來源: http://tinyurl.com/3xznvs 02/29/2008 9:39 AM ET Pujols stands alone as Cards' superstar St. Louis slugger leads band of new teammates JUPITER, Fla. -- MV3 is down to a single MVP. Albert Pujols' wingmen are gone. So is his top tablesetter from the past three years. Pujols has now outlasted every one of his teammates from his rookie season of 2001, save Rick Ankiel, who appeared in a total of five games between '01 and his return in '07. The one-time young phenom is now the dean of the Redbirds. Yet while all of his co-stars on the marquee from the great Cardinals teams earlier in this decade have moved on, Pujols is more deeply entrenched than ever. He's opened a restaurant in the area. His charitable foundation grows bigger and more active every year. And his significance to the Cardinals' lineup has never been greater. Pujols calls St. Louis home, and unlike most of his departed teammates, he's never known another organization. He'd rather that remain the case, but he knows it's not a guarantee. He always knew it, but after the trades of franchise icons Scott Rolen and Jim Edmonds, the truth is starker than ever. Pujols is a realist. "It's business," Pujols said. "It happens to every player. You hate to see guys leave like that when you win a World Series and guys that are really gamers. "But I think the guys that we picked, I think they are ready to play and ready to win some games. You build your relationship with guys like that for three or four years, and you hate to see them leave. But you know that that can happen to you, too. It's part of the business." Part of what makes Pujols great is his single-mindedness, a drive that borders on obsession. He takes care of his business, always. Sometimes it means he doesn't have time for an interview. Sometimes it means he stays late in the afternoon, or he arrives early, early in the morning. Mostly, it means that he's not really a big-picture guy. Pujols is driven to be the best player he can be, and to do the most he can to win. So when he interacts with other players, he's happy to help them out. He's happy to talk baseball, especially happy to talk hitting. But he's not going to seek them out. Never has, and he's got no plans to start now. Pujols tends to his affairs and assumes you can and will tend to yours. Despite a younger roster, full of players unfamiliar with the ways of the Cardinals, that won't change. "I'm going to be the same way," he said. "If I see a guy that's swinging terribly, I'm going to help him out. If I see him doing the wrong thing, I'm going to tell him so. But I'm not here to try to be a babysitter, either. I have a job to take care of, and that's getting myself ready too." One thing Pujols must guard against, however, is taking too much on his own shoulders when he stands in the batters box. With a depleted lineup early in 2007, Pujols got away from his approach, chasing balls he would usually lay off. His walk totals suffered, as did his production on the balls he did put in play. The hope is that this time around, he'll stay patient. He certainly has the teammates to inspire confidence. While the top and bottom of the Cardinals' order contain plenty of questions, the middle looks stout. Troy Glaus, Chris Duncan, Rick Ankiel and perhaps Ryan Ludwick and Juan Gonzalez offer a great deal of thump in the lineup. If Pujols doesn't drive in the runs, he can have confidence that the guys behind him will get the job done. It's not about the old notion of protection, per se. After all, most pitchers would choose anybody else in the National League to come after rather than Pujols. But it's about the slugger's own attitude and approach. And, of course, his health. Pujols' troublesome right elbow has been discussed to the point that he's tired of talking about it. The Cardinals will watch him closely and treat him when needed, but there's not a lot that can be done with his damaged ligament. He'll play till he can't, and try not to make too many foolish throws. "He's already proven he's very, very smart," said manager Tony La Russa. "He's definitely capable of using his smarts to keep finding a way to stay in the lineup. He's proven he's very tough about dealing with injuries." Again, it's a matter of making sure he attends to what keeps him healthy and effective. Pujols will do what he has to do to keep playing at the highest level possible. Regardless of who may be around him in the clubhouse or the lineup. "I don't worry about what the team did this season, the decisions that happen on the team, because that's not my job," he said. "My job as a professional player is to come here, to take care of my business, take a shower and go home. When it comes to the decisions, trading guys, bringing guys in, you leave that to the GM and the owners. I don't care what they do. I want to be a winner, and I think that they are going to put a team out there to try and win." Matthew Leach is a reporter for MLB.com. This story was not subject to the approval of Major League Baseball or its clubs. --

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