Commentary

The Perfect Player

Hitting, baserunning, defense -- there isn't much Albert Pujols can't do on the field

Updated: July 12, 2009, 11:56 PM ET

By Tim Kurkjian | ESPN The Magazine

PUJOLS THE FIRST BASEMAN

“
[Pujols] doesn't get

enough credit for his defense.

He's one of the best.”
-- Ozzie Smith

Braves manager Bobby Cox is 68 years old, he played two years in the major leagues, and he has managed in the majors for the past 32 years. He hasn't seen it all, but he has seen a lot.

And he says, "Albert Pujols might be the best defensive first baseman I've ever seen. A runner who is on second with no one out had better not jog his way to third on a ground ball to the right side because Albert, with that arm, might just throw him out at third.''

Former Cardinals great Ozzie Smith hasn't seen as much as Cox, but Smith is, by most measures, the best defensive shortstop ever, and maybe the best defensive player at any position. He knows defense like Tony Gwynn knows hitting, and he knows Pujols' ability.

"Albert is so great offensively, he doesn't get enough credit for his defense,'' said Smith. "He's one of the best. He's a throwback player. He understands the game. He's always thinking. You have to be that way to be a great defender. He's always in the right place.''

Smith has been watching Pujols play for nine years. The improvement has been striking.

"Albert has great instincts on defense, which is critical to being a great defensive player,'' Smith said. "He isn't afraid to throw the ball around.

"I played with another great defensive first baseman who wasn't afraid to throw: Keith Hernandez. I remember seeing Albert as a young player. I'd join [broadcaster] Mike [Shannon] in the booth and I told him, 'This guy is going to win Gold Gloves some day at first base.'

"It's the way he reacts, the way he drives himself to be great. He has always done that. He's fun to watch at first base.''

WHAT THE NUMBERS SAY

Albert Pujols won an NL Gold Glove Award in 2006. But is he really that good defensively? Here are four different defensive metrics -- the plus/minus ratings and the 2008 Fielding Bible Award voting results from "The Bill James Handbook 2009," ultimate zone rating from fangraphs.com, and 2009 range factor numbers from ESPN.com. And Pujols is No. 1 in each one.

RNK	Plus/Minus 2006-08	Fielding Bible 2008 voting, 1B	UZR among 1B Past 3 years	Range Factor 2009
1.	Pujols +82	Pujols 90	Pujols 25.7	Pujols 10.78
2.	Kotchman +42	Teixeira 88	Youkilis 14.1	Helton 10.58
3.	Overbay +32	Kotchman 66	Kotchman 13.1	N. Johnson 10.11
4.	Mientkiewicz +26	Helton 54	Helton 12.4	LaRoche 10.00
5.	Youkilis +25	Overbay 53	Overbay 7.8	Overbay 9.98