It’s him, but it’s not him.
Same stance, same glance, but upon Albert Pujols, what was once a lather of virility is now a froth of vulnerability.
He occasionally uncoils that great swing, unleashing baseballs into the night — but not as often as he used to, back when a Pujols homer was essentially anticipated.
They all count the same, but they don’t feel the same.
And maybe that’s why there isn’t as much mystique surrounding Pujols’ pursuit toward the 600-homer milestone.
These days, two time zones away, a Pujols bomb still has aplomb, but a homer in a half-filled stadium for a .