Howard’s Chances For MVP Growing
Posted by Tim Malcolm, Mon, September 15, 2008 02:03 PM | Comments: 35
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With his recent surge through September pushing the Phillies toward the cream of the Wild Card and NL East races, Ryan Howard has been garnering a deserved amount of support for a second Most Valuable Player award.
His current numbers (.244 AVG / .332 OBP / .526 SLG / 44 HR / 133 RBI) are impressive for anyone, but is he the MVP?
Here are some other names at the top of the ballot:
David Wright (NYM, .301 / .389 / .540 / 31 / 114) might be having the best all-around season for a top contender. That puts him square at the top of the list. Guiding the Mets to the NL East title a year after the collapse could cement his claim.
Albert Pujols (STL, .360 / .465 / .650 / 33 / 101) was the leader of the pack until the Cardinals dropped out of contention. Still, it would be hard not to hand the award to arguably baseball’s best player, during a season in which he’s been reportedly hurt the whole time.
Lance Berkman (HOU, .326 / .430 / .594 / 28 / 100) has seen a dip in power numbers, but with the Astros threatening to take a playoff spot, you have to strongly consider him as that team’s top player.
CC Sabathia (MIL, 9-0 / 1.59 ERA / 102 K / 21 BB) will get consideration if the Brewers make the playoffs. But his short season hurts his chances, too.
Just Missed:
Jose Reyes (NYM) is the team’s catalyst, but Wright (and Johan Santana) have been more valuable. … Carlos Delgado (NYM) has had a nice surge in power, but his numbers don’t approach Howard’s. … Chase Utley (PHI) was the MVP in April, but not since. … Brad Lidge (PHI) absolutely deserves votes. … If Chipper Jones (ATL) played more games, he’d get more consideration. … Hanley Ramirez (FLA) should get more looks, but won’t since his team is practically out. … Aramis Ramirez (CHC) has been the Cubs’ biggest offensive pin, but is more a part of a sum. … A huge year for Ryan Ludwick (STL), but Pujols is best. … A little love for Nate McLouth (PIT). … Ryan Braun (MIL) has fallen off a bit lately, hurting his chances. … A few bad starts late hurt both the D-Backs and Brandon Webb (ARI). Adam Dunn (ARI) has put together another Dunn-esque season. … Not enough games in the NL for Manny Ramirez (LAD), but a great pickup nonetheless. … Adrian Gonzalez (SD) deserves some love. … As does Matt Holliday (COL).
Who Gets It?
The voters will look at the playoffs for first dibs, and that means it’s either Wright or Howard, depending on who wins the East. But neither is the real winner — Pujols should be the MVP, no doubt. Berkman could play spoiler if the ‘Stros win, but either the Phils or Mets are getting in, so one of those two should trump the Big Puma. Still, I’d go with Pujols over all of them.
Posts: 0 Phil
Pujols…and it’s not even debatable. Pujols should have won it in 06 too.
Posted: 02:08 PM on September 15, 2008
Posts: 1650 Tim Malcolm
Funny enough, Weitzel at Beerleaguer posted a Howard/MVP item not too long ago today. Good read, too.
Posted: 02:11 PM on September 15, 2008
Posts: 0 Craig
If Lidge can get through the season with 40 + saves, and no blown saves & an ERA 2 or under then i’d vote for him.
Posted: 02:13 PM on September 15, 2008
Posts: 0 Jeffrey
This will be decided based on what teams make the playoffs, as always, which means Berkman, Wright, and Howard are probably the frontrunners in that order.
Pujols will just have to be satisfied with being amazingly talented and uncommonly consistent.
Posted: 02:17 PM on September 15, 2008
Posts: 0 Craig
Jeffery – Howard won the MVP in 06 when the Phillies failed to make the playoffs and the Cardinals rode Pujols all the way to a WS.
Posted: 02:19 PM on September 15, 2008
Posts: 0 NEPA
Jeffrey, you think not only will the Astros make the playoffs, but that Berkman will then be chosen over whomever wins the NL East? I don’t know about all that.
Posted: 02:21 PM on September 15, 2008
Posts: 0 Ari
With a .244 BA? not a chance.
Posted: 02:33 PM on September 15, 2008
Posts: 0 Matt Kwasiborski
Howard’s average is too low and was slumping most of the year. If you go by stats then Puljos deserves it. I do think that it should be a guy on a team who makes the playoffs unless his stats dwarf other candidates like A-Rod did with TX.
I go with Berkman, Howard, Wright or Delgado. Lidge is a true darkhorse though for sure.
Posted: 02:46 PM on September 15, 2008
Posts: 0 Griffin
Pujols. Any other choice is embarassing.
Posted: 02:55 PM on September 15, 2008
Posts: 0 Geoff
i dont believe in giving a guy the MVP is his team fails to make the playoffs..yes i realize that howards first mvp award qualifies for that…
Posted: 02:59 PM on September 15, 2008
Posts: 0 Griffin
Ned Yost fired. Good news for Brewers fans.
