Pujols: Pressing?

While Albert Pujols isn't below the Mendoza Line, he's below his personal equivalent thereof, which leads to the big question: Is he "pressing" with this being a contract year?

And, does that reflect other psychological issues, as Bob Klapitch wonders?

“I don’t know, you wonder if (Pujols) is one of those guys who needs comfort and security to perform,” one major league executive said. “The way he’s going, he might’ve been better off taking the (Cardinals) offer that was in front of him.”

Pujols says, don't worry, it's just a mechanical issue:

“I know my swing. I'm trying to find my swing and trust my swing," Pujols told the St. Louis Post-Dispatch recently. "I'm going to hit the ball out of the ballpark 40 times a year because I'm strong enough and I put a good quality swing on it. But if I go out there and try to hit the ball out of the ballpark with every swing or worry that I haven't hit a ball out in 19, 20 games, then, believe me, that's ridiculous. That's how you hit .150 or .200."

But Jayson Stark says that's exactly the problem - he's trying to crush everything.

When a man who has been a gapper machine stops hitting doubles, it sends a clear message -- that he's stopped driving the baseball the other way and that he's spinning out, trying to pull everything, especially those breaking balls away.

That explains the lack of walks and the double-play grounders.

Maybe it's not all about "security," but it's clear that he's pressing, that this is NOT a mechanical issue. But, who can tell Pujols that?

His agent, Dan Lozano? I've never heard of Pujols having a retained sports psychologist. But, until he recognizes this and loosens up, I don't care how hot Lance Berkman is; pitchers who know he's chasing breaking balls low and away will keep throwing them to him.