Brian34Cook

02/29/2008 9:39 AM ET
Pujols stands alone as Cards' superstar
St. Louis slugger leads band of new teammates
By Matthew Leach / MLB.com



JUPITER, Fla. -- MV3 is down to a single MVP. Albert Pujols' wingmen are gone. So is his top tablesetter from the past three years.

Pujols has now outlasted every one of his teammates from his rookie season of 2001, save Rick Ankiel, who appeared in a total of five games between '01 and his return in '07. The one-time young phenom is now the dean of the Redbirds.

He always knew it, but after the trades of franchise icons Scott Rolen and Jim Edmonds, the truth is starker than ever. Pujols is a realist.

"It's business," Pujols said. "It happens to every player. You hate to see guys leave like that when you win a World Series and guys that are really gamers. But I think the guys that we picked, I think they are ready to play and ready to win some games. You build your relationship with guys like that for three or four years, and you hate to see them leave. But you know that that can happen to you, too. It's part of the business."

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