José Alberto Pujols Alcántara (born January 16, 1980), better known as Albert Pujols (Spanish pronunciation: [puˈxols]), is a professional baseball player who has played his entire career in Major League Baseball (MLB) for the St. Louis Cardinals. Currently a first baseman, Pujols is well-known for his all-around ability as a player to hit for both average and power, plus his base-running and fielding excellence. His consistency over his nine years in the Major Leagues has earned him the reputation as one of the best players in the game today and the most feared hitter in baseball, according to a poll of all 30 MLB managers in 2008. Since his MLB debut in 2001, Pujols has been selected as an All-Star eight times, has won the National League Most Valuable Player Award three times, and won a World Series title in 2006.
After the end of the 2009 season, he led all active players in batting average (.334), slugging percentage (.628), and ranks among the leading home run hitters in Major League Baseball history. He was selected by ESPN.com as the greatest player of the decade from 2000-2009.