Tagged: Albert Pujols

Players to swing pink for Komen for the Cure

Watch for some of the Royals and the Rangers to swing pink bats in Sunday’s game at the Ballpark in Arlington. All of the players have available the pink Louisville Sluggers, used to help raise awareness and funds for the fight against breast cancer, an annual Mother’s Day event. The bats are auctioned later by MLB.com to benefit Susan G. Komen for the Cure, the world’s largest organization devoted to battling the disease. Fans can purchase their own personalized pink bats through MLB.com with $10 from each purchase going to the Komen foundation.

Nugget from the Rangers’ media notes for Saturday night’s game: Vladimir Guerrero has the highest average of any active player (minimum 100 at-bats) at a Major League park: .410 (102-for-249) at the Ballpark in Arlington which he now calls home. Second highest? It’s Albert Pujols’ .400 (44-for-110) at Kauffman Stadium. Well, he is a Kansas City guy so he feels right at home. . . . Double-A Northwest Arkansas’ 4-2 win over Springfield on Friday night was the Naturals’ seventh victory in eight games and gave them a 4½-game lead over the Redbirds. . . . First baseman Eric Hosmer was 3-for-4 in Single-A Wilmington’s 2-0 loss at Frederick, boosting his average to .404. . . . Catcher Juan Graterol’s 4-for-5 led Single-A Burlington over Beloit, 9-4.  He was 3-for-17 previously.

–Dick Kaegel

Guillen takes a look at baseball internationally

Here are some thoughts that Jose Guillen had when asked about some aspects of international baseball.

On which international player is the best in the game:  “We have some good ones but overall I’d have to take Albert Pujols because he’s pretty much the complete package right now. You cannot go wrong with him. He’s a winner and plays the game the right way, plays hard.”

On whether Major League Baseball is tougher or easier for international players: “I think it’s a little tougher on us because we come from a different country, a different culture, different language. And this is an American game, this is not a Latin game. When a Latin player comes here, it’s learn the language, learn the culture and understand the game when the coaches are talking about it. This game is not just about pitching and hitting, it requires a lot of other things the players have to understand. Coming from a different country, you have to adjust to an American style, not a Dominican style – a different type of life to lead. There are things you can do in the Dominican you can’t do over here so it’s thoroughly different. So I guess the Americans have an easier time.”

On which foreign country produces the best players: “Right now it’s the Dominican and Venezuela. It used to be the Dominican but right now Venezuela is getting there with some really good ones. But I’ve got to go with my country because it’s all baseball, that’s all we play there. It’s the only big sport there and you can see how people go crazy about baseball there. It’s a different atmosphere than any other Latin American place so I’ve got to go with my country but Venezuela is right behind. There’s a lot of great ones from there but a lot of great ones from the Dominican, too.”

–Dick Kaegel