Albert Pujols ready to rumble

LOS ANGELES — Don’t expect to see Albert Pujols sporting his 2006 World Series ring this week during the National League Division Series. Don’t expect him to inspire his teammates with tales from Cardinals’ past glory.

Pujols lives in the present and hopes for another World Series title in the future.<p>
“That was 2006. This is 2009,”Pujols said. “What happened, happened. Now, we have to concentrate on the present and do what we can to win (Wednesday). Again, this is a new year. Whatever we learned in 2006 doesn’t matter.”

During the regular season, Pujols hit .327 with an NL-leading 47 home runs and 135 RBIs.  He’s proud of those numbers, but he’s not dwelling on them.  Regular season statistics won’t help him against the Dodgers.

“It’s simple,” he said. “There are eight teams in the playoffs and the team that plays the best will win it all. The Dodgers are really good team. They have good young players, veteran pitching and a good bullpen. They have some good hitter, like our team.”

Pujols said the key to winning in the postseason is to playing good defense and eliminating mental mistakes. Good pitching also helps.

The Cardinals will send Chris Carpenter to the mound Wednesday against Los Angeles’s Randy Wolfe. On Thursday, Adam Wainwright will take the hill against Clayton Kershaw. Both are considered front-runners for the NL Cy Young Award.

“Our pitching, well, the numbers speak for themselves and I don’t have to say a word,” Pujols said. “Between the two they 36 wins and that’s incredible. What a tremendous season for them and that’s a big reason why we are here playing.”

Like Pujols, Carpenter chooses not to concentrate on his regular season success..

“It’s all fine and dandy what we’ve done all year but this is where it counts,” Carpenter said. ” And there’s no question on paper, when you throw me and Adam, you can go through them, things that Wolf and Kershaw have done.  You can go through any club, Cliff Lee with the Phillies and Cole Hamels and the things they’ve done, it gives you an advantage. But this is a totally different season, what we’ve done all year long turns into a real short season.  And this is what matters.  And on paper it shows an advantage to media.  There might be an advantage, but we still have to go out there and execute, just like we did all year long. “

Cardinals’ manager Tony La Russa likes his chances against the Dodgers in this series but stopped short of making a prediction. He has too much respect the Dodgers and their manager Joe Torre to be so bold.

” I think it’s an even series,” La Russa said.  “We’re excited when we play behind Carpenter.  But Randy has had a heck of a year for them all year, and I know what he’s done in the last six weeks or so.  It will be tough to score runs. When (Carpenter) goes out there he has a bunch of weapons, so he can pitch to all areas of the play.  He’s a complete guy.  Great competitor with great stuff.”

As for Pujols, he says he expect to greet Dominican countrymen  Manny Ramirez, Rafael Furcal, and Ronnie Belliard sometime before the game begins Wednesday but knows his good friends want to win just as badly as he does.

“I know a lot of the people over there,” Pujols said. “They are good friends of mine and tremendous players.  I think this is going to be one really good series and we are ready for it.”