How lucky are we?

And by "we" I don't mean the Cardinals, I mean each and every one of us who are fans of the team, and specifically of its greatest player.

If you give him a chance, Albert Pujols will kill you.  He has that Michael Jordan/Tiger Woods quality.  Every professional athlete loves to win.  The great ones want to BEAT you.  It's a subtle difference, but an important one.  For them, every situation is personal, and intense, and extremely focused on beating the player/situation opposing them.  In some arenas, it can appear selfish.  AP has the luxury of not having any control over when he gets a chance to hit, or when the ball is hit to him.  He just has to be ready so that, when the tiniest opportunity presents, he delivers.  This is also extremely difficult, as far as maintaining focus and concentration over the course of a game.  AP cannot just "take over a game" like a basketball player can.  He cannot make his own opportunities.  He can't put runners on base ahead of him.  Add to that the fact that the trade he plies--using a stick to hit a ball being flung directly at him at 90+mph, or with a wicked bend--is the most difficult in any professional sport.  We are fortunate indeed to have lived at a time when we can witness this.