What If Pujols...

[toledodan]

lets not forget the PED rumors that had been linked to IROD in the past. i don't think it was ever proven but his name was brought up more than once. as for big albert just ask any royals fan out here and they will tell you he is going home to KC. IDIOTS

[GAC]

Playing w/ a perm disqualifies him immediately from any best-ever discussions.

You need to post more guy! I love you! You're a breath of fresh air here.

[PuffyPig]

Also, I think one factor in Pujols not walking as much is that there is a lot of protection behind him with Holliday and Berkman, which is something he hasn't had since the 04 season. Pitchers are pitching to him more this season rather than intentionally walking him or pitching around him than in other years.

Good theory, but unsupported by facts.

Pujols is seeing 45.6% strikes this year, DOWN from a career average of 48.6%.

Pujols is swinging at 29.4% of pitches outside the zone, UP from a carer average of 21.0%.

Pujols is making contact with pitches outside the zone at a 79.7% rate, UP from a career average of 68.4%.

So, pitchers are actually pitching to him less?

Why?

Becuase he's swinging at more pitches outside the zone, and making more contact with pitches outside the zone.

Why give Pujols more strikes when he's expanding the zone and getting weaker ciontact on those pitches he swings at?

WHy is Pujols swinging at pitches that's aren't strikes? Well, in Griffey's case, as your reflexes slow, you have to make a choice to swing a bit earlier than in the past, so you aren't recognixing strikes and balls as well as before.

Pitchers won't throw you strikes if you swing at balls. And Pujols is finding that out the hard way.

Now Pujols is still a grreat hitter and he will get his share of hits and HR's. But if he continues to swing at pitches out of the zone, his days of being #1 are likely over.

Pitchers aren't pitching to him more this year. They are pitching to him less. But Pujols is doing the rest on his own.

[Roy Tucker]

Considering that Rodriguez is a better defensive catcher than Bench, Bench certainly does take a back seat to someone. Comparing and contrasting their defensive skills is like comparing two high performance race cars. Both had stellar defense so you would like to have both of them behind the plate but I-Rod stands out from the rest of the pack when it comes to defense.

I think you completely underestimate I-Rod's offensive abilities as well. Even if you take into account Rodriguez's offensive decline around age 36, he still has a career .297 batting average compared to Bench's .267. Bench had more power but I-Rod batting 30 points higher for a career than Bench is something to note and shouldn't be dismissed as "being a good hitter for a catcher".

Rodriguez is an outstanding ballplayer and he would hit .300 in the National League, but you don't ever compare anybody to Johnny Bench. Don't never embarrass nobody by comparing them to Johnny Bench.

(paraphrasing what Sparky said about Thurman Munson)

[RedsBaron]

Considering that Rodriguez is a better defensive catcher than Bench

I respectfully disagree.
As Bill James has observed, defensive statistics are still a work in progress, especially for catchers, but I have never, ever seen a catcher whose defensive abilities I would take over Johnny Bench.
IMO the discussion as to who was the greatest catcher in major league history (which leaves Josh Gibson out of the discussion BTW) begins and ends with who was better: Yogi Berra or Johnny Bench?
Adjsuted for their eras and playing conditions I-Rod was not as good a hitter as Bench either. Other posters have referenced their respective WARs. Another way to look at it uses the stats neutralizer found at Baseball-Reference.com. Neutralized, per 162 games Rodriguez had a line of .290 .327 .453 with 19 HR and 80 RBI while Bench had a line of .278 .353 .493 with 31 HR and 111 RBI. Bench got on base more often and hit with more power.

[RedsBaron]

As much as a homer I am for the Cards, Pujols is not the greatest 1st baseman of all time, yet. That still belongs to Lou Gehrig and it will take quite an achievement from Pujols to surpass him.

While I reject the assertion that Rodriguez may outrank Bench among catchers I do think Pujols already has a good argument to be ranked ahead of Lou Gehrig. I'm not saying I would definitely put Albert ahead of Lou, and I recognize that Albert may have only now started his decline phase, but their adjusted lines per the stats neutralizer at Baseball-Reference.com are quite similar. Gehrig has .324 .429 .601 and Pujols has .327 .419 .616. Albert's line should decline as he ages but Lou missed most of the expected decline phase as a result of his tragic illness, going from one of the best players in the game in 1937 to not being able to play at all in 1939.
Gehrig's best WAR seasons of 12.0, 10.7, 10.1 and 10.0 are better than Pujols's 10.9, 9.6, 9.4 and 9.2, but I am receptive to the argument that the quality of play has improved over the last 70 to 80 years, with Pujols playing a fully integrated game.