Pujols wins NL MVP

by Randy Booth on Nov 17, 2008 7:42 PM EST in News Comment 13 comments

Just like the voters of SBNation predicted, Albert Pujols was named NL MVP today:

Pujols won despite the Cardinals finishing in fourth place, the lowest spot for an NL MVP winner since Andre Dawson and Chicago Cubs wound up sixth in 1987. Howard led the majors in home runs and RBIs for the World Series champs.

[...]

Pujols hit .357 with 37 home runs and 116 RBIs while playing with a sore right elbow that required surgery. Howard hit 48 homers with 146 RBIs for the Phillies.

Voting was completed before the playoffs began.

"I'm happy I didn't have to make that decision," Pujols said on a conference call from his St. Louis home. "What you do for your team. The players who take their teams to the playoffs should have some consideration."

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Yay non-stupid BBWAA!

Clutch: A measurement of how much better or worse a player does in high leverage situations than he would have done in a context neutral environment. http://www.fangraphs.com/blogs/index.php/glossary/

by bs.uf15bosox9bears23 on Nov 17, 2008 7:43 PM EST reply actions 0 recs

Good call

Manny finishing ahead of Berkman = Bad call.

Mother---- him and John Wayne!

by MerryGoByeBye on Nov 17, 2008 8:01 PM EST reply actions 0 recs

Good

I was scared they were going to name Manny MVP, but that is still total BS that he is ahead of Lance. UNDERATED!!

Well, I'll appreciate for you to keep my zingers outta your mouth!

by BoSox415 on Nov 17, 2008 8:03 PM EST reply actions 0 recs

I know everyone loves Pujols.

But seriously, what does Chase Utley have to do to get this award? Win a World Series? Whoops, his team did that. Join the Royals, as second baseman, pitching coach, manager, and GM, and single-handedly lead the team to a 100-win season?

Pujols plays first base, which is a typical power position. Utley plays second base, a much more difficult and valuable defensive position. What I find especially galling is that Utley only got 30 points total.

I may be overrating him by saying this, but I think Utley’s the most underrated player in all of baseball.

"It's just a tiny little nick, but it hurts when I get champagne in there."
- Jason Bay, on getting spiked scoring the winning run in ALDS Game Four.

by 0157H7 on Nov 17, 2008 10:45 PM EST reply actions 0 recs

Utley

I appreciate how good Utley is…but his .292/.380/.535 line pales in comparison to Pujols’ .357/.462/.653 in addition to some of the top work defensively at 1B. In short, Utley was great but it is quite rare that a guy with an OPS of 1.115 doesn’t win the MVP.

by Gnick on Nov 17, 2008 10:59 PM EST up reply actions 0 recs

Utley

By many advanced metrics, did top work at 2B this season too, which is far more important than top defensive work at 1B.

I’m not against the call for Pujols, but Utley should’ve been second.

"Are you a real doctor, or a doctor like Dr. Pepper is a doctor?"

by Allen Chace on Nov 17, 2008 11:25 PM EST up reply actions 0 recs

But where are the Phillies without Utley? They’re still a play-off caliber team, in my opinion. Where are the Cardinals without Pujols? They wouldn’t even bear mention.

"You know you're having a bad day when the fifth inning rolls around and they drag the warning track." - Mike Flanagan, Baltimore Orioles pitcher, 1992.

by SoxDevil on Nov 18, 2008 12:19 PM EST up reply actions 0 recs

You've answered your own question.

Without Pujols, the Cardinals really wouldn’t have beared mention. With him, they were on the periphery of the Wild Card race.

Unless we’re just not understanding each other correctly at this point, though I think without Utley the Mets probably fall backwards into the NL East division title.

"Are you a real doctor, or a doctor like Dr. Pepper is a doctor?"

by Allen Chace on Nov 18, 2008 2:57 PM EST up reply actions 0 recs

At least the debate is only about 2nd place. Means they did something right.

by BTLove on Nov 18, 2008 2:23 AM EST reply actions 0 recs

Can someone explain to me

Why MLB.com thinks K-Rod is a favorite to win the MVP alongside Pedroia and Morneau?

http://mlb.mlb.com/news/article.jsp?ymd=20080911&content_id=3455992&vkey=news_mlb&fext=.jsp&c_id=mlb

by soxaholic on Nov 18, 2008 10:39 AM EST reply actions 0 recs

K-Rod as MVP is almost as bad as K-Rod for Cy Young

All closers are overrated, and K-Rod is the most overrated of them all.

I gotta go 'cause I'm probably definitely gonna nod out again.

by Drugs Delaney on Nov 18, 2008 11:13 AM EST up reply actions 0 recs

They're morons?

That article was very irritating, particularly this part on Kevin Youkilis:
“If intangibles entered the formula, his intensity would gain him extra votes. But the numbers themselves aren’t glossy enough to swing the election in his favor.”
Youk: .312 / .390 / .569, 29 HR,
6th in BA
6th in OBP
4th in OPS
4th in RBI
3rd in SLG

He was the best hitter on the team through the entire year, leading it in homers and RBIs (a BS stat, I know, but one the BBWAA loves). He was a much better player than Justin Morneau.

"It's just a tiny little nick, but it hurts when I get champagne in there."
- Jason Bay, on getting spiked scoring the winning run in ALDS Game Four.

by 0157H7 on Nov 18, 2008 12:38 PM EST up reply actions 0 recs