MLB: NL MVP 2008

Pujols has won the MVP award.

The most hr's is called the Mel Ott Award - not the MVP. Since 1990, noting both leagues, there have been 16 players who have led their respective league in hrs and rbis. Only three times have one of them been awarded the MVP - Barry Bonds, Ken Griffey jr and ARod. Howard isn't comparable to either of them or this years most deserving candidate - Pujols.

He had the most RBI's And HR's

To quote Apaccolips, you say, "You can't have any valuee to a team if your 11.5 games back from first place." I just wanted to establish that you said this before stating that in 2006, when Ryan Howard and his incredibly valuable Phillies team finished 12 games back from first place to the Mets, walked away with the 2006 "Most Valuable Player" Award. So, if one were to go by your strategy, then Howard shouldn't have won the 2006 MVP Award at all, but rather a playoff contender, a team that brought his team and carried them through the playoffs -- a guy like Albert Pujols in 2006. Now I know we are not here to talk about the 2006 MVP award; we are focusing on this year. However, I see the MVP award as not solely the "best player" and not solely the "player that led his team to the playoffs," but a combination of many contributions of a player to his team. One thing many people get caught up in, especially in today's game, is the power numbers. While Howard's 48 HRs and 146 RBIs are impressive, Pujols posted numbers close, hitting 37 HRs and 116 RBIs. I also am willing to bet that Pujol's would have quite a few more homers and RBIs if he got to play half his games in Phili's ballpark, but I won't go there. That was just the power number though. Take a look at the strikeouts, walks, On Base Percentage (OBP), On Base Plus Slugging Percentage (OPS), and batting average. Ask yourself this: what is more valuable to a team, striking out 199 times in the 2008 season like Ryan Howard, or striking out 54 times in the 2008 season like Albert Pujols? I'll let you decide that one. What is more valuable to a team, hitting .251 for the Phillies in 2008, or hitting .357 for the Cardinals in 2008 -- a full 106 points higher I might add? I'll let you decide. Which is more valuable, Howard's .339 OBP, or Pujols' .462 OBP? That means that Pujols did not always swing for the fences every time, he looked to get on base, whether it meant taking the walk, driving one to the gaps, or hitting a ball up the middle, Pujols got on base. Howard on the other hand, did not take what they gave him, drawing walks or taking it the other way -- he'd try to pull it and crank a homer and ended up screwing his team and their momentum by striking out 199 times this year. Now I admit, Howard is a fabulous player and I like him, but it goes to show how much of what Pujols does can be overlooked. On Howard's way to greatness, in his 4 year career he has already shattered Pujols' strikeout mark as Mr. Ryan Howard boasts a career 692 total strikeouts -- as opposed to Pujols' 8 year career posting a grand total of 506 career stikeouts. That is a total of 186 more career strikeouts for Howard. While it is good to get more strikeouts as a pitcher, that is unfortunately not the case for Ryan Howard; it should actually be pretty embarrassing when put next to Pujols'. Let me say that again:
Pujols: 8 year career -- 506 strikeouts
Howard: 4 year career -- 692 strikeouts
So, I hope that I have helped show that the MVP is not based on one single thing, but on a combination of many things. That's why I believe Pujols is most deserving for the 2008 NL MVP Award.

News flash!!! The National League players voted Pujols on to the All Star team. That tells you the players wanted him on their team. Pujols goes about his business so quietly that most of you part-time fans aren't even aware of his impact. Ludwick had a career year because he hit in front of Pujols most of the year and LaRussa snapped Glaus out of a slump by hitting him in front of Pujols. The Cardinals fielded 100+ different lineups this year and the only constsnt was the number 3 hitter - Albert. And if you measure an MVP on driving their team into the post season, I guess you better go get those MVP awards that Barry-the-needle Bonds. Maybe you better get the ones given to Ernie Banks. Can you make someone the MVP who didn't hit his weight? And had almost as many KOs as his batting average?

ALBERT PUJOLS. He is not just good at hitting homeruns he hit over 350 almost every year!

How about Manny Ramirez? I highly doubt he will win the MVP award, but the only reason why he won't win is because he has only played for two months for the Dodgers. But the transformation the Dodgers have taken is nothing short of remarkable. And Man-Ram is the first player in a long time who gets 50 RBIs in both the AL and the NL. He totally transformed the spirit of the Dodgers... he is my ML MVP (though he won't win it).

If Pujols doesn't win this year they should not have any more MVP. He is in the top 5 of most and in the top 10 of all cats. I live in Hawaii and I think this Guy should have won in 2006, 2003, 2002, and maybe 2001. Barry Bonds cheated Pujols out of 2 or 3 MVP's and Howard can't help that the voting fools pick him. He did good. Will see what the do this year. Pujols team won the World Series in 2006. If the Phillies win this year and Howard gets the MVP with a .250 BV and 200 SO it will be a joke. I guess they could steal it for Pujols and give it to a Met just to do it again. You all know this is true. Look at the numbers this year. If Chipper would have batted 100 more times there is no way he would have hit .365.