Pujols frustrated not to get into All-Star Game

[FiveStar]

http://sports.espn.go.com/mlb/allstar07/news/story?id=2932400

"It's the All-Star Game. He can do what he wants," Pujols said Tuesday night. "He does whatever he wants. If I wasn't expecting to play, I wouldn't have come up here."

"If he wants to get upset, he can get upset," La Russa said. "Whatever he wants to do, he can do. It's America. That wasn't the most important thing tonight."

I think he should be mad bc they say save him just incase it goes into extra innings well they guys r used to playing 9 inning games so a few inning wont hurt him. They don't wanna play favortism towards there players but pujols is definatly an all-star and should have played

 

[MikeO]

he shouldn't get mad at LaRussa. Get mad at MLB for making this game "count" or "matter". LaRussa HAS to save a player or two incase the thing gets tied up somehow. LaRussa did nothing worng!!!!!

Make this game an exhibition and whatever team has the best record gets home field in the world series and be done with it

 

[FiveStar]

Make this game an exhibition and whatever team has the best record gets home field in the world series and be done with it

That sounds good! So that way the fans get to see the best of the best play n have fun

 

[Ray Finkle]

he shouldn't get mad at LaRussa. Get mad at MLB for making this game "count" or "matter". LaRussa HAS to save a player or two incase the thing gets tied up somehow. LaRussa did nothing worng!!!!!

Make this game an exhibition and whatever team has the best record gets home field in the world series and be done with it

Are you kidding? He has a big time top baseball player and possibly future Hall of Famer on the bench who's used to being in big spots and he let's a lesser player hit for him? I mean it's Albert Pujols on the bench and Aaron Rowland up, it's not even close.

It's just bad baseball, you don't worry about extra innings in that spot. You need to play for the win there with possibly the best hitter in that team. You go up there with the best possible hitter up there in that spot and if he does the job they probably win (or even tie), if he doesn't then today no one would say it was a mistake to pinch hit Pujols there.

 

[FaninPatsyLand]

Are you kidding? He has a big time top baseball player and possibly future Hall of Famer on the bench who's used to being in big spots and he let's a lesser player hit for him? I mean it's Albert Pujols on the bench and Aaron Rowland up, it's not even close.

It's just bad baseball, you don't worry about extra innings in that spot. You need to play for the win there with possibly the best hitter in that team. You go up there with the best possible hitter up there in that spot and if he does the job they probably win (or even tie), if he doesn't then today no one would say it was a mistake to pinch hit Pujols there.

I completely agree with you.

LaRussa cited the reason for not playing Pujols was because of his flexibility to play multiple positions, which would come in handy if the game ever went into extra innings. However, LaRussa had the ultimate utlity guy on his team in Freddy Sanchez, who he decided to play at 3rd base taking over for David Wright (mainly because Miguel Cabrera was only available for pinch hit duties).

If LaRussa was smart, he would have gotten Pujols into the game at 3rd base (he has experience playing there in the past), taking over for Wright, while still having a valuable commodity in Freddy Sanchez coming off the bench in case of extra innings.

LaRussa botched this situation in a big time way and he pissed off his best player doing it.