started in right. All told, Pujols appeared in 39 games in left field and another 39 games in right field. He appeared even more at the infield corner positions, 42 games at first base and 55 at third base.

Pujols’ ability to hit at a high clip despite being constantly moved around the field his rookie campaign was impressive. He batted .329 with 37 home runs and 130 RBI. Also impressive was his 1.030 OPS and 6.6 Wins Above Replacement.

Unsurprisingly, he was unanimously voted the 2001 National League Rookie of the Year.

Slow to One, But a RBI Machine

For someone about to reach 2,000 RBI, it’s surprising that it took Pujols four games before he got his first career RBI.

The Cardinals opened the 2001 season by getting swept by the Colorado Rockies in Denver. St. Louis visited Arizona next. In the first of a three-game sweep over the Diamondbacks, Pujols blasted his first career home run with a runner on base off Arizona starter Armando Reynoso. Pujols collected three hits that day and drove in three.

The 2001 season would be the first of 10 consecutive seasons where Pujols drove in 100 or more runs. The streak was broken up during his last season in St. Louis when he missed the century mark by one.

A Place among the Greats

Pujols is among the game’s all-time greats. While he has his eyes set on eclipsing 2,000 RBI, he takes most pride in his work through the Pujols5 Foundation.

Indeed, much like Roberto Clemente, Pujols has worked to make his a name known for his good works beyond the baseball diamond even as he earned a place among the all-time greats. Nonetheless, the 2,000 RBI will add another milestone to put him among the game’s immortals.
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