Posted: 03:02 PM on September 15, 2008
Posts: 0 the rookie
The ’06 Phillies had more wins than the ’06 Cardinals. We were just in the wrong division.
Posted: 03:05 PM on September 15, 2008
Posts: 0 MA Phanatic
wow yeah I just read that Ned Yost was fired. This could either light a fire under the Brew Crew or completely dismantle them for the rest of the season. I think the possibility of seeing both the Mets and Phillies in the NL Playoffs is growing.
Posted: 03:23 PM on September 15, 2008
Posts: 0 Geoff
how great would it be if we ran into the mets and beat them IN THE PLAYOFFS? the trolls would never get over that….
Posted: 03:24 PM on September 15, 2008
Posts: 0 ryan
this award has not been sewn up at all yet. it all comes down to these last two weeks. if howard continues on this pace , gets his average up around .255 or so, and leads the phillies into the playoffs, he should definitely win. but as of now i’d give it to pujols. as in the case of howard two years ago, his numbers are just too ridiculous to ignore just because he missed the playoffs.
Posted: 03:25 PM on September 15, 2008
Posts: 0 Richie Allen
Howard has great RBi and homer numbers and he has come through for us lately big time…but Lidge is my MVP … 36 saves,none blown..low era
Posted: 03:29 PM on September 15, 2008
Posts: 0 Chris.I
Craig, I agree with you about Lidge. If he stays this consistent, and his outings actually get us into playoff’s, I think he has a high chance of being mentioned
However about Howard…I think the only way he’ll get MVP is if he hits 50 HR’s this season, just because if you take away HR’s and RBI’s, what left does he have there to compete with? He also has over 100 more AB’s than alot of these other players as well (except Wright) and on his way to breaking his own Strikeout record. I mean I hope he does, just because he’s a Phillie. You can’t exclude Wright out of this, because the Mets aint out of this yet
Posted: 03:36 PM on September 15, 2008
Posts: 0 Richie Allen
Mets-Phillies would be great..Half the people on here are mets fans anyway…Hell, we get their opinion even if we dont want it..
Might as well make their opinion matter by playing them,plus they wont wine if they are in the game..
Posted: 03:37 PM on September 15, 2008
Posts: 0 bull
Just an FYI
Cubs 6
Stros 0
no hits for the stros through 5 today
Posted: 03:38 PM on September 15, 2008
Posts: 0 JoeyNooch
I think its Pujols. Amazing it will be tough for a Cubbie to get serious votes. Just shows how loaded they are. But Pujuls is just too good not to give it to, no matter who ends up in the playoffs. He made a team without a pitching staff a plus .500 team, essentially single-handidly.
Posted: 03:43 PM on September 15, 2008
Posts: 0 bull
If howard can get his avg to about .255 with 50 bombs and 145 rbi with the phils winning the division what he would have done in sept will get him the mvp
Posted: 03:50 PM on September 15, 2008
Posts: 0 Manny
If he keeps swinging the bat like that, he can definitely get the MVP!
I’m rooting for the big man!
Posted: 03:58 PM on September 15, 2008
Posts: 0 Phil
You are all delusional. If Pujols doesn’t win the MVP it will be an atrocity to baseball. Pujols had better numbers than Howard in 06 and got snubbed. Pujols has even better numbers this year than he did last year, and he has clear in away the best numbers out of any baseball player in both leagues. He also plays gold glove defense, which shouldn’t be over looked.
Posted: 04:06 PM on September 15, 2008
Posts: 0 ryan
phil. you’re crazy. noboby had numbers like howard in 06. that was one of the best offensive seasons for any player in the history of the game.
Posted: 04:41 PM on September 15, 2008
Posts: 0 Lewisauce
I think you have to consider defense in MVP voting. It comes down to all-around performance. Jimmy’s D helped him win last year. I’m not saying defense rules Howard out completely, but when stacked next to Pujols, it’s pretty obvious who the better all-around player is.
I also kinda think Pujols gets the true “most valuable to his team” award. Joey Nooch makes a good point. Also, Tim posted just a month ago that Howard was racking up “meaningless” RBIs. At the time, he had like 102 or something, and Tim said something like “I honestly don’t remember 90 of them.” I think we have to take into account that Howard got a lot of meaningless ribbies and dingers in blowouts and whatnot through the middle or August. Lately, I’ll give him clutch props. But not until lately. And those strikeouts are still embarrassing and maddening.
In ’06, he batted .313/58/149. I don’t know what Pujols’ numbers were that year, but .313/58/149 is an MVP season regardless of whether you make the playoffs.
Posted: 05:43 PM on September 15, 2008
Posts: 0 Chris.I
06′ stats
Howard
G AB R H 2B 3B HR RBI TB BB SO SB CS OBP SLG AVG
159 581 104 182 25 1 58 149 383 108 181 0 0 .425 .659 .313
Pujols
143 535 119 177 33 1 49 137 359 92 50 7 2 .431 .671 .331
Pujols did get robbed in 06′..I can’t deny the numbers. I think it’s totally fair if Pujols gets it this year, to make up for that LoL.
