7thriv

In his rookie season in 2001, Mr. Pujols burst into the major leagues as a star, batting .329 with 37 home runs and 130 runs batted in. Since then he has been more consistent than beer sales in the sixth inning. Mr. Pujols has the highest batting average and slugging percentage of any active player. Since his rookie season, in 2001, he has won the National League's Most Valuable Player award in 2005 and 2008, finished second three times, third once and fourth once.

And yet, to the average fan outside baseball-mad St. Louis, Albert Pujols is just another very good player. Why hasn't he achieved fame commensurate with his performance? Playing his entire career outside of baseball's media centers probably hasn't helped.

Neither has the fact that Mr. Pujols -- married, the father of three, and active in the cause of Down Syndrome, which afflicts his oldest daughter -- has never earned a single headline for off-the-field activities. "He isn't colorful and he isn't controversial," says his manager, Tony LaRussa. "He's just great."

Great, and perhaps too consistent for his own good. Mr. Pujols has several nicknames. To Cardinals fans he is "El Hombre," but the name many players around the league refer to him as -- "The Machine" -- indicates respect yet generates no excitement. How can you get excited over a machine?