RetroSimba

If Albert Pujols has a normal season (based on the high standards he has established) in 2011, he will reach the 2,000-hit mark, move into the top four on the Cardinals’ all-time hits list and rank behind only Stan Musial in doubles and total bases.

Pujols has 1,900 career hits, placing him seventh on the Cardinals’ all-time list. If he stays healthy this year, he’s a lock to become the fifth player to achieve 2,000 as a Cardinal.

If he gets 165 hits (he never has failed to get at least that many in any of his 10 big-league seasons) in 2011, Pujols also will move ahead of Ozzie Smith (1,944), Red Schoendienst (1,980) and Enos Slaughter (2,064) into fourth place on the team’s career hits list. The top three are Stan Musial (3,630), Lou Brock (2,713) and Rogers Hornsby (2,110).

(Updated Aug. 1: Pujols got his 2,000th hit, a double against Cubs reliever Carlos Marmol, on July 29, 2011).

Pujols has 426 doubles, placing him third on the Cardinals’ all-time list and just eight behind Brock (434). Pujols has hit at least 33 doubles in each of his major league seasons, so passing Brock should be a cinch in 2011. Musial is No. 1 in team history, with 725 doubles.

With 3,580 total bases, Pujols trails only Musial (6,134) and Brock (3,776) on the Cardinals’ career list. In 2011, if Pujols achieves 197 total bases (he never has had a season with fewer than 320), he would surpass Brock for second place.

Pujols also figures to move into sixth place among games played as a Cardinal in 2011. He is at 1,558. If he plays in just 110 this year, he will surpass Ray Lankford (1,580), Hornsby (1,580), Willie McGee (1,661) and Ken Boyer (1,667) for most games played with St. Louis.