Jayson Stark: St. Louis Cardinals slugger Albert Pujols is the Most Valuable Player of the 2000s - ESPN

Most Valuable Player of the 2000s

It's the obvious choice ... but read it in case you want to review his credentials. At the halfway point, in 2004 or 2005, it would have been possible to make a case for Randy Johnson, Roger Clemens, and/or Barry Bonds. But those guys were old when the decade began, and they faded. Young man Albert ... he just kept rollin' along.

It is worth repeating that Pujols, at age 29, has already duplicated the offense of Joe DiMaggio's entire career. (Actually, edge to Pujols, but the similarities are amazing. See below.) And DiMaggio is probably one of the 25 best players in history. If Pujols stays healthy and in condition, his career numbers could be astronomical.

BA - OBP - SLG - 2b - HR

DiMaggio .325 - .398 - .579 - 389 - 361

Pujols .334 - .427 - .628 - 387 - 366

DiMaggio finished in the top ten in MVP balloting ten times, including his first seven seasons, with three wins and two seconds.

Pujols has finished in the top ten nine times, all of his first nine seasons, with three wins and three seconds.

By the way, it took DiMaggio nearly 7000 at-bats to hit all those doubles and homers. Albert has accumulated the same totals, but has been up only about 5000 times.