Ryan Howard wins NL MVP

[Jersey Girl]

And he totally deserves it!

http://sports.yahoo.com/mlb/news;_ylt=AsaLZqJ3dxScPulFVCzrzfgRvLYF?slug=ap-nlmvp&prov=ap&type=lgns

NEW YORK (AP) -- Ryan Howard of the Philadelphia Phillies was voted the National League's Most Valuable Player on Monday, beating out the St. Louis Cardinals' Albert Pujols.

Howard received 20 first-place votes and 12 seconds for 388 points in balloting by a panel of the Baseball Writers' Association of America. Pujols got 12 firsts, 19 seconds and one third for 347 points.

Howard, the 2005 NL Rookie of the Year, led the major leagues with 58 homers and 149 RBIs. He hit .313 and set Phillies records for home runs and RBIs while producing the highest totals in those categories in big league history for a second-year player.

Pujols, who defeated Atlanta's Andruw Jones 378-351 in last year's voting, hit .331 with 49 homers and 137 RBIs this year. He was third in batting average behind Pittsburgh's Freddy Sanchez and Florida's Miguel Cabrera, and second to Howard in homers and RBIs.

 

[Card Trader]

I'd rather take the guy who directly lead his team to the playoffs.

 

[devilfan02]

Pujols also played in the worst division in baseball, his team finished only 5 games above .500 (Phillies finished 8 above), and he is protected in the lineup around guys named Edmonds and Rolen. Not taking away from Pujols at all but Howard carried his team just as much, if not more, than Pujols. If Howard had a guy named Carpenter pitching on his team, Pujols wouldn't have a ring and who knows how deep Philly would have got in last years playoffs

 

[nathan]

Pujols missed a bunch of games in June (and only had 2 RBI that month). If not for that, I think he would have run away with the award. For my money he's the most dangerous hitter in the game and he's still only 26 (AND a couple months younger than Ryan Howard).

 

[devilfan02]

he's still only 26 (AND a couple months younger than Ryan Howard).

He says he's 26, what his real age is is the better question

 

[Rats]

He says he's 26, what his real age is is the better question

You just showed with your comments that you are biased as it gets. Pujols was far more deserving. He had 39 win shares to 31. That stat says who directly decided the outcome of a game. Pujols had little or no protection in the lineup this season due to injuries. Howard had all stars on both sides of him and the Phillies second half pitching was a major factor they stayed in the race. Look at the strikeouts. Howard struck out 3 times as much. Look at the Defense. Howard is a liability. Pujols won the goldglove. Only ones that don't know it are the idiot Sports writers and biased fans that can't see the facts. Howard is from St. Louis and he would tell you he had a great year but Albert was the MVP. Albert has had the greatest 1st 6 years to a career in baseball history and he has only one MVP to show for it. That is because of the East Coast bias sports media and it is a Travesty. What it says when guys like this get to vote is that it is the MFP (My Favorite Player) award not the MVP. They both had deserving years but Pujols is a much more complete player and did more for his team. You may be right on the age thing, but if Pujols is 46 and plays like he does I could care less. 19 game winning hits, most in history, tied with Willie Mays. Please, real baseball fans know who the MVP is... despite how Media Sportswriters vote.

 

[devilfan02]

How am I biased because I think he's a couple years older then what he says? You can call people idiots all you want but your lookin like one right now. Last I checked age wasn't a factor in the MVP race. I don't care how old Pujols is, it doesn't matter in this case. Howard is a good kid, of course he's gonna say all the right things (especially about one of his hometown heros)

I said above Pujols is just as deserving. There are so many different angles we can look at this, we could argue for days.

Obviously your a biased St. Louis fan who's up tight cause your guy didn't win. Maybe your the idiot, not the sportswriters who voted Howard the NL MVP

 

[Rats]

How am I biased because I think he's a couple years older then what he says? You can call people idiots all you want but your lookin like one right now. Last I checked age wasn't a factor in the MVP race. I don't care how old Pujols is, it doesn't matter in this case. Howard is a good kid, of course he's gonna say all the right things (especially about one of his hometown heros)

I said above Pujols is just as deserving. There are so many different angles we can look at this, we could argue for days.

