Worth checking out

MiLB.com is doing a series of articles called Path to the Pros. The latest is Lance Berkman, but others have included Midwest League Alumni: Clayton Kershaw, Lyle Overbay, and John Lackey. However, the focus on Overbay and Lackey seems to be more on their time in the Pioneer League. Kershaw profile has a lot to do with his legendary status in Texas High School baseball and his current time with the LA Dodgers.

But, there is a lot of Midwest League-centric coverage of a certain Peoria Chief alum.

But in the summer of 2000, [Albert] Pujols was just a 20-year-old player in Class A with big league dreams and a dwindling bank account, the latter of which he was not happy about.

Former Peoria manager Tom Lawless still laughs at the memory of an outraged young Pujols, who was fined $50 for not hustling down the first base line. It was a policy Lawless had explained to the Chiefs in a pregame meeting that night, and one that was strictly enforced after Pujols hit a one-hopper back to the pitcher in his first at-bat.

"He wasn't happy," Lawless recalled. "He said 'What do you mean?, I said, 'We play the game hard. I expect you to run down the line."

Lawless never had to discipline the budding superstar again. During his three month-stint with Peoria, Pujols was always the first one on the field to hit. A 13th-round draft pick despite putting up monster numbers at Maple Woods Community College, Pujols never missed an opportunity to learn about the intricacies of baseball. Whether he was taking infield grounders or working on secondary leads, Pujols used the same tenacity he took to the plate to improve all facets of his game.

Nice series. Can't wait to see if there are any ex-Rattlers or ex-Foxes who will be featured.