http://tinyurl.com/2uy3yn Pujols: 'It's frustrating' By Joe Strauss ST. LOUIS POST-DISPATCH 05/15/2007 LOS ANGELES — If one man's season can be found within one at-bat, Albert Pujols found his in the seventh inning Sunday against nondescript San Diego starter Justin Germano. Ahead in the count 3-1, Pujols took a sinking fastball he thought too low. He stepped toward first base before plate umpire Brian Runge told Pujols the pitch was a strike and the count full. Pujols glanced only briefly at Runge in protest, climbed back into the box and bounced Germano's next sinker to short for the inning's first out. Attempting to do the right thing — reaching base to lead off a late inning with his team trailing 3-0 — last season's runner-up to National League MVP Ryan Howard merely completed the last stop on a 0-for-three day within a one-for-10 series. He then went 0 for five in the Cardinals' 8-4 victory Monday in Los Angeles, stretching his slide to four for 34. As Pujols summed during the Padres series, "It's frustrating because we're all human beings. But what are you going to do except try to get better? That's what the game is all about." Arguably the game's most consistent player of the previous six seasons entered Monday night confronting historic lows and unprecedented questions about his stance, his swing and his health. Before the game hitting coach Hal McRae gave Pujols a one-on-one tutorial to remind Pujols of his strengths. "He needs to use his hands more," McRae said, referring to what Pujols has long considered the key to his success. "I'm not going to say much more, about it," McRae said, "because I thought he was close a few days ago, and right now he's not that close." Manager Tony La Russa had his own theory. "He's hitting .250. He's not making enough contact to be hitting his normal .320, .330,'' La Russa said. "But he's made enough contact to hit .270. I think he's getting frustrated. You've just got to deal with it. It's not going to help him. But it's human nature. For all these guys— if you go up there two or three times with men in scoring position, instead of, 'This is my only chance to do it ...' it's an unreal pressure that's affecting a lot of these guys." As the season nears its quarter pole, Pujols is hitting .239 with six home runs, 19 RBIs and a slugging percentage around .400 He entered the season a career .332 hitter averaging 42 home runs and a .629 slugging percentage. Pujols has gone without a home run since April 28 but La Russa keeps him in the No. 3 slot in the order because he likes his best hitter posing a first-inning threat. But a team with a quick-strike mentality has scored first in just 10 of its 36 games. Pujols has remained upbeat and cooperative with media through his early struggles. He has politely and patiently answered now-repetitive questions about his uncharacteristic performance. "You can write that I'm lost. Some people might say that. But that's not how I really feel," Pujols said recently. Pujols insists he is seeing the ball well, a necessity for any hitter achieving consistency. But he and McRae both describe him as frequently "jumpy," or impatient. By prematurely opening his hips, Pujols has become prone to left-side grounders and pop outs. After averaging more than 10 at-bats per strikeout two of the past three seasons, Pujols has struck out 16 times (against 18 walks) in 134 at-bats, putting him on pace for his highest total since amassing 93 in 2001, his rookie season. "It's a long year. I'm pretty sure that things will look better at the end of the season," Pujols said recently. "I'm not swinging my best right now. But what are you going to do? You work hard. That's what I've done my whole career." La Russa is reluctant to call attention to Pujols for fear his first baseman may attempt to shoulder an even larger share of responsibility for the team's inexplicable offensive fade. "Every year, there's a club that's got a losing record that's got a guy having a real good year or even two guys having a real good year," La Russa said. "Albert could have an off year and we could have a real good year if everybody hits it. He's an important part of the team, but he's part of the team." La Russa pondered resting Pujols on Monday but reconsidered. The manager said he might instead play Pujols the entire series and rest him Thursday and Monday, when the Cardinals don't play. Pujols remains the team's only player to have not yet missed a game. Pujols has acknowledged discomfort in his right hamstring and right knee and has been slow to first base on a number of ground balls. His manager confirms there are limitations at work. "I know some people are going to start saying, 'He's not running balls out.' Well, he's really favoring his leg and he's been told to be careful because if he blows it out, a situation that's not good gets even tougher for us," La Russa said. [email protected] | 314-340-8371 --

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