Pujols refuses to show frustration with slump
ANAHEIM, Calif. — Every at-bat looks the same.
No matter what he does, Albert Pujols can't seem to shake himself out of his slump. He hits the ball hard, most of the time anyway, but it invariably becomes a ground ball out to third base.
He did it again Thursday night against the Toronto Blue Jays. Three at-bats became three grounders to third, one of them a double play in the first inning.
But give him this: If he's frustrated, he refuses to show it.
"Frustrated? I don't use that word," he said after the Angels' 5-0 loss to the Blue Jays. "This is the big leagues, man. Anybody out of this locker room wishes they could have the opportunity to wear a uniform, so every time I come to this clubhouse, I'm proud of wearing this uniform. I'm blessed and thanking God every day I can come here and do what I love to do and play baseball."
Fair enough, but there's no denying that Pujols isn't swinging the way he's used to. His batting average has fallen to .202, and he's now gone 104 at-bats without a home run, one short of matching his career longest streak.
"He cares more than anybody else," pitcher Dan Haren said. "He gets here early every day and works hard. It's definitely not for a lack of effort.
"He'll turn it around."
Thursday afternoon, Pujols came to Angel Stadium cleanly shaven, his neatly manicured goatee gone. But at the suggestion he had done it to change his luck, he shook his head.
"I don't believe in luck, man. Sorry about that," he said. "That's not who I am. I believe in God, and that's the main thing. Luck is for people who are desperate, and I'm not desperate."
The frustrating thing is that Pujols is hitting the ball hard for the most part, but almost everything seems to be on the ground to the left side.
He seemed perturbed when someone asked why he doesn't seem to be getting any lift or drive on the ball.
"I don't know where you're trying to go with that question, but I never try to get no lift in my swing," he answered. "I try to keep it simple, keep it short, and if I get to the baseball, I know it's going to carry, no matter what ballpark I play.
"I don't change my swing. I stay with the same approach and try to keep fighting. It's tough, but I've been in this situation before. I know how to handle it."