Ok, so I don’t have any great way for you to influence that decision.
What I do have, is a link to a post over at Redbird Review, where John dug up a great article on Page 2 at ESPN.com about the typical responses to Albert Pujols’ chances to win the NL MVP.
Cruise over to Redbird Review and click on the link to ESPN – it’s a great read.
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I’d like to see Albert win the MVP, but part of me says how can he win MVP when might not even end the season with the most HR’s, RBI’s, or Runs scored on his own team, and that team is likely going to finish 4th in their division? To me Albert has done about as much as expected, but Ludwick has far exceeded expectations. Would the Cardinals season been as good as it was if Ludwick weren’t on the team?
If I had a vote, as much as I like Albert, I would be tempted to give the award to Howard if the Phillies actually make the playoffs.
.353/.458/.641
.297/.371/.585
The lines, respectively, for Pujols and Ludwick. They’re not even in the same ballpark.
Pujols has ~30 more hits, 50 more walks, and 90 less strikeouts.
Ludwick has been good, and the Cards would’ve been a different team without him this season, no doubt. Give him the Comeback Player of the Year.
Without Pujols, this team is eliminated by the end of July.
C’mon Kirk, you sound like some of the quotes in the ESPN article… 😉
Certainly Ludwick is no Pujols, but I was talking specifically about runs scored, rbis, and HRs. With Albert’s higher average, obp, and slugging % compared to Ludwicks, you kind of wonder how Pujols’ numbers of runs and rbi’s wouldn’t be much higher.
Howard is intriguing with his 47 HRs and 142 RBIs, but certainly comparing the whole of a player, including fielding, Pujols has to be on top.
My biggest problem with the MVP award is the definition of it, or lack thereof. How do you really judge the Most Valuable Player in a league? Is it ‘best’ overall player? Or is it more team specific, who was the best for their team? I usually think of it in terms of who was the most valuable to a team, but I guess it really should be who is best overall.
I almost mentioned Ludwick should get the Comeback Player of the year award, but wanted to see your response first 😉
Well, as of tonight, Pujols has just as many HR as Ludwick.
Pujols has more RBI than Ludwick.
As for runs, I can only guess that Luddy has more scored because he has spent a lot of at-bats in front of El Hombre?
Neither here nor there really, as I find it hard to believe you would really argue that Ludwick was more valuable to this team than Pujols? His contribution goes far beyond the obvious stats – the average, the home runs, the runs batted in – I mean, the guy is just sick. A 1.099 OPS is a gross number, and Pujols puts it up like it is boring to him.
You’re missing my point. Who is more valuable, A. the stud who did what was expected, or B. the pedicted 4th outfielder who played near the stud level?
I think we’re going to have to agree to disagree – because you’re missing my point. 🙂
Would the Cardinals have been more successful this year without Pujols’ production or Ludwick’s? I think they’d have been far worse without Mang than without Luddy.
Actually I think if you take either out of the lineup then they aren’t nearly so good. Obviously Pujols is the better player by far and arguably the best player in all of baseball. The real blessing for the Cardinals this year though was the starting pitching. Who would have thought going in to the year that the Cardinals starting pitching would be so effective without Carpenter and then also losing Wainwright for a good chunk as well.
Pujols MVP, sounds good to me 🙂
“Obviously Pujols is the better player by far and arguably the best player in all of baseball.”
I think that right there is what it all boils down to for me.
Agreed, starting pitching was the team MVP this season. They’re really up a creek if Welley and Lohse don’t do their thing.
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