Obviously your a biased St. Louis fan who's up tight cause your guy didn't win. Maybe your the idiot, not the sportswriters who voted Howard the NL MVP

Dude, where did I call you an idiot? Unless your a sportswriter? Then the shoe fits. Dave Kingman and Rob Deer and Cecil Fielder are petitioning as we type. They do not understand how they did not win the MVP awards and Ryan Howard did with a .231 RISP while hitting meaningless homeruns. Pujols and Berkman were far and away better with runners on base. So was Beltran.I am biased for Pujols and Carpenter and the Cardinals, that is no secret. I guess your just like the sportswriter guys that run around saying the Cardinals didn't really win the World Series. They did. End of any arguement there. I didn't make one comment when Webb won the Cy because I think he deserved it as much as Carpenter did. But Howard is a damn DH playing first base. He is terrible in the field and he is a terrible baserunner. If that equals MVP then the sportswriters can keep there award. It is meaningless. In fact I believe Albert will trade the next 5 so called MVP awards for another Ring. A World Series Championship ring. Yes I am uptight about it but somehow I think Albert could care less. Oh, and I can just pop in the WS video and relax so the bias idiot writers can have a pass for there popularity vote. Ted Williams knows exactly what I am talking about and he is rolling in his cryogenic state. The only thing that Howard should have got was the MVCP (Most Valuable Couch Potatoe) for sitting at home during the Playoffs and WS while Albert led his team into the World Series. How can you be an MVP and not lead your team to the Playoffs? Inconceivable!!!

 

[AZZenny]

Guys -- so far 3 for 3 on the premature announcement at the AZFL game last week. If it's not too late, run out and put a few bucks on a Jeter-Morneau split for the AL MVP.

 

[LoyaltyisaCurse]

You just showed with your comments that you are biased as it gets. Pujols was far more deserving. He had 39 win shares to 31. That stat says who directly decided the outcome of a game. Pujols had little or no protection in the lineup this season due to injuries. Howard had all stars on both sides of him and the Phillies second half pitching was a major factor they stayed in the race. Look at the strikeouts. Howard struck out 3 times as much. Look at the Defense. Howard is a liability. Pujols won the goldglove. Only ones that don't know it are the idiot Sports writers and biased fans that can't see the facts. Howard is from St. Louis and he would tell you he had a great year but Albert was the MVP. Albert has had the greatest 1st 6 years to a career in baseball history and he has only one MVP to show for it. That is because of the East Coast bias sports media and it is a Travesty. What it says when guys like this get to vote is that it is the MFP (My Favorite Player) award not the MVP. They both had deserving years but Pujols is a much more complete player and did more for his team. You may be right on the age thing, but if Pujols is 46 and plays like he does I could care less. 19 game winning hits, most in history, tied with Willie Mays. Please, real baseball fans know who the MVP is... despite how Media Sportswriters vote.

:notworthy notworthy:notworthy

 

[kps0001]

I think Pujols got robbed but am happy enough that the Cards won the series. Also I am happy for Howard, for the fact that Howard went to my high school.

 

[phillycard]

You just showed with your comments that you are biased as it gets. Pujols was far more deserving. He had 39 win shares to 31. That stat says who directly decided the outcome of a game. Pujols had little or no protection in the lineup this season due to injuries. Howard had all stars on both sides of him and the Phillies second half pitching was a major factor they stayed in the race. Look at the strikeouts. Howard struck out 3 times as much. Look at the Defense. Howard is a liability. Pujols won the goldglove. Only ones that don't know it are the idiot Sports writers and biased fans that can't see the facts. Howard is from St. Louis and he would tell you he had a great year but Albert was the MVP. Albert has had the greatest 1st 6 years to a career in baseball history and he has only one MVP to show for it. That is because of the East Coast bias sports media and it is a Travesty. What it says when guys like this get to vote is that it is the MFP (My Favorite Player) award not the MVP. They both had deserving years but Pujols is a much more complete player and did more for his team. You may be right on the age thing, but if Pujols is 46 and plays like he does I could care less. 19 game winning hits, most in history, tied with Willie Mays. Please, real baseball fans know who the MVP is... despite how Media Sportswriters vote.

