Pujols Joins Home Run Derby
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by user Romiezzo
St. Louis Cardinals' Albert Pujols agreed to participate in this year's Home Run Derby. He is the seventh person to agree to joining it this year. He is competing against Miguel Cabrera, Prince Fielder. Ryan Howard, Vladimir Guerrero, Magglio Ordonez, and Justin Morneau; he is also competing against another home run hitter from the American League that will be decided later.
Pujols, tied for 17th in the Major Leagues with 16 homers entering play Sunday, has hit 34 or more home runs in each of the last six seasons and has averaged 44 per season over the last three years, including a career-best 49 home runs last season.
Pujols has competed in the Home Run Derby once previously, finishing second to Garret Anderson of the Los Angeles Angels in the 2003 Derby at U.S. Cellular Field in Chicago. Pujols hit 26 home runs that year, a one-time total that has been topped only twice under the current format, by Baltimore's Miguel Tejada (27 in 2004 at Houston) and Bobby Abreu (41 in 2005 at Detroit).
So that settles it. No more J.J. Hardy, David Wright or Adam Dunn discussions. The final for for the NL have been decided. Now, it's only a matter of time until the last AL contender will be announced.
