Pujols: More Than the Game by Scott Lamb

Pujols: More Than the Game Reviews

• 
  Adam Nelson

  This book has something in it for everyone. That's not altogether a good thing. Its intentions are very good, but unfortunately there are too many intentions and they don't mesh well. I believe I understand the structure as this: every other chapter is an account of a season in Pujols' career, up through 2010. Lamb liberally doles out the stats, which should please any die-hard baseball fan with a photographic memory for stats (I personally know plenty of such types). He gives highlights from each season, usually coming to one climactic moment. The off chapters are about Pujols the man. And my gosh is it ever hero worship. Don't get me wrong--Pujols is probably the most stand-up guy to ever play the game. I don't doubt for a second that he's everything he claims to be. His work with the Pujols Foundation and with people with Down Syndrome and other special needs places him above reproach in many, many regards. I am sure he is a strong, die-hard Christian and that he witnesses to every baserunner as Lamb and Ellsworth claim. All of this is fine. However, I would have liked a more objective approach. What we seem to have here is the "Christian's guide to serving God and witnessing to others as represented by Albert Pujols," and Pujols puts such incredible pressure on himself to "walk the walk" that I feel worn out by his "example." I'm bothered by testimonies that focus on a person and his or her own works of righteousness rather than God and His goodness. This book is sort of a tract--"witness the Albert Pujols way"--and all we get is example after example of how righteous Albert is by his works. If that inspires you, that's great. It depresses me. This kind of thing doesn't talk about how good God is; it's about how good Albert is to God. And sometimes he is so devoutly religious in action that he doesn't relate well to people, and he says something like, "At the end of the day, it's what God thinks that counts." So that absolves him to be a jerk for Jesus, I guess. Please don't get me wrong, I think Albert's incredible. He's a great leader for his team, he lives a clean life, he is extremely generous with his time, money, and resources. He's probably the greatest baseball player of all time, yet he puts his faith above his talent. I just get depressed by testimonies about Christians who seem to be working to earn their salvation. It doesn't work for me anymore. And it really doesn't work to juxtapose it against all of Albert's stats. This should be two separate books. Give us the story of his career in one volume and then the worship of Albert as a perfect Christian in another volume. I know, I know--nobody's perfect, only God is perfect, as Albert and the authors here would say. But the message conveyed here is that Albert is the standard by which God will judge the rest of us, and I don't like that.
  
  Other aspects of this book that are uneven is that it seems like the authors have scores to settle on his account. It IS a good thing to defend him against the steroid allegations, but in that particular chapter, we get rather a sermon than a well-reasoned argument, and they had way too many points of contention. One or two would suffice, but we get reasons like, "Do you honestly believe Albert would swear before God that he doesn't take steroids?" I'm paraphrasing, but that's the gist. Let's just let the facts speak for themselves--the man has NEVER taken PEDs, and considering his incredible career and stats, that's witness enough of God's hand at work in his life. We also get an entire chapter that advertises for the Pujols Foundation. Again, don't get me wrong, an extremely worthy organization that's doing awesome things for people with special needs, but it doesn't fit with the rest of the book. What was this book intending to accomplish? At times, it's baseball storytelling. At others, it's an altar call. And then we seem to be taking up a collection for the Pujols Foundation. My problem, you understand, is with the book, not with the man. I would have appreciated more objectivity. Someday someone will write the book. This one feels as if Pujols himself reviewed every chapter, telling the boys what was okay and what wasn't (he didn't, but he might as well have).
  
  I WILL gladly say this--as a result of reading this book, I no longer hold it against Albert for leaving St. Louis. Yes, we Cards fans felt he belonged to us, but he clearly doesn't. I'm saying this with sincerity: he belongs to God, and I know God will somehow use him to affect the Anaheim community the way he has affected St. Louis. Albert's mission is bigger than baseball, although good gosh he's good. It's hard to imagine a player as great as him being able to see a larger picture, but he does, so we Cards fans have to let it go. I wish him well. I hope his career continues as it has thus far (I know last year was a disappointing season for him, but I'm sure it was a fluke). I do believe he's the greatest to ever play the game, and we were privileged to have him in STL for as long as we did.
• 
  Luke Koran

  Have you ever heard of a superstar athlete who is more focused on their overall life’s purpose and journey to heaven - a man who truly is “More than the Game” - rather than just concerned with their sporting accomplishments than Albert Pujols? I welcome you to grab this 2012 biography of “El Hombre” and cherish his incredible witness to God through his charitable foundation and relationships with his teammates, opponents and fans.
  
