Albert Pujols: Triple Crown Threat?

Arguably the best player of this era that hasn’t used performance-enhancing drugs, Pujols is this generation’s best threat to win the Triple Crown. Pujols, 30, led the National League with 47 home runs in 2009. He finished third in the league in both batting average (.327) and RBI (135).

There is no hitter in the major leagues pitchers fear more than Pujols right now. With Matt Holliday behind him in the lineup, teams will be forced to pitch to Pujols.

When the third batter in your lineup has the highest on-base percentage on the team, you know he’s an imposing force.

The Cardinals also play in a division that isn’t exactly stocked with aces on the mound. The Reds, Brewers, Pirates and Cubs and Astros all have less than formidable rotations. The NL Central is a hitter’s paradise.

Pujols’ biggest challengers in the home run category will be Prince Fielder, who hit 46 in 2009, the Phillies’ Ryan Howard (45) and the Padres’ Adrian Gonzalez (40).

The toughest category for Pujols to win will be RBI. If he bats ahead of Holliday, Pujols will have fewer runners on base to drive home. Howard and Fielder tied for the RBI title last year, and will be at the top again this year.

The batting average title will come down to Pujols and Hanley Ramirez from the Florida Marlins. Those two are the clear-cut favorites for that title; anyone who challenges them will be a mild surprise.

Ramirez won the title in 2009 when he hit .342.

The NL has fewer great hitters than the American League, but Pujols is the best of the bunch. There is no Joe Mauer or Ichiro to steal the hitting title away.

When it comes down to the end of the season, chances are Pujols won’t pull off the rare feat, but watching him chase history will be fun.

2010 Philadelphia Phillies Preview

(2009 stats in parentheses)

2009 Record: 93-69

Key additions: SP Roy Halladay, 3B Placido Polanco, INF Juan Castro

Key losses: SP Cliff Lee, SP Pedro Martinez, OF Matt Stairs, 3B Pedro Feliz

Offense: The middle of Philadelphia’s lineup is as good as any.

Polanco (pictured, 27) gives the Phillies an upgrade in the second batting spot. The 3-4 punch of Chase Utley (31 HR, 93 RBI) and Ryan Howard (45 HR, 141 RBI) will produce plenty of runs. Utley’s production dipped slightly in 2009 from the previous two seasons, but the addition of Polanco (.331 OBP, 72 RBI) might benefit him the most of anyone in the lineup.

Jayson Werth (36 HR, 99 RBI) finally broke through in 2009, displaying great power that really helped Howard see more pitches to hit. He tends to strike out more than he should, but after a huge ’09, expect Werth to only improve this season.

Defense: The outfield is very strong, especially in center and right field with Shane Victorino and Werth. Raul Ibanez still has a few years left in the tank as well.

In the infield, Polanco is an underrated fielder, and has a quick release as a veteran fielder. Jimmy Rollins is arguably the best defensive shortstop in the game today.

The biggest deficiency in Utley’s game is his defensive play. He has not the best fielder at second base, but having Rollins on the other side helps him tremendously when trying to turn double plays.

Pitching:

After months of speculation leading up to the 2009 trade deadline, Roy Halladay (pictured) indeed ended up in Philadelphia, just a few months later. Despite throwing a consistently high number of innings each season, Halladay (17-10, 2.79 ERA, 239 IP) is one of the five best pitchers in the league at getting strikeouts.

The rest of the rotation has some serious question marks, though. Cole Hamels (10-11, 4.32 ERA) came off of a sensational 2008 with an awful season in 2009. The scouting report on Hamels is he needs to re-discover his curveball to regain his 2008 form.

J.A. Happ set the world on fire in his first year as a starter in the majors. He could very well supplant Hamels as the no. two starter in 2010.

The other starters are Joe Blanton (12-8, 4.05 ERA) and Jamie Moyer (12-10, 4.94 ERA).

In the bullpen, Brad Lidge (58 IP, 31 Saves) underwent off-season elbow surgery, and faces serious question marks about his durability.

The set-up man is Ryan Madison (5-5, 3.26 ERA). Madison has a 90-96 MPH fastball with good movement that gets a lot of outs.

Season Outlook: The Phillies are looking to win their third straight NL pennant in 2010. They picked up Cliff Lee at the trade deadline last year, which propelled them to a strong finish.

They then promptly traded him away in the off-season, landing former Blue Jays’ ace Halladay in a three-way deal with the Mariners.

They lost several key players off of last year’s team, but the additions the Phillies’ management made should keep them at the top of the NL.

Their offense is the best in the league, but a lack of pitching depth will be the Phillies’ biggest problem in 2010.

Projected 2010 finish: 1^st place NL East