QUEENS -- With a left calf that squeeked last night and a lower back/side that barked Monday, Albert Pujols was a "push" to start in this afternoon's game at Citi Field. And push manager Tony La Russa said he will.
It is, after all, a milestone game.
This is Pujols' 1,500th, and as a reward for the career mile marker he gets to face knuckleballer, R.A. Dickey of the New York Mets. Mentioned in yesterday's Bird Land how Pujols compares against other players through 1,500 games -- behind only Joe Medwick and Todd Helton when it comes to doubles; fifth when it comes to homers, behind Mark McGwire's lead at 438 -- and promised a look at a Pujols' numbers in 1,500 games as a Cardinal vs. others with 1,500 games in the uniform.
Nimble database miner Tom Orf put together some interesting rankings to show how Pujols' 1,500 stacks against the best 1,500-game starts (or in some cases less than 1,500 games) for other Cardinals:
HRs
Albert Pujols ... 389
Ken Boyer ... 239
Ray Lankford ... 222
Stan Musial ... 221
Jim Edmonds ... 192
***
Doubles
Albert Pujols ... 410
Stan Musial ... 404
Joe Medwick ... 365
Jim Bottomley ... 344
Ray Lankford ... 325
***
RBIs
Albert Pujols ... 1,182
Jim Bottomley ... 1,105
Stan Musial ... 995
Enos Slaughter ... 929
Ken Boyer ... 912
Joe Medwick ... 893
Ted Simmons ... 881
Ray Lankford ... 807
Rogers Horsnby ... 754
Johnny Mize ... 653
Bill White ... 627
***
EXTRA-BASE HITS
Albert Pujols ... 814
Stan Musial ... 757
Jim Bottomley ... 598
Ray Lankford ... 598
Joe Medwick ... 594
Enos Slaughter ... 546
Ken Boyer ... 543
Rogers Hornsby ... 526
Ted Simmons ... 518
Johnny Mize ... 442
Red Schoendienst ... 439
***
Care to count up the Hall of Famers on that list? In his research, Orf makes the point that Pujols is the 14th player in club history to reach the 1,500-game mark with the club. The next closest? Why, Yadier Molina.
He's playing in his 761st this afternoon.
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