  A quick though significant side note: through Pujols own statements in 2018 and an analysis of the second half of his statistical career, it is safe to say that Albert was likely born in 1977 or 1978, rather than 1980. This nearly-completely shattered my interpretation of his high school career and dramatic ascent to the majors at the previously-stated age of 21. In any case, his first 10 years in the major leagues still represent the greatest start to any professional ballplayer’s career.
  
  For both Christians and non-denominational persons, prepare yourself for a good dose of faith in this book, as it also marks the foundation of Pujols’ life. As a frequent reader of sporting biographies, I found the theme of this book unique but valid based on Albert’s devotion to God and inclusion of his faith in all aspects of his game. Though a second biography is necessary in the near future, this work holds it weight, especially for those who enjoy reading about specific games on a season-by-season basis.
• 
  Jon Moeller

  I love Albert, but this book was pure propaganda. I loved to learn of his story, but this book was over the top. I thought for a minute it was written by his mom. I'm sure this was for his free agency for everyone to see how great of a guy he is. And the Angels read it and bought it. Still love him and his story.
• 
  Joseph Fullbright

  Growing up, Albert Pujols was one of the biggest superstars in baseball. We all know about his incredible accolades and statistics, but this book does a great job looking into his off the field relationship with his religion. He is a devoted Christian, which really drives him to be successful in many different aspects. It was unique to see how big of an impact that God and faith had on Pujols throughout his life and career. The book is organized into chronological chapters, following Pujols throughout his early career with the St. Louis Cardinals. Overall, this was a good read- not amazing, not bad, but good. It was a little repetitive throughout (re-reciting stats, similar religious quotes, etc)- if you are a Pujols (or St Louis Cardinals/MLB) fan, check this out! - Joseph F
  
  NOTE: this book was published in 2010, so it does not cover the Cardinals’ 2011 World Series, Pujols leaving for the Anaheim Angels in free agency, and his pursuit of 700 homeruns.
• 
  John

  This was a Fun reading and listening Pujols: More Than the Game and Congratulations to Albert Pujols on finishing his baseball career in 2022 with the St. Louis Cardinals and I hope someday we get an entire biography on Albert Pujols from start to finishing his career as St. Louis Cardinals player and future St. Louis Cardinals Hall of Framer wearing a Cardinals Hall of Famer red jacket and seeing him each year on Opening Day in St. Louis.
• 
  Constantine Pantazis

  I felt like I can connect to this book greatly. I believe this because both Albert Pujols and I are both very religious and I feel like throughout the book it showed Alberts life with playing baseball and his life with god. I feel like this book was very worth reading for many reasons. This book showed the life of Albert Pujols and his baseball career with him growing up. Albert had a very stressful childhood and could have givin up easily on his baseball career maultiple times but he didn’t this is why I enjoyed the book a lot.
• 
  Erin

  Albert Pujols caught my eye, along with attention from the rest of the world, even from his rookie season in 2001. Living in the TV market of the St. Louis Cardinals, I heard plenty about this unheralded newcomer and saw for myself that he had potential to become a force for the Redbirds.
  
  No one knew then that within a decade he'd be heralded as the league's best player. Maybe the best to ever play the game of baseball.
  
  But Albert's perspective on life goes far beyond the accomplishments at the ballpark. In an interview with Sports Illustrated, Albert says, “You know how I want people to remember me? I don't want to be remembered as the best baseball player ever. I want to be remembered as a great guy who loved the Lord, loved to serve the community and who gave back.”
  
  Pujols was born and raised in the Dominican Republic, immigrating to the United States when he was 16. Lamb & Ellsworth chronicle the journey from his sobering childhood all the way through the end of the 2010 MLB season. They share how his faith has grown from the young adult who accepted Christ as his Savior to the man who witnesses during ballgames and leads missions trips to his native country. He and his wife Dee Dee are the force behind the Pujols Family Foundation, which is dedicated to helping families of Down Syndrome children and adults, as well as reaching into the Dominican Republic to help with medical needs and the sharing of the gospel of Jesus Christ.
  
