What is the simplest way to annoy a fan of the Los Angeles Angels? Tell them that Albert Pujols is a steroid user. That will really blow their minds. Albert Pujols is undoubtedly a great baseball player. It is commonly known that a lot of baseball players have been busted for doping, such as use of HGH and illegal anabolic steroids. As for Albert, nobody knows for sure whether he uses steroids (like methandrostenolone, methandienone, testosterone enanthate) or not. You will learn some facts on the issue through reading this article.
Albert Pujols and his career in baseball
José Alberto Pujols Alcántara who was born on January 16, 1980 in Santo Domingo. He is a Dominican professional baseball player of the LA Angels – a club belonging to Major League Baseball (or MLB). He is considered one of the best contemporary baseball players. In 2008, he was recognized the best slugger in MLB according to a survey of the managers of 30 teams in the league. Three times, in 2005, 2008 and 2009, he was recognized the most valuable player of the National League.
Pujols was born and raised in Santo Domingo. His father, Bienvenido, instilled in his son the love of baseball at an early age. Albert’s favorite player was Julio Franco. In 1996, Pujols, with his family, emigrated from the Dominican Republic to the United States and settled in New York. The family did not settle down in a big city and soon moved to Independence, Missouri, where Albert graduated from the high school of Fort Osage in 1998. At this school level, he achieved significant success in baseball. Twice he was recognized the best player in the state among high school students. In the spring of 1999, he attended the Maple Woods Community College in Kansas City, where he received a sports scholarship. He played one season for a college team, after which he decided to become a professional baseball player. He played for more than 10 years for the St. Louis Cardinals. In 2011 he became a free agent and signed a contract with the LA Angels for ten years, that is, until 2021.
Albert Pujols’ 2017 achievements
On June 04, 2017, the best slugger of the LA Angels, Albert Pujols, achieved the historic mark of 600 knocked-out home runs. The most famous slugger of the team managed to overcome the historic bar set for 600 knocked-out home runs in a match against the Minnesota Twins. The sportsman reached that mark having managed to knock to the stands the pitch of the Twins’ starting pitcher Erwin Santana in the 4th inning.
He became only the 9th player in the history of MLB who had reached that record by joining the following players:
- Barry Bonds (762);
- Alex Rodriguez (696);
- Willie Howard Mays, Jr. (660);
- Jim Thome (612);
- Sammy Sosa (609), and others.
The sportsman became the first player since 2011 to reach that mark, the last being when Jim Thome knocked out his 600th home run on August 15, 2011. Also, Albert Pujols joined Sosa as the only players on that list not born in the US.
Pujols joined Aaron & Bonds as the only players in the history of the US League with not only 600 home runs in the asset, but also 600 doubles. In addition, he became the first player in the history of the league who had reached 600 home runs with the help of a grand slam. In addition, Puchols’ grand slam became one of seven such hits, which helped establish a new US record.
The player himself noted that he was very happy to get to that mark and felt great relief, as he had felt pressure on himself and tried to knock out that home run as quickly as possible. He also thanked his wife, who had written him a text message during the game, in which she had advised him to treat that at-bat like any other one. Three times in his career Albert Pujols has won the title of the most valuable player of the year, and ten times he has participated in the All Stars game. Most likel,y after the end of his career he will go to the Hall of Fame immediately – if he is not involved in any doping scandals, of course.
Albert Pujols’ possible retirement in 2021
In 2015, it became known that baseball could lose a world-class star and a great player – Albert Pujols. 2021 was announced as Albert’s expected retirement year. That information worried his fans, who in every possible way tried to get to the real reasons that caused such a concerning statement. The sportsman is one of the best hitters ever known in the entire lifetime of the league, so his statement that he intends to end his baseball career in 2021 has shocked his fans and fans of this game. As it became known, the contract that was signed between Pujols and Angels is valid only until 2021, but this, he says, is not the reason for the decision. Also, the baseball player refutes the alleged reasons of his career-ending in connection with his state of health and inconsistency with modern requirements that are put on the players.
The baseball player justifies the possible end of his career by family matters. From those close to Albert Pujols, the information has been obtained that his nine-year-old daughter is a promising gymnast. The girl’s potential is so great that in the near future she could be selected for participating in the Olympic Games, which will be held in 2020. Consequently, Albert, who is a loving father, wants to be with his daughter at such important moments and, if necessary, to provide assistance. It is for the sake of his daughter that he is ready to end his brilliant career. However, at the time of the upcoming games the girl will not be sixteen, which casts doubt on her participation, in view of the fact that only people who have reached the age of sixteen have the right to take part in the games.
Albert Pujols and 2020 Summer Olympics
One of the assumptions of Albert Pujols’ desire to say goodbye to sports precisely in 2021 is due to the holding of the Olympic Games in 2020. He allegedly associates his participation in the upcoming games with professional gain. Indeed, in 2016, the International Olympic Committee (IOC) decided to include five new sports in the program of the next Summer Games in Tokyo. At the IOC session, five sports (baseball/softball, karate, surfing, rock climbing and skateboarding) were included in the program of the Olympic Games-2020, which will be held in the Japanese capital of Tokyo. Since Pujols is one of the best players, the likelihood that he will play for his native country on the national baseball team and help it gain a victory becomes almost one hundred percent. To date, there is no information on how and by what rules the collective competitions will take place, yet this is a great opportunity to show oneself to be the best player in baseball and, having gained the victory for his country, proudly end the brilliant career that has brought glory, recognition and universal love.
Steroids user or clean baseball player?
Is it possible to find out whether a sportsman is a clean player or a cheater? Actually, the guesses remain assumptions until someone confesses. For example, in a 60-minute interview given in 2007, Alex Rodriguez denied using steroids. As far as Pujols is concerned, he was not included in the unconfirmed list of steroid users list leaked in 2003. So, we cannot say that he is a steroid user.
