How Old Is Albert Pujols?

Perhaps if Pujols provided his long-form birth certificate, that would please you…

Joe Posnanski mentions the Pujols age issue here, especially as it connects to high school and juco:
 
http://joeposnanski.blogspot.com/2011/10/pujols-and-respect.html

Rob said “There are basketball players who, at 17 or 18, are ready to compete at the highest level of the sport..”

Exactly! By your associate’s standard we should question what age Lebron James, Greg Oden and many other players are. Seldom a college game goes by when I don’t think to myself “man that guy looks old for a college student.”

The idea that Pujols’ rapid ascent constitutes evidence that he lied about his age is risible. It only proves that he was closer to MLB ready than people thought he was. After all, it wouldn’t be difficult to name a ton of 22-year-olds taken a lot higher in the 1999 draft who took a long time to make it to the majors, if they did at all.

It’s funny how this suddenly gains noteriety when he’s a free agent, not that I don’t possibly believe he’s older.

I find it interesting that so many people are willing to automatically take Pujols at his word [on how old he is without seeing his birth-certificate] when so many people have called Obama a liar for claiming he was born in Hawaii. I have no problem with a ball club being skeptical of his age when they will be forking out nearly $200m for nine years of service.

That being said, I am in no position to say that Pujols is one day older than he claims to be.

That being said, is any player worth $200m? or $175m? or even $100m? I think not.

and when I was 14 and striking out 15 per 9 ip in little league I had a mustache. Made same of the other kid’s parents whisper. But I do have a birth certificate. I don’t know how good the Dominican records are.

Very silly argument. For one, when he was 17 no team would give a damn if he lied about his age – they care about if he can hit in the majors. After 8 years, if he does pan out, if, if, if – they don’t look that far ahead. That was just an error in judgment. Maybe he hit a golf ball in Paul Richards’ living room.

Another thing is it’s tiresome when a HOF level hitter comes along and people go to great lengths to add caveats. I know there’s possibly or probably outside issues, but part of considering Bagwell, Bonds, Clemens seems to include “they’re an all-time great! There must be something fishy here!” I’m sorry to see it here, but it’s what the press does. You know, it is possible for a player better than Ted Williams or Babe Ruth or whomever to come along. Why wouldn’t it be? Sooner or later, given enough years, it’s even likely.

The only party that really should be concerned is the one who he signs a contract with. Otherwise, who cares? And why string together a bunch of “there is a chance that…”s and think it in any way proves a point?

Because you don’t have the guts to come out and say it. You wink at it, nod at it, and imply it, but you are too gutless to say it. You are calling Albert Pujols a liar. You are saying that he has been lying about his age for at least 12 years.

Couple things:

1) Maybe don’t call people “gutless” while using an anonymous handle. But if you have to, at least note the irony.

2) Would it be brave if I called him a liar? In the first place, I don’t know he lied about his age, I think he lied about his age. And secondly, if he lied about his age, I think he did so for understandable reasons—namely, wanting to go to high school. It is much, much better to go to high school than to not, on the off chance you don’t turn into the best baseball player of your generation.

If your aunt fudges her age out of vanity, do you shout “liar!” to her face? This sonofabitch lied about his age to get into the Marines. Sure, he jumped on a couple grenades to save his buddies, and they gave him the Medal of Honor, but to me he’s just a goddamned liar. Can you see why someone wouldn’t want to throw around the term “liar” in every situation?

And you have zero evidence to back this assertion up—zip, nil, nada.

I know he plays for your favorite team and it offends you that I would question his veracity, but you should really stop saying that. There is a difference between evidence and proof. When people pointed to Barry Bonds’ crazy physique and insane performance at ages 36-39, they said, “that guy’s on something.” They didn’t have proof, but they had pretty decent evidence. The evidence that Pujols is older than he claims to be is not great evidence—you wouldn’t take it to court—but for many people, some of whom (per Le Batard and Keith Law) work in major league front offices (and may have better evidence than we do), it’s enough to tip the scales in the direction of “he’s older than listed.” Admittedly, the evidence we have is mostly supposition and hearsay. It is evidence of circumstance rather than direct evidence. But, to my thinking, the opinions of front office types—by themselves—lead me to think it is more likely than not. I’m not 100 percent sure, more like 60-70 percent sure. I wouldn’t bet the farm on such a proposition, but I’d probably put a little money on it. (Note: I have a gambling problem.) Be honest: if you were a GM, would you sign him to a nine-year deal without checking it out first?

