Confessions of a Recovering Pharisee

[USA Today]

Major League Baseball’s 80th All-Star Game is Tuesday, but this year it is Albert Pujols’ personal party.
The St. Louis Cardinals first baseman is having one of the greatest seasons in history, putting up numbers last approached by Babe Ruth, Hack Wilson and Jimmie Foxx more than 70 years ago. Yet, it is his 32 home runs, 85 RBI and .338 batting average that have drawn suspicion, leaving Pujols hurt and angry.

“I can understand people being disappointed with A-Rod and Manny,” Pujols says of the New York Yankees’ Alex Rodriguez and the Los Angeles Dodgers’ Manny Ramirez, who have been ensnared in performance-enhancing drug controversies this year. “But just because Manny made a mistake, now I have to pay? Just because A-Rod made a mistake, now I have to pay? Oh, guilt by association? That’s wrong.

“I would never do any of that crap. You think I’m going to ruin my relationship with God just because I want to get better in this game? You think I’m going to ruin everything because of steroids?”

Pujols, who fell .012 points short in batting average of becoming the first player since Hank Aaron in 1957 to hold the Triple Crown at the All-Star break, has spent most of his 8½-year career putting up MVP numbers and building an impeccable reputation. But he has become more outspoken, talking about baseball’s drug problem, players who don’t respect the game and his future in St. Louis.

Pujols, 29, says he was tested six times last year as part of MLB’s drug policy. But if that’s not good enough, Pujols vows to take a test every day and, if he is caught using performance-enhancing drugs, he says, he will pay back the Cardinals every penny he has earned.

“Come test me every day if you want,” says Pujols, who has the most home runs at the All-Star break since Barry Bonds hit 39 and Luis Gonzalez hit 35 in 2001. “Everything I ever made in this game I would give back to the Cardinals if I got caught.

”

Pujols realizes America is looking for a hero. He is volunteering, only if America will let him. Pujols, who has three children with his wife, Deidre, and another baby on the way, goes to great lengths to maintain his untarnished image and uphold his deep religious beliefs. He doesn’t drink or smoke. He doesn’t have a tattoo or wear earrings. He doesn’t go to bars, nightclubs or any place where his character could be assaulted.

“If we’re in a hotel and a woman gets on the elevator by herself, I’ll wait for the next one,” Pujols says. “People have their agenda. You have to be careful who you can trust.

“It’s the same thing with pictures. I’ll have my picture taken on the field, but not off the field. Nowadays with photo technology, you can do so many things.”

Pujols’ on-field skills are admired by nearly every major leaguer, but he is also among the game’s most respected players.

Read more here.

[From me]

How refreshing! We need more people like Albert Pujols! I think his defenses while he is on the road and taking pictures sounds like a good idea for all of us. If you want to know what this man is really about check out his foundation here. I’ll pull for Albert no matter what team he is on.

What do you think?

[Seattle PI]

Alabama has all sorts of tourist trails – there’s one for civil rights, another for birds and yet another for old churches. The newest one was introduced Tuesday to promote the state’s wineries, but Baptists aren’t joining in the toast.

A trade association and a tourism group came up with the Alabama Wine Trail to lure visitors to the state’s eight wineries, which produce everything from fruity muscadine and peach wines to more traditional varieties such as merlot and chardonnay.

Tom Vizzini hopes the trail will increase traffic at his Vizzini Farms Winery, which produces as many as 3,000 cases a year. He located it on the outskirts of Birmingham after running up against church opposition in a more rural area.

“We put our wines up against any of them from California,” said Vizzini, whose grandfather was a vintner in Sicily.

But some say the wine can stay on the West Coast.

A Baptist leader in neighboring Chilton County said his group opposed plans for a winery there and doesn’t like the idea of luring tourists to his home turf or anywhere else in Alabama to imbibe.

“We are on record as being opposed to any kind of alcohol-related industry,” said the Rev. Robert Griffin, moderator of the Chilton Baptist Association and pastor of Highland Baptist Church in Clanton. “I would support visiting old, historic churches, but as far as visiting wineries…”

Read about it here.

[From me]

I don’t drink alcohol. All of the alcohol I’ve ever had can be put in a small shot glass. Most of it was at an Episcopal communion. I’ve never tasted beer because it smells bad and looks like –you know! My grandfather on my dad’s side of the family was an alcoholic so I never had a desire to drink. Plus seeing all of the University of Alabama frat parties while growing up turned me off to drinking.