Dear Albert,

By the time you read this the World Series may be decided and you and I will be turning another page in our "relationship."

I've often wondered how you, one of the greatest ballplayers in history, keep from getting intoxicated with yourself. Certainly your extreme intensity and focus have caused you to seem aloof and edgy at times. Yet those around you the most attest to your humble character. Sportswriter Bernie Miklasz diagnosed, "Pujols isn't a jerk; he's just obsessed with hitting..."

Do you remember addressing in the book "Pujols, More than the Game" the subject of pride and humility? "In baseball," you said, "every night there are thousands of people telling me how great I am. That can go to my head really quickly if I don't keep my spirit in check."

I can only imagine. Then you referred to a New Testament passage, "Do nothing from selfishness or empty conceit, but with humility of mind regard one another as more important than yourselves ... have this attitude in yourselves which was also in Christ Jesus" (Philippians 2:3-5).

Edgy or not Albert, it's touching to read how your faith and regard for others finds expression through your efforts with the Pujos Foundation. The new St. Luke's Wellness Center was established through your grant to serve the medical and social needs of adults with Down Syndrome. Here you are, "the greatest," taking Jesus' cue in caring for the "least." Pretty cool stuff.

It's also inspiring to read about your many extensive projects to serve the extreme poor of the Dominican Republic, your home country. It's good to see how you don't just throw money at the needs but personally engage with many others in long, exhausting hours comforting children and embracing poverty stricken people who've come to your centers for tangible help. That doesn't seem so aloof to me.

Having worked with you in the Dominican, Todd Perry, director of your foundation, observed, "The way Albert treats people, and the respect he has for the elderly, the silliness, the kind of giddiness he gets with the kids-it's all very, very genuine... Albert will tell you that the lord has put that on his heart."

Let's face it, Albert, I simply can't aspire to be like you as an athlete. But I can indeed strive, like you, to serve others as a human being and a Christian.

Sadly Albert, I don't know if you will be a Cardinal forever like Stan Musial with whom you are often compared. Whatever happens I'll try hard not to judge. After all, the one you seek to serve is Christ and the New Testament challenges me, "Who are you to judge the servant of another? To his own master he stands or falls" (Romans 14:4).

If you leave the Cardinals, I'll bleed. I'll grieve. I'll struggle with confusion, maybe anger. But hopefully I'll muster enough of my own faith and humility to say, "God bless you Albert Pujos. Thanks for the inspiration. Thanks for the memories."