Pujols Wins NL MVP; Howard Finishes 2nd
Posted by Tim Malcolm, Mon, November 17, 2008 02:51 PM | Comments: 26
Posts
Albert Pujols was named National League Most Valuable Player. He received 18 of the 32 first-place votes.
Ryan Howard finished second in the voting.
Though Pujols’ Cardinals missed the playoffs and finished in fourth place in the NL Central, he recorded a .357 average with 37 home runs and 116 RBI. Howard, who defeated Pujols for the award in 2006, had a .255 average with 48 HR and 146 RBI.
Ryan Braun of the Brewers finished in third place with Manny Ramirez of the Dodgers getting fourth place. Brad Lidge finished in eighth, while Chase Utley placed 15th. Really, 15th?
Posts: 0 MikeMc26
I’ll trade MVP bragging rights for World Champs bragging rights all week and twice on Sunday! Man, Braun kinda snuck into the race under the radar though.
Posted: 02:58 PM on November 17, 2008
Posts: 0 Gavin
Maybe this will help The Phillies when they sit down at the arbitation table.
Posted: 03:01 PM on November 17, 2008
Posts: 0 SJF
Not that it swings the final vote tally in any way, but who put Howard 10th on the ballot?
Posted: 03:04 PM on November 17, 2008
Posts: 0 Griffin
Winning an MVP was cool a few years ago, but now that we’re World Champs, these awards mean less and less. Congrats on a good year Howard and let’s do it again next year.
Posted: 03:04 PM on November 17, 2008
Posts: 0 Griffin
???? SJF are you serious, someone actually put him 10th?
Posted: 03:09 PM on November 17, 2008
Posts: 0 Dennis
Oh well, WE’RE STILL WORLD CHAMPIONS!!!!
I wonder if Pujols still feels that the MVP shouldn’t go to a player that doesn’t lead his team to the playoffs like he did in ’06? Howard will be the bigger man and congratulate him….
Posted: 03:13 PM on November 17, 2008
Posts: 0 Griffin
good point Dennis, Pujols bitched about that two years ago, I wonder if he’ll mention that now.
Posted: 03:14 PM on November 17, 2008
Posts: 0 Thrillhouse
Congrats to Pujols… But it should be noted that not only did someone vote Ryan Howard 10th, if my math is right, another voter didn’t even put him on their ballot (Howard only received 31 out of 32 votes total). Talk about a slap in the face…
Posted: 03:30 PM on November 17, 2008
Posts: 0 Griffin
My guess is that those guys looked at Howard’s BA and decided not to vote for him. But that’s not right. For as much as I get on Howard, he is still one of the top 10 MVP candidates in the NL.
Posted: 03:36 PM on November 17, 2008
Posts: 0 SJ Mike
I don’t mind because I’ll take the World Series trophy and ring over any other arbitrary award.
Hopefully this will help the Phillies case come arbitration with Howard.
Posted: 03:42 PM on November 17, 2008
Posts: 0 Frank
Exactley….Yo nebody have ne updates on the phills with free agency or trades? (rumors or truth)
Posted: 03:50 PM on November 17, 2008
Posts: 0 Don M
How did Lidge get two 1st-place votes for MVP, but none for Cy Young???
Are the voters different for each post-season award?? I thought it was specific baseball-writers that got to vote on all of the awards.. but maybe not
Posted: 04:18 PM on November 17, 2008
Posts: 0 Griffin
“How did Lidge get two 1st-place votes for MVP, but none for Cy Young???
Are the voters different for each post-season award?? I thought it was specific baseball-writers that got to vote on all of the awards.. but maybe not”
I know that Jon Heyman said he was going to vote for Lidge or Manny Ramirez for MVP. I’m not sure who he voted for Cy Young.
Posted: 04:34 PM on November 17, 2008
Posts: 0 Pete
Frank – a well-placed source informs me that the Phillies will make a 2-year offer to Manny.
Posted: 05:04 PM on November 17, 2008
Posts: 0 mikemike
pete not true why post that.
Posted: 05:24 PM on November 17, 2008
Posts: 0 Frank
Wow that was not even believeable lol…..And who is the source?
Posted: 05:34 PM on November 17, 2008
Posts: 0 RichieAllen
Now I remember why I hate Pujols……He was a big freakin whinnnnnner when Howard won the last time.
You dont hear Howard bellyaching ,they should use Pujols argument from 06 to give it to sombody else.
Posted: 05:39 PM on November 17, 2008
Posts: 0 SJ Mike
I know this isn’t that attractive to the sports writers as batting numbers, but I still think that Utley or Lidge are far more valuable to the team then Howard is.
You take Utley or Lidge away and the team doesn’t do what it did.
Rollins won last year not as much for sexy statistics but for what he brought and meant to the team. That’s what the MVP should be.
I guess the argument is Pujols brings that “it” factor the Cardinals.
Posted: 06:13 PM on November 17, 2008
Posts: 0 Manny
I definitely agree with you SJ Mike. Overall, Utley and Lidge have been more “valuable” to our team. We could debate for hours who is our most valuable player. But for the Cards, it’s pretty clear: there’s the one and only Pujols, the machineeeee
Posted: 09:18 PM on November 17, 2008
Posts: 0 Andrew R.
hey hey hey, come on. we all know pujols whined a few years back, but wouldnt you? he’s only been one of the best, if not THE best all-around player in the league for the last 8 years. he lost out to barry bonds a few times (which was bullshit), and to howard that one year. the guy is a beast.
the things that really surprised me was that somebody actually gave pujols a 7th place vote. and one thing that gets underplayed is look at pujols’ strikeouts. what did he have 54 for the year? while batting .357, 100 walks, and all around sick numbers. guys dont get credit for that. just like in the old days of dimaggio, greenberg, etc. to come to the plate 700 times and strikeout about 50 times, is rediculous, and lets not forget that pujols needs tommy john surgery either.
pujols deserved the award, and howard deserved 2nd place. and no, GAVIN, this will not help us at the negotiating table at all. quite the opposite.
Posted: 09:24 PM on November 17, 2008
Posts: 0 CardsFan
give him the 08 award and Pujols can take the 06 award and then everyone can shut up. GO PUJOLS
Posted: 10:39 PM on November 17, 2008
Posts: 0 KM
I have no problem with this — .357 with 27 homers and 116 rbis, along with 100 runs, 187 hits, 7 sb, 104 walks and only 57 strikeouts while missing 14 games is amazing.
Howard had a great power year, as usual, but in no way is he as good a hitter as Pujols, or has he ever been as good a player as Pujols. Pujols is a complete hitter and a complete fielder. Pujols is so good, that he could hit anywhere from 1-5 in an order, and he could realistically play a gold globe caliber 3B or corner outfield position.
Posted: 11:22 PM on November 17, 2008
Posts: 0 KM
*37 homers
Posted: 11:22 PM on November 17, 2008
Posts: 0 J cole
I will gladly let Pujols have the MVP this year for what Howard helped the team attain this year. Just like every sports writer in the city said, there is no clear MVP on this Phillies team. They wouldn’t have gotten where they did if you take out any of the core.
Posted: 12:39 AM on November 18, 2008
Posts: 0 J cole
And Pujols is a better candidate than Howard anyway…
He is just a better all-around player.
Posted: 12:39 AM on November 18, 2008
Posts: 0 Phillies Phan SC
Dennis,
I am sure if someone asks him he will reply “What comment?” LOL. Look at it like this – they both deserved an MVP in 2006 and 2008. Perhaps they just swapped years LOL.
I am good with Pojols on this year.
Posted: 02:41 AM on November 18, 2008