But I still wouldn’t rub Wright out of this just yet. If the Mets pull this off, he has a good chance.
Posted: 06:18 PM on September 15, 2008
Posts: 0 GPR
No-troll Mets fan Here:
A) Reyes is the MVP of this team and should be there instead of Wright.
B) Delgado has better numbers than Howard, yet they both shoudn’t be MVP candidates.
Posted: 06:26 PM on September 15, 2008
Posts: 0 GPR
Oh yeah, Pujols is heads and shoulders above the competition.
Every NL MVP discussion that people are making on the net, web etc should be about 2nd place in MVP voting.
Posted: 06:28 PM on September 15, 2008
Posts: 0 Bruce
Brad Lidge is the least likely winner of the MVP award because there is the Cy Young award (started in 1955 and in 1967 expanded to two choices; one in each league).
However, its rare, but occasionally a pitcher will actually win the MLB MVP award. These are those pitchers, followed by their stats (season – player, team – wins-losses, strikeouts, saves, ERA)
1992 – Dennis Eckersley, Oakland Athletics – 7 wins-1 loss, 93 SO, 51 saves, 1.91 ERA
1986 – Roger Clemens, Boston Red Sox – 21 wins- 7 losses, 292 SO, 2.05 ERA
1984 – Willie Hernandez, Detroit Tigers – 9 wins-3 losses, 112 SO, 32 saves, 1.92 ERA
1981 – Rollie Fingers, Milwaukee Brewers
1971 – Vida Blue, Oakland Athletics
1968 – Gibson, StL – 22 wins- 9 losses, 268 SO, 1.12 ERA
1968 – Denny McLain*, Detroit Tigers
1963 – Koufax, LA – 25 wins- 5 losses, 306 SO, 1.88 ERA
1956 – Newcombe, Bkn – 27 wins- 7 losses, 139 SO, 3.06 ERA
1952 – Bobby Shantz, Philadelphia Athletics
1950 – Konstanty, Phi – 16 wins- 7 losses, 56 SO, 22 saves, 2.66 ERA
1945 – Hal Newhouser, Detroit Tigers
1944 – Hal Newhouser, Detroit Tigers, P
1943 – Spud Chandler, New York Yankees, P
1942 – Cooper, Stl – 22 wins- 7 losses, 152 SO, 1.78 ERA
1939 – Walters, Cin – 27 wins- 11 losses, 137 SO, 2.29 ERA
1936 – Hubbell, NY – 26 wins- 6 losses, 123 SO, 2.31 ERA
1934 – Dean, StL – 30 wins- 7 losses, 195 SO, 2.66 ERA
1933 – Hubbell, NY – 23 wins- 12 losses, 156 SO, 1.66 ERA
1931 – Lefty Grove, Philadelphia Athletics
Posted: 06:30 PM on September 15, 2008
Posts: 0 Johnny
As much as I’d love for Howard to get it ….Pujols is running away with it.
He won’t however get the MVP because of anything that happened in ’06
They’re gonna vote, on the last day of the season, for the most valuable player on 2008 based on what he did in 2008
If you take Pujols’ at bats out of the mix for the cardinals … especially considering the problems they’ve been having this season with their pitching staff … take away those AB’s? and the cardinals don’t even stand a chance at competing with the Cubs, until this week the Brewers and to a certain extent now (until they forgot how to hit) the astros.
Posted: 07:14 PM on September 15, 2008
Posts: 0 Johnny
and as much as I love Howard … and as many bombs he hits this season … he struggled alot this season and Pujols hasn’t … I’d also say Wright is a close second but thats all hes gonna be because it not just statistics … its how those stats impact the team.
Posted: 07:19 PM on September 15, 2008
Posts: 0 Steve
The reason Howard has more AB’s than most of the other candidates is that he is the current Ironman for the league also. He has not missed a game all year (good or bad). As for “meaningless homeruns, I will have to find this excellent post someone made in the Phillies MLB forum on day that dispelled that “meaningless” HR/RBI arguement with real situational numbers (worth digging for if someone besides me is interested). The award is for most VALUEABLE player, not “guy with best statistics. To honest during some of those summer month Ryan Ludwick was CLEARLY the MVP for the Cards.
Posted: 08:14 PM on September 15, 2008
Posts: 0 TJ
You guys called me an idiot for saying Howard had a chance at MVP about a month ago, an idiot for saying the season wasnt over until september was, an idiot for being optimistic. Who’s the idiot now?
Posted: 03:08 PM on September 16, 2008
Posts: 0 Geoff
who cares TJ? just enjoy baseball…
Posted: 03:08 PM on September 16, 2008
Posts: 0 TJ
Geoff – just because your plans suck and are unrealistic…
Posted: 10:19 PM on September 16, 2008