Albert Pujols Painting Finished

THE FINISHED VERSION of Albert Pujols after adding the dots. This is the first in a series of ballplayer portraits I'll be doing. This one took roughly half a year to complete in working around my normal work schedule. Will be working on a Jackie Robinson portrait next.

In Progress: Albert Pujols N.L. MVP '09

OVER THE PAST COUPLE OF MONTHS I've been working on an Albert Pujols painting, and thought what better time to post my progress with The Machine claiming his third N.L. MVP award. And if not for Barry Bond's tainted legacy, this might have been Pujols' fifth MVP award. I'll be posting the finished version eventually.

Happy Holliday!

THIS YEAR CHRISTMAS IS IN JULY for Matt Holliday, soon-to-be free agent outfielder who just went from the cellar in Oakland to the top of the arch in St. Louis. It has to be a strange feeling for guys like Holliday to spend three months with a rebuilding franchise, being unsure about their future, and trying to perform at a high-level. Christmas couldn't have come quicker for Matt Holliday.

Albert Pujols: Halfway Up Mt. Maris

IT'S BEEN OVER A DECADE since Big Mac and Sammy both broke Roger Maris' single-season homerun record, but all we've been left with is all the steroid garbage that has littered the baseball landscape since then. Yet just over halfway through the 2009 season, Albert Pujols has rekindled thoughts of ascending Mt. Maris having launched 31 big flies in 82 games. We used to marvel at the greatness of recent right-handed hitters like Alex Rodriguez, Manny Ramirez, Vladimir Guerrero and Edgar Martinez, but Pujols surpasses them all. Somehow the ESPN SportsCenter Pujols commercial doesn't seem too far from the truth.

Glad You're Ok, Rick Ankiel

REALLY LOOKING FORWARD TO SEEING RICK ANKIEL back on the field again after that frightening crash into the outfield wall earlier this week. It's one thing to have your entire body slamming into the wall to dampen the impact and another to have the head and neck bent by the wall. Who said baseball isn't a contact sport? Ankiel's hustle wasn't as evident during his days as a pitcher and is now greatly appreciated and admired by baseball fans. Rick Ankiel was meant to play ball, and thankfully will continue to do so for many more years.

The Legacy of Albert Pujols?