Albert Pujols Wins NL MVP

cnn.com ^ | November 15, 2005 | eastcobb

[eastcobb]

NEW YORK (AP) -- Albert Pujols won his first National League MVP award, beating Andruw Jones in a close vote Tuesday. The St. Louis Cardinals first baseman ended Barry Bonds' four-year winning streak, receiving 18 first-place votes and 14 seconds for 378 points in balloting by the Baseball Writers' Association of America. Jones, the Atlanta Braves center fielder, got 13 first-place votes, 17 seconds and two thirds for 351 points.

[eastcobb]

It looks like defensive skills meant nothing in the vote for NL MVP.

[tallhappy]

Jones Offense should have earned it.

He had two thirds of the triple crown.

[caryatid]

Wonderful news!

Congratulations to Albert and the Cardinals organization.

[rightinthemiddle]

Yeah, Albert! Boo, CNN.com!

[rightinthemiddle]

What was Jones batting average? Please...

Albert could have hit 80 if he swinged for the fences every time.

[Sonny M]

It looks like defensive skills meant nothing in the vote for NL MVP.

Ironic.

It made all the differance in the American League.

[The_Victor]

This says a lot about the Houston Astros as a team Puhols carried the Cards during the posts season (mostly due to injuries)

NL MVP Voting

First-, second- and third-place votes and total points based on a 14-9-8-7-6-5-4-3-2-1 basis:

Player	1st	2nd	3rd	Total
Albert Pujols, StL	18	14	-	378
Andruw Jones, Atl	13	17	2	351
Derrek Lee, Chi	1	1	30	263
Morgan Ensberg, Hou	-	-	-	160
Miguel Cabrera, Fla	-	-	-	146
Carlos Delgado, Fla	-	-	-	84
Pat Burrell, Phi	-	-	-	65
Chris Carpenter, StL	-	-	-	52
Brian Giles, SD	-	-	-	48
Jimmy Rollins, Phi	-	-	-	45
Dontrelle Willis, Fla	-	-	-	42
Jason Bay, Pit	-	-	-	41
Chase Utley, Phi	-	-	-	22
Lance Berkman, Hou	-	-	-	21
Bobby Abreu, Phi	-	-	-	21
Chad Cordero, Was	-	-	-	21
Trevor Hoffman, SD	-	-	-	19
Carlos Lee, Mil	-	-	-	19
Jeff Kent, LA	-	-	-	18
David Wright, NY	-	-	-	18
David Eckstein, StL	-	-	-	15
Roger Clemens, Hou	-	-	-	8
Roy Oswalt, Hou	-	-	-	6
Ken Griffey Jr., Cin	-	-	-	5
Andy Pettitte, Hou	-	-	-	5
Jim Edmonds, StL	-	-	-	3
Cliff Floyd, NY	-	-	-	3
Marcus Giles, Atl	-	-	-	3
Adam Dunn, Cin	-	-	-	3
Scott Eyre, SF	-	-	-	1
Brad Lidge, Hou	-	-	-	1
Jose Reyes, NY	-	-	-	1

[Sans-Culotte]

I agree. Well-deserved award.

[eastcobb]

"What was Jones batting average? Please..."

He batted .263, but he also is a much better defensive player than Pujols.

[Charles Henrickson]

Congratulations to Prince Albert, the best player on the team with the best record in the league. Well deserved.

Pujols was incredibly valuable to the Cardinals, especially this year, when he had no one else in the line-up anywhere close to him offensively. With half the line-up out with injuries for half the year, with Edmonds having an off-year, and with the other two guys (Eck and Grudz) being non-power guys, Pujols had to carry the club.

And he did! Pujols finished 39 runs ahead of Eckstein, 12 homers ahead of Edmonds, 28 RBI ahead of Edmonds, and .36 points ahead of Eck and Grudz in average. Pujols, playing through foot and leg problems, even led the team in stolen bases!

And Pujols was way ahead of Jones in most every offensive category. If Jones had won, he would have had one of the lowest BA for an MVP in decades. His OPS was not nearly as good as Pujols or Lee. To me, Lee should have finished second, with Jones third.

