Albert Pujols has gone from superstar to almost forgotten. Photo via Flickr — beisbolsinaloa

What’s caused fans to no longer care about 600 home runs?

You're probably thinking- Hey this is a Cubs website why an article about Pujols? Well Albert Pujols is one home run away from 600 in his career, and most people don’t care. So it’s worth mentioning anyway.

In 2001, Pujols bust onto the scene in St. Louis, hitting a massive 37 home runs and had a 1.013 OPS. He immediately became a Cubs killer, frequently finding Waveland Avenue during his trips to Wrigley Field from that rookie season through his final Cardinal campaign, 2011. Over those 11 seasons, he averaged a ridiculous 7.9 WAR.

After the 2011 season, Pujols signed a 10 year, $240 million contract to move to Anaheim. The contract has turned into a massive disaster for the Angels. Pujols no longer is the same player he was, and continues to get worse. Injuries and age have combined to lower his productivity, although the power is still there, with a few 30–40 home run seasons over his tenure on the West Coast.

How can a future Hall of Famer be ignored as he approaches a milestone home run?

Steroids are the easy answer. Fans have been turned off by power hitters because the legitimacy of every 450 foot shot has been compromised. Five players have recently hit 600 or more homers. That list includes Barry Bonds, Ken Griffey, Jr, Sammy Sosa, Jim Thome, and Alex Rodriguez. Three of those players have been linked to steroids when the drug epidemic in baseball was still at its peak. Baseball, believe it or not, now has the strongest of the drug policies in the four major sports and the strictest punishment for a first time offender. I personally don’t use steroids as an excuse for the lack of interest in Pujols or any other player.

Would the interest be there had Pujols stayed in St. Louis? Many believe so. West coast games don’t get the national attention that the East or Central time zones get. St. Louis, for one reason or another, has a way of making magic with their players. Had Pujols stayed in the Midwest, no doubt the team, city, and media would have made a much bigger deal about this achievement. Imagine Busch Stadium with Pujols stuck at 599 home runs. It would have a playoff type feel. ESPN and/or MLB Network would be carrying the game. Fans would be standing during every Pujols at bat. On Thursday night, the Angels had a paid crowd of 33,426. Capacity is 45,477. Busch Stadium would have been standing room only. In Anaheim, Pujols isn’t even the best player on his team (although, Mike Trout is on the DL) and his disappointment may have caused fans in Anaheim to not care in the same way Cardinals fan would have.

This was a common scene in St. Louis. Photo via Flickr — Jory’z Shotz

Do chicks no longer dig the long ball? Home run chases back in 1998 between McGwire, Sosa, and Griffey, Jr., followed by Bonds a few years later, could have turned fans off from the homer. I remember the summer of ’98 like it was yesterday. Fans were hanging on every McGwire and Sosa at bat, waiting to see if one could out-slug the other on any given night. They say too much of a good thing is bad. Have the long, majestic homeruns actually become boring?

The young fans today aren’t like the young fans of that historic summer. Kids watch highlights of dunks, touchdown celebrations, and YouTube stars. If you took a poll of kids today, how many could tell you who Hank Aaron is? Roger Maris? Could the kids tell you who the all-time home run leader is? Times have changed. Baseball used to be the game that all kids watched during their summers off, but with so many other options to kill time, most have tuned out of the game, and therefore, don’t realize or even care that somebody in Anaheim is chasing 600.

The totality of the damage that steroids caused the sport and Pujols’ decline from superstar/face of baseball to above average player (maybe) has brought this stunning development. In the age of the home run, these monumental numbers would be a cause for celebration and on field ceremonies. In the new day and age, will fans even care when another player hits a 600th home run?

Chris Schomaker has a love-hate relationship with the cities of Chicago and St. Louis. He is a a fan of the Cubs in baseball and therefore hates the Cardinals, but loves the Blues in hockey, so by nature, despises the Blackhawks. He finally discovered what a championship is like last November. You can follow him on Twitter @cjschoe.