Pujols on the fans

I admit that I have been upset with the early performance of Juan Encarnacion this season but I have never once booed our closer, Jason Isringhausen, this season. In light of Pujols the Great's comments that are over at Matthew Leach's blog, I apologize to Juan Encarnacion for booing him.

This is all one statement from Pujols.

"It's good. It's good to see. I told him to relax. It's a long season. Everybody goes through some slumps. Same thing with Juan Encarnacion. I've seen these guys for seven years in the league, and they know how to do it.

"For the fans in St. Louis to be booing Encarnacion, I don't think that was right. I didn't say anything the other day because I respect our fans, but I think that's not our fans, booing a player like that. Because he's trying just as hard as we're trying to win games. The thing is, you're booing a guy right now, but when he gets his approach, everybody's going to love him. And I don't think that's right.

"I got really mad at our fans the other day for booing Encarnacion. Because the guy is frustrated right now. The guy is trying to do as much as he can to help us out to win, and the last thing you want to do is have our own fans, 45,000 people, booing a poor guy like that. I know he's going to get out of his slump.

"Same thing with Izzy, they were booing him at our place, and I'm telling you, I don't know what's going on with our fans, but I don't think that's the right way to approach it. It's a long season and that's why you play 162 games, so you can make your adjustments. We'll win some games. That's the key."

Albert, thanks for speaking up on the situation.