(I posted the above on a previous thread, but it fits here too of course.)

[rightinthemiddle]

He has to be a better defensive player...he's in center field! (we have Edmonds for that, BTW)

Pujols has moved from third, to left, to third and to first in the last three years. He does a really good job on defense and will win a Gold Glove at first in the next two years.

If you were starting a team today, who would you rather have?

[rightinthemiddle]

Well said. Well spoken.


Go Cardinals in '06.

[gubamyster]

He batted .263, but he also is a much better defensive player than Pujols.

It's pretty hard to compare the defensive capabilities of a center fielder to those of a 1st baseman.

[eastcobb]

"If you were starting a team today, who would you rather have?"

I would rather have Jones. In addition to his bat, his glove saves an incredible number of runs. I believe they should look at the entire package when picking an MVP.

[Charles Henrickson]

He batted .263, but he also is a much better defensive player than Pujols.

Jones is an excellent defensive player at a position where defense is at a premium. He's almost as good as Jim Edmonds out there in center. :-) I give Jones his props for defense. But Albert is a very good first baseman--not quite as good as Lee at first, but still very good.

But Pujols finished .67 points ahead of Jones in BA--.67 points! And so his offensive stats, overall, gave him a solid edge over Jones.

The thing about all three MVP-worthy candidates--Pujols, Lee, and Jones--each of them was THE MAN in the line-up for their team, having to carry their clubs offensively.

[BoBToMatoE]

Baloney. You dont win an MVP on 50 Home Runs. Check out Pujols fielding, power and clutch hitting. Did I forget to mention batting average?

Phat Albert earned it. Just because the Cardinals arent one of the teams on the east or west coast does not his feats are swept underneath the rug. Check this article out.

http://sports.espn.go.com/mlb/columns/story?columnist=stark_jayson&id=2224952

[tallhappy]

Pujols certainly is worthy of this. It was a close call.

My opinion is, though, that two of three for Triple Crown also would merit it.

Cases can be made for both. I'd vote for Jones simply on merit.

And I am not a Braves fan or from the East coast.

The Cards were my first love as a kid as a matter of fact.

[SCALEMAN]

Jones is an excellent defensive player at a position where defense is at a premium. He's almost as good as Jim Edmonds out there in center. :-) I give Jones his props for defense. But Albert is a very good first baseman--not quite as good as Lee at first, but still very good. But Pujols finished .67 points ahead of Jones in BA--.67 points! And so his offensive stats, overall, gave him a solid edge over Jones. The thing about all three MVP-worthy candidates--Pujols, Lee, and Jones--each of them was THE MAN in the line-up for their team, having to carry their clubs offensively.

Thanks Chaz. If the MVP is to be based on defense, then Edmonds should have won it several years in a row. The Gold Glove is for defense. MVP isn't based on fielding a postion but how that player contributed to his team overall. Prince Albert saved many a run with his glove at first. He has an amazing ability to dig balls out of the dirt and save errant throws. I watched quite a few teams this year, and saw quite a few throws to first lost by the first baseman. While he may not be the Gold Glove at first, he is in the top tier at that postition which is typically a place to hide power hitters who can't field in the NL.

[Charles Henrickson]

[notfornothing]

Jones is an excellent defensive player at a position where defense is at a premium.

Not really. In the NL 1st base (and left field) is generally considered to be the spot you put someone when you need his bat but need to hide his glove. It's not a coincidence that most 1st basemen in the NL are big bopper types.

But Pujols finished .67 points ahead of Jones in BA--.67 points! And so his offensive stats, overall, gave him a solid edge over Jones.

Agree with the second part, but not the first. Remember, baseball is about scoring and preventing runs, not hits. If someone hits .400 and doesn't drive in any runs and never scores, is he really that valuable to his team?

By the way, I looked at total run production (RBI + runs - HR) and Pujols comes out way ahead - something like 50 runs....so maybe the voters got this one right after all.... ;)