  Baseball nuts will love all the statistics included within the book. I love baseball but I found myself a little bogged down here and there when every at-bat of certain games were detailed. Or when they would tell us something like “in the second month of the season Pujols was tied for the home run lead”. In a 162-game season that was seven years ago, why does that stat matter? But once you get past those technical points and get to the real meat of the matter, which as Albert himself would say is his faith and his testimony, that's where this story becomes deep and compelling.
  
  In a world where not many can be looked up to as heroes, I believe Albert Pujols stands head and shoulders above the crowd. His love for the Lord and for his family is inspiring. The fact that he actively tries to glorify God in everything he does makes him someone I admire. He is not perfect, but he seeks the better path: to humbly serve those around him. Well done, Albert. May God grant him strength and wisdom as he lives the rest of his life story!
  
  Disclosure of Material Connection: I received this book free from the publisher through the BookSneeze®.com book review bloggers program. I was not required to write a positive review. The opinions I have expressed are my own.>/i>
  
  This review originally appeared at
  http://wwww.reviewsbyerin.livejournal...
• 
  Sally

  Even if your baseball knowledge is limited to the update tracker at the bottom of the television screen, you'll know the name of Albert Pujols. He's the only player to hit at least 30 home runs in each of his 10 seasons. He's been awarded both the National League's MVP and ESPY (best MLB player) awards three times and, in a sport tainted by Performance Enhancing Drugs (PEDs), he's never tested positive for banned substances. But did you also know that Pujols is a Christian? I didn't, maybe because I'm a casual observer of the game. When Thomas Nelson offered a book that focused on his Christian faith for review, however, I was intrigued enough to take a look.
  
  Pujols is a force on and off the field and the book reflects that. The first part looks at his life before he hit the big time. He grew up in the Dominican Republic. "Sometimes we didn't have anything to eat for breakfast, but if we could eat lunch and dinner, we weren't poor." His father played softball. Like many of his peers, he loved watching baseball. At the age of 16 he moved to the USA with his family and, despite his lack of English skills, made it onto the high school baseball team. That's where his career began.
  
  The book contains a lot of game statistics and replays. Most of those went over my head. Where I got most enjoyment was in reading his off field activities. Pujols puts his life as a Christian above everything else. He believes his baseball ability comes from God, and it is his job to use that gift for God's glory. Through his Pujols Family Foundation, he raises money for a Down syndrome organization in St Louis and for an orphanage in his home country. Is he perfect? No, and that's what I like about this book. The writers make it clear that Christians aren't perfect and describe more than one incident where Pujols did not act in a positive manner.
  
  There is one other thing that makes this book different from your average biography. There are no glossy photos of Pujols or his family in the middle. I don't know why that is, but I'd like to think it's because for Albert Pujols the emphasis should be on God and not him. Even though, yes, this is a book about him.
  
  Overall, this is a decent book that doesn't make Pujols larger than life. There are a lot of statistics, but casual fans can skip past those. I gave up on baseball long ago (my home team is described in the book as the "perennial cellar-dwelling Pirates"), but this book held my interest to the end.
  
  Note: I received this book from Thomas Nelson's Booksneeze review program. The opinions contained in this review are my own.
• 
  Daniel Butcher

  Pujols: More Than the Game by Scott Lamb and Tim Ellsworth
  Scott Lamb and Tim Ellsworth in Pujols: More Than the Game chronicles the life and spiritual walk of St. Louis Cardinals slugger and Major League Baseball MVP Albert Pujols. They chart his life from the poverty of the Dominican Republic, immigration to the United States and settling in the Kansas City area as a teenager and his quick impact on the game of baseball. Lamb and Ellsworth don’t just document Pujols life between the lines but also chronicle the efforts of Pujols and his wife Deidre to walk a consistent Christian life.
  I have a bias. I’m a Cubs fan…so Pujols haunts my dreams. So I came into this reading not wanting to like Pujols. The writers are clearly fans of Pujols and they create a picture of a very moral man who makes choices out of his faith in God and a compassionate heart. In the end, the authors make it difficult for even a Cubs fan, hopefully Pujols’ 2012 team, to dislike this Cardinals’ hero. And the strength of the book is the stories of Pujols’ compassionate acts, these are the scenes where the reader get to better understand Pujols the man, father and husband. Honestly it’s the baseball scenes of the book that are lacking. The authors provide lots of names, numbers, facts and season summaries at a quick pace making it difficult to dig into the action of games and seasons. Also, the book lacks the young people with money acting silly sort of stories that one typically finds in baseball books. I don’t need stories of Pujols drinking and acting immorally but an excellent Christian witness would be stories of a young man really enjoying himself as he earns millions playing a game and being in top physical condition. Honestly this book lacks the funny and silly stories one typically finds in a baseball biography, that is not exploring the evils of steroids. Also, the authors do mention some negative incidents in Pujols career especially in incidents with the press, but they defend Pujols’ character strongly. In fact perhaps too strongly, giving readers a 20 point list of why Pujols has never used steroids, that could easily be boiled down to faith, integrity and bodily stewardship. Sadly, this book is at times just too bland to be considered a great baseball book.
  
