Albert Pujols Should You Pick Him #1 in Your 2009 Fantasy Baseball Draft?

Albert Pujols has been the #1 pick in my Fantasy Baseball Drafts for several years in a row now. It pretty well looks like Albert Pujols will repeat as the #1 pick in the 2009 Fantasy Baseball Draft. His 2008 numbers are incredible for a batter who played with a sore elbow most of the 2008 season. According to the The STL Today he had surgery after last season to transpose a nerve in his elbow, and he has a torn ligament in the same elbow". According to Yahoo Sports LaRussa will be giving him built-in off days during spring training to keep his elbow at 100%. So, where should you pick Albert Pujols in your 2009 Fantasy Baseball Draft?. Much of last year he played in pain, where some players would have taken the whole season off. The surgery in the off-season will probably determine where he will be picked in your 2009 Fantasy Baseball Draft. If he was one hundred percent physically, he would probably be picked 1st over all. How many days off LaRussa will give Albert Pujols during the 2009 baseball season, will also determine how effective he will be this upcoming baseball season. Albert is 6'3" and 230 lbs with a very quick swing, I do not see Pujols' elbow being a major factor this year. .

While many fans may see his failure to play for the Dominican Republic in this year's World Baseball Classic as a result of his elbow problems, it is because of the St Louis Cardinals insurance concerns that he will not be represent his home country in the upcoming WBC tournament. .

For a power hitter Albert Pujols is more then capable of hitting for average, he has hit over .300 in all eight seasons that he has played major league baseball, with a high in 2008 of .357. He has averaged 40 HRs a season over the the eight years he has played. Another incredible statistic is the number of strikeouts he has averaged over the last 7 years - less than 60 strikeouts a year! Power hitters as a rule easily go over the 100 strikeouts a year mark. This could easily make Albert Pujols a number one pick in leagues that subtract strikeouts.

At 29 years of age Albert Pujols is in the prime of his career. He is a strong player, so I think that his recover from the off-season surgery should be quick. I think that he will be capable of hitting in the.300s, 35 to 40 HRs, 100-120 RBIs, and his strikeouts will be around 60 - 70. Enough to make Albert Pujols your #1 or #2 pick in the 2009 Fantasy Baseball Draft pick.