Albert Pujols' Homer Drought Begins at Home

So maybe it isn't a new team, unfamiliar American League pitching and/or since-fired batting coach Mickey Hatcher that are preventing Albert Pujols from hitting out of his $250 million Angels cap.

Perhaps it's home cooking--or the lack thereof.

Pujols just gave an interview to the Spanish-language version of USA Today (Christ, they really are taking over everything) where he says one of his biggest adjustments as a player has been starting the season away from his wife and four children, who attend school in St. Louis.

"It's been difficult but it's part of the job. My wife and my (kids) understand dad's job is outside St. Louis. It's very difficult because we have not been in that situation before, but thankfully they're coming on Sunday and we'll recover that lost time. I can't stop playing because I'm in another city. It's part of the job God wants me do to, and I want to be obedient and go where my calling is."

You didn't really think he'd go that entire quote without mentioning the Big Guy, did you? And no, that's not a reference to Pujols' portly pal Rick Warren.

"Imagine those soldiers who go to Iraq and spend two or three years without seeing their families. For me it's only two or three weeks. I'm thankful God has given us the technology where we can see each other through Skype on the computer. It's not the same thing, but at least we can see each other. Imagine the time before when that wasn't available and people had to go defend our country. It's really hard. I go two weeks without seeing my family and I go crazy.''

. . . And on the eighth day, God invented Skype.

Sunday is a reference to this Sunday, when the someday(?) slugger's wife Diane Diedre and those four young Pujolses join Daddy in Anaheim for their week-long break from studies. Before they arrive, Pujols has already boosted his anemic April of homeruns (0) to four in May (as of before last night's 7 p.m. first pitch). But he was still batting an uncharacteristic .213 going into that game against the Mariners.

Doesn't Saddleback have a campus or approved Christian home-schooling program we can get those kids into?

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