  Review Copy Provided by Thomas Nelson
  
• 
  Jeff Dawson

  Every young athlete would benefit from this great work. Not because it shows the glory of one man's journey through life but because it shows that not matter how many accolades, awards, notoriety, or money one receives, it is the establishment of a true relationship with Jesus Christ that will propel one to the top.
  
  The authors do a great job in detailing his humble starts in a small shack in the Dominican Republic to a very successful foundation designed not for the glory of Albert, but the glory of god and what he wants Albert to do with his life. Many times we will get caught up with the numbers he constantly pounds out each year and think to ourselves, "Wow, I wish I could do that." but like a yo-yo Albert pulls you back to his foundation; a relationship with God. Albert and his wife Dede constantly remind everyone that winning the MVP or the World Series is just a stat. It does not define but rather helps them in their quest of helping others as their savior did.
  
  I found myself rethinking my own commitment to Jesus. I fail miserably in that area compared to Albert and his family. But after reading the book I didn’tt just learn about the Baseball player Albert Pujols, I learned about the man Albert Pujols and if was in a room discussing my weak faith, I believe he would pull me aside and tell it's never too late to start again.
  
  In conclusion, if you are looking for a book packed with statistics and achievements for one player's career, this is for you. But more important if you are looking for a book which truly shows how God and Jesus Christ can work in your life,this is a must read. Albert mentions it a few times when asked about being inducted into the Hall of Fame after he hangs up his cleats, he would gladly accept the honor but more important the real Hall of Fame he is seeking is the one his Lord is preparing for him.
• 
  Aimee (Getting Your Read On)

  Does the name Albert Pujols mean anything to you?
  In 2010 Pujols became the first player in baseball history to bat .300 with 30 home runs and 100 runs batted in for ten consecutive seasons. That is something that Babe Ruth, Ted Williams and Hank Aaron did not do. In the 2010 season Pujols also hit 408 home runs. Every time he touched home plate he pointed toward heaven, giving credit to a power higher than himself.
  
  If you aren’t a fan of baseball and statistics don’t impress you, perhaps Albert’s off the field deeds will impress you.
  
  Albert Pujols was born in the Dominican Republic where poverty prevails but so does baseball. In his teenage years, the Pujols family immigrated to the US where Albert enrolled in high school, started playing baseball and learned about Jesus Christ. From that time on he has tried to live his life as a good Christian man. He has foundations to help kids and families with Down Syndrome because with his own daughter affected by this disability, he knows how it is. Pujols also frequently and freely gives back to his own birthplace in Dominican Republic, helping with medical care and necessities of life.
  Those close to Albert speak highly of him as a man and as an athlete.
  
  I enjoyed reading through this book. I love baseball and there is no doubt that Albert Pujols is an amazingly talented athlete. His statistics speak for themselves. It’s nice to read about the good efforts he is making to help others and give back. This was a well written biography. It’s wasn’t a stay up past midnight to finish it kind of book, but it was interesting and definitely left me feeling good. Here is my favorite line from the book. “This isn’t only about being a baseball player. It’s about having the opportunity to change lives.”
  
• 
  Shari

  Few areas of life evoke a more passionate response than that of sports. It is a multi-billion dollar industry that entertains and inspires fans and creates heroes out of men and women simply for their exploits on their respective fields of play. Too often these “heroes” excel in their sport but fall far short in life – Darryl Strawberry, Michael Vick, Barry Bonds, and OJ Simpson, to name a few. One superstar has escaped the pitfalls of his meteoric rise in the baseball world, and perhaps the title of the recent biography Pujols: More Than the Game explains why.
  
