[外電] Pujols annoyed with La Russa after benching
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Pujols peeved
La Russa leaves Cardinals slugger on bench in ninth
Posted: Wednesday July 11, 2007 1:15AM; Updated: Wednesday July 11, 2007
1:22AM
SAN FRANCISCO (AP) -- Albert Pujols was angry about being left on the
All-Star bench and the St. Louis slugger took aim at the National League
manager -- who just happened to be Tony La Russa of his own Cardinals.
"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."
Pujols, the NL MVP in 2005 and key to the Cardinals' win in the World Series
last year, said La Russa didn't talk to him the entire game.
Pujols could only watch when Aaron Rowand flied out with the bases loaded to
end the American League's 5-4 win.
"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."
With the 32-man rosters, it's not uncommon for a few players to be left out.
The AL used 27 players, while the NL used 28.
Pujols and Texas shortstop Michael Young -- last year's All-Star game MVP --
were the only position players who didn't get into the game. Ever since the
2002 event ended in an extra-innings tie, managers have tended to hold a
hitter back just in case.
La Russa said he indeed was saving his star player in case the game went long.
"Once we lost (Miguel) Cabrera and (Freddy) Sanchez, he was the guy we were
going to use to protect ourselves in case we kept playing because of Albert's
versatility," La Russa said. "I think we had the right guy at bat."
A six-time All-Star, Pujols finished about 770,000 votes behind starting
first baseman Prince Fielder. He played left field regularly in 2002 and '03
and also saw time at third base in 2001 and '02.
Pujols said he was getting his body loose the whole night.
"I was ready to go since the game started," Pujols said.
Pujols is mired in a career-worst home run slump -- 22 games and a
career-worst 74 at-bats. He is tied with Chris Duncan for the team lead with
16 homers and his last homer was off Kansas City's Jimmy Gobble on June 14.
Copyright 2007 Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not
be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
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