Pujols

A look at the life of the Dominican-born star hitter for the St. Louis Cardinals also discusses his personal life and his work for people with Down's syndrome.

“He matches in his personal life the excellence that he demonstrates on the diamond. You will love this book and will love Pujols if you don’t already.” —Mike Huckabee, forty-fourth Governor of Arkansas, host of the Huckabee show After a decade starring for the St. Louis Cardinals, Albert Pujols is already compared with names in the highest reaches of baseball’s pantheon: Ruth, Gehrig, Aaron, Mays. Slugging his way toward the Hall of Fame, Pujols has raised the game’s standard for greatness beyond any statistical measure. But the standard by which Pujols measures himself has less to do with baseball performance than with honoring God and exemplifying his faith for the millions who follow him. From his birthplace in the Dominican Republic to his high-school days in Kansas City, from a single season in the minor leagues to the World Series and nine All-Star Games, Pujols has developed his immense talents on the baseball diamond, all the while focusing his direction—and the direction of his family—with the belief that a higher power is behind every achievement. Authors Scott Lamb and Tim Ellsworth spare no tale of this growing baseball legend, all the while accentuating “the unseen hand of divine providence” that has shaped the man Albert Pujols has become. It’s a story that will inspire, and a reminder of the human quality behind superhuman achievement. A story—still in the making—of allowing God’s strength to guide one man’s path to be the best his game has ever seen. “Lamb and Ellsworth lucidly describe both the season-by-season baseball exploits of Pujols and the impact he’s having on some lives for eternity.” —Marvin Olasky, Editor-in-Chief, World

Gross Productivity Average, or GPA, is a new baseball statistic that measures performance. Accounting for the effect that each plate appearance or baserunning play has on scoring opportunities, it is reported on a scale similar to that for batting average, making it easy for the average fan to understand. Beginning with a detailed explanation of the statistic and its derivation, the book identifies, in Part II, historical patterns in league-average GPA (even the steroids effect is quantified). Practical applications are then explored, as GPA is used in Part III to settle long-running arguments about strategy and in Part IV to reassess players and awards voting from 1952 to 2012.

A powerful story of the unprecedented athletic feats and accomplishments of one of the greatest baseball players to ever live . . . and the faith that has made them possible. After only ten seasons, the St. Louis Cardinals' Albert Pujols is already one of the greatest players to have ever laced up a pair of spikes. But when adulation and glory come his way, Pujols is quick to credit another-to point people to his hero. "At the end of the day," he says, "as long as I glorify Him, and those 45,000 people know who I represent ... that's what it's about. It's about representing God." In Pujols: More Than the Game, authors Tim Ellsworth and Scott Lamb will satisfy fans who like their baseball slathered in stats and stories . . . while at the same time, shedding light on the faith that makes it all possible. "Albert Pujols has a chance to be known as the greatest player in the history of baseball. There are numerous statistical measurements to make the point, including the simple point that through age thirty he has more homers than Babe Ruth, more hits than Pete Rose, more RBIs than Hank Aaron, and more runs than Rickey Henderson did at the same age. Yes, it's okay to think about that for a moment. But Pujols' argument for greatest player ever isn't nearly as interesting or significant as the fact that there even is an argument. That's because perhaps the most amazing thing about Albert Pujols is that less than two years before he began one of the greatest rookie seasons in baseball history, he was a non-prospect." -Joe Posnanski, Senior Writer at Sports Illustrated (included in the Foreword) "Pujols is full of nuggets. Given that the action in the famous poem "Casey at the Bat" starts with "Cooney died at first, and Barrows did the same," I enjoyed reading that Albert Pujols asks opposing runners at first base, "If you died today, where do you think you're going to go?" Lamb and Ellsworth lucidly describe both the season-by-season baseball exploits of Pujols and the impact he's having on some lives for eternity." -Marvin Olasky, Editor-in-chief, World

"This books details the last four years of the St. Louis Cardinals' playoff run"--

Inside the Heart of Every Champion Lies Character Winning at sports and life takes more than just talent and hard work. It takes faith, courage, and above all, character. Celebrate the qualities that turn today's top athletes into role models in this inspiring collection of sports stories. Each story showcases a different athlete and explores one key character trait that has distinguished their successful career. Learn more about the superstars of sport, such as NBA All-Star Stephen Curry, Olympic gold-medalist Simone Manuel, NFL Super Bowl champion Russell Wilson, and many more! Champions aren't born. They are made by living with integrity and purpose. You can be a champion in life too!

Aces in Orbit chronicles the excitement and energy Andy Pettitte and Roger Clemens brought to the Astros, pushing the organization to its first World Series and the first World Series in the state of Texas. It chronicles the last two historic seasons, beginning with the sensitive negotiations that led Pettitte and then Clemens to Houston before the 2004 season. It details the overwhelming expectations that almost buried the 2004 Astros, prompting the firing of manager Jimy Williams before a 36-10 finish put the Astros in the World Series with the best finish in baseball in over 50 years. The book also chronicles the disappointing departures of 2004 postseason and regular-season stars Jeff Kent and Carlos Beltran, who bolted via free agency and left the 2005 Astros seemingly with no hope. Many experts and even several of the players assumed the Astros would finish near the bottom of the standings, especially after All-Star Lance Berkman missed the first month of the season

Explores the baseball career of Albert Pujols and his place in the rich history of Latino MLB players.