  For Albert Pujols, current star of the Saint Louis Cardinals, baseball was a way of life growing up in the Dominican Republic. Upon moving to the United States as a teenager, Pujols began to impress coaches with his home run hitting and mature understanding of the game, as well as with his character on and off the field. Still, no one could have predicted Albert Pujols’ ride from the minor leagues to the pinnacle of major league baseball’s individual honors would be so rapid. In this new biography, authors Lamb and Ellsworth do a thorough job outlining that trip with a stunning array of statistics and clear reporting of the big games in Pujols’ career.
  
  Readers should not be surprised that the book’s strongest running theme is the role Albert Pujols’ deep faith plays in his life, on and off the field. It is here that Pujols becomes more than just a great sportsman as the authors detail the work of the Pujols Family Foundation and the many other ways Pujols chooses to live out his faith. Pujols: More Than the Game makes a great read for sports fans and even those who know nothing about baseball but can appreciate a life well lived for the glory of Another.
  
• 
  Danny

  This was a very disappointing book. The writing style makes the book read more like a dry textbook than an inspirational story or a compelling biography. The book is very confusing to read as events and circumstances are presented out of chronological order. Being a baseball fan I was also disappointed by the lackluster description of the baseball events. But perhaps the most disappointing thing about the book is it feels as though it is pushing an agenda of Christianity and the Pujols Family Foundation. As a Christian myself and someone that has worked for a nonprofit organization for a decade both of those topics are close to my heart. And yet, I felt as though this book sacrificed a great deal of good and compelling stories about this terrific athlete that could have weaved the topic of his faith in organically. By promoting an agenda instead of describing Albert Pujols as a person I actually feel I have less respect for him after reading this book. I do have to say the book convinced me that he didn't take steroids an that he seems to be as consistent off the field as on the field. Pujols seems like good man and a good baseball player but this book isn't worth the paper it is printed on.
• 
  Emily (Heinlen) Davis

  Fans of Pujols and/or baseball, as well as anyone looking for an inspirational story, will enjoy this book. Not only does this book provide historic and current baseball facts and trivia, but it also explains and illustrates how religion and baseball are important to Pujols and how he uses his faith to help and encourage others. The simple base truth of this story is that everything is guided by God's hands and those who follow in his footsteps and give back to their faith can achieve great things.
  
  This book starts out with a charming story about Pujols' giving nature and loving heart and then delves into explaining how God has worked to change Pujols' life since his childhood. However, the book doesn't only focus on Pujols, it also provides stories of others in his life, such as his wife. One story in the book about his wife visiting a friend in the hospital, in particular, caught my attention. Not only does it illustrate how God has influenced every aspect of Pujols' life and the lives of those around him, but it also made me wish that a sequel would be written about his wife and how God has influenced her life as well.
• 
  Jeanie

  With the title More than the Game, I was expecting just that. I think 80% of the book was the game and stats. If you are baseball fan that loves, breathes, goes to every game and is able to keep all those stats, then you would love this book. However, I did like the book when it talked about Pujols as a team player, a christian and a husband. He leads by example and is very focused. You have other athletes such as Tiger Woods that has the same mind set when he plays, however, he has a balance that makes Pujols stand out among all the rest. How does he maintain that balance, his focus on the Lord and glorifying the Lord in all that he does. His heart for people also keeps him in balance, it is not for show but for the glory of God so that others will see Jesus in him. However, for me when the book was all the about the game, all I heard was bla bla bla. Pulols will make the record books and probably the hall of Fame and what will be nice 50+ years from now people will say how much he loved the Lord and others.
• 
  Ashley

  Although this book was nothing like I was expecting, I still really enjoyed it. It's main focus is on how Albert Pujols's faith has affected his career-- his drive, his goals. I really appreciate that part of Pujols's character, so I enjoyed reading about it. What I didn't like all the much was the play-by-play of every game/series of his entire career. I love baseball, but it was a bit much.
• 
  Nik Havert

  This is a good biography of Albert Pujols that delves not only into his sports achievements but also his Christian beliefs and philosophy. The book drifts into hero worship a bit too much at times, and I would've liked a few more funny baseball stories. You do walk away from it more impressed with Pujols, however.