I have to ask, are you a journalist? Do you know what the word "investigation" means, or the noun phrase "investigative reporter"?

Am I a journalist?! Honestly, it’s like you think we work in an office where people yell “Woodstein!” and out come Robert Redford and Dustin Hoffman. I mostly write goofy essays on a baseball website about non-existent booster clubs and stupid-looking hats. I mean to entertain. If I’m a journalist, clearly I’m on the lowest rung of the ladder. The guy above me prints school lunch menus for the number two paper in a town of 600 people and the guy below me hands out flyers alerting people that if they buy one pizza, they can get a second pizza of equal or lesser value for free.

I wrote about Pujols’ age because I think it’s an incredibly interesting and important sports story. The best baseball player of his generation is weeks or perhaps days away from signing his last contract, several teams think his stated age is a fiction, and he’s already turned down at least one nine-year deal. Is that not fascinating to you?

Believe it or not, though I’m not a reporter (let alone an “investigative reporter,” sheesh), a few months ago I actually tried to do some real reporting on this. I mean, it shouldn’t have come to this. Pedro Gomez or Tom Verducci should be doing this, not the guy who wrote this (I’m super proud of that one, by the way. It got three tweets). Anyway, I met someone who had a low-level job with a Midwest League team the year Pujols played in Peoria. He told me it was widely known (assumed) around the league that he was older than listed. I tried to get him to put me in touch with other people he knew who could at least confirm that much, but he wouldn’t do that. (And really, why would he? Who am I?)

Actually, thinking about it now, I should have promised him I wouldn’t tell anyone he was the guy who put me in touch with them. See, that’s the kind of thing Pedro Gomez probably knows by instinct. But I’m not a reporter, and certainly not a “journalist” (like a reporter, only richer and more self-important) so I didn’t think of that. I tried to think of someone else to cold call, but why would anyone in a position to know tell me anything? The only way to get the story, I reasoned, is to go to the Dominican Republic. But a) I’m not a reporter, b) I don’t know anyone in the the DR and don’t speak the language, c) are birth certificates public record in the DR?, d) assuming I could actually see it, how would I know what I was looking at? How could I authenticate it… and on, and on. But mostly I didn’t go because I don’t have any money, and Rob won’t even let me expense my Mountain Dew.

So I gave up. If he doesn’t re-sign w/ St. Louis during the season, Jon Heyman will look into this, I figured. Well, here we are. If you think I violated j-school ethics by speculating on a baseball website about Albert Pujols’ age, go tell Romenesko, or complain to Le Batard. If you think I shouldn’t be allowed to even speculate about this unless I’m actively clutching his birth certificate in my hand, fine. I mean, I think that’s crazy, and if you believe that, I hope you’re enjoying your first visit to the internet.

You think Albert Pujols is older than he says?

Oh, but I do!

BACK IT UP, or do us all a favor and shut up.

I like you. You seem fun.

Maybe don’t call people "gutless" while using an anonymous handle.

Gutless is as gutless does. You’re the one that’s getting paid to write for this website, and you’re the one who chose to impugn Albert Pujols’ character without evidence.

If your aunt fudges her age out of vanity, do you shout "liar!" to her face?

My aunt isn’t a public figure, and my aunt isn’t trying to obtain a contract for at least two hundred million dollars under false pretenses, as you allege with Pujols. If Pujols is actually older than he says he is, and he is trying to negotiate eight-digit salaries for when he is 42 years old, that’s fraud.

you should really stop saying that.

Why? You don’t have any evidence. At all. Is there a teenage Albert Jr. hidden away in the D.R.? Anyone with fond memories of going to Albert’s 18th birthday party in 1994? Pictures of Albert in an elementary school yearbook from 1983? Anything?

I like you. You seem fun.

Sorry. I guess I should call people liars, but do it in a funny way. Anyway, I hope you liked the Viva El Birdos blog entry that called you a Pujols birther. Good stuff.

C’mon, man. A guy says he’s thirty one, then he’s probably 31… Unless you’re a racist.

http://wheremccarverat.com/2011/12/06/if-you-dont-believe-albert-pujols-is-31-heres-your-hood/