Rats, thats' flat out wrong to say that Pujols was more deserving. Yes he was AS deserving and I'd have been dissapointed had Ryan not won, but he carried the Phils just as much if not more than Pujols did. Pujols is a great player who should really quit whining and enjoy his ring. You're faulting RH because he plays for the Phils, but in all honesty had the Cardinals won 90-95 games this would be a moot point with AP as the winner. Everyone knows that the Phils without Ryan are a 100 loss team. Factor in that the playoffs and WS (which your boy didn 't do so hot) did not count and the case for Ryan Howard is crystal clear.

 

[Rats]

Rats, thats' flat out wrong to say that Pujols was more deserving. Yes he was AS deserving and I'd have been dissapointed had Ryan not won, but he carried the Phils just as much if not more than Pujols did. Pujols is a great player who should really quit whining and enjoy his ring. You're faulting RH because he plays for the Phils, but in all honesty had the Cardinals won 90-95 games this would be a moot point with AP as the winner. Everyone knows that the Phils without Ryan are a 100 loss team. Factor in that the playoffs and WS (which your boy didn 't do so hot) did not count and the case for Ryan Howard is crystal clear.

Well, I know who showed up in the last 2 weeks when it was clutch time and got his team to the playoffs. Look up the stats. Ryan dissappeared as he did all year with runners in scoring position. He hit like 240 with guys on base. He just had more guys get on base that is why he had more RBI for the season. If Albert had that many guys on he would have had 190 rbi. He led the league in this catagory and most others except Homers and RbI. Albert had 19 game winning homeruns. Tied Willie Mays record. He had another 20 game winning hits. He had an off the chart 39 winshares. That is why the Cardinals made the playoffs. It was all Phat Albert carrying that offense. Ryan had a superb year but not better than Alberts year and he should have been the MVP. Alberts comments were taken out of context and he was not disparging Ryan with his comments if you read the entire Spanish text. It really is meaningless as is the Hall of fame. It is a popularity contest that the sportswriters of America get to put on so they feel important. Thats the way I see it bro.....

 

[phillycard]

Well, I know who showed up in the last 2 weeks when it was clutch time and got his team to the playoffs. Look up the stats. Ryan dissappeared as he did all year with runners in scoring position. He hit like 240 with guys on base. He just had more guys get on base that is why he had more RBI for the season. If Albert had that many guys on he would have had 190 rbi. He led the league in this catagory and most others except Homers and RbI. Albert had 19 game winning homeruns. Tied Willie Mays record. He had another 20 game winning hits. He had an off the chart 39 winshares. That is why the Cardinals made the playoffs. It was all Phat Albert carrying that offense. Ryan had a superb year but not better than Alberts year and he should have been the MVP. Alberts comments were taken out of context and he was not disparging Ryan with his comments if you read the entire Spanish text. It really is meaningless as is the Hall of fame. It is a popularity contest that the sportswriters of America get to put on so they feel important. Thats the way I see it bro.....

Your argument's not preposterous Rats. AP was very deserving, and I do agree that he wasn't disparaging Howard. Any great player should feel that they deserve it. I just think the Phils wouldn't have sniffed the playoffs without him.

 

[Rats]

Your argument's not preposterous Rats. AP was very deserving, and I do agree that he wasn't disparaging Howard. Any great player should feel that they deserve it. I just think the Phils wouldn't have sniffed the playoffs without him.

The best arguement I have heard is that if Howard wasn't hitting bombs in the second half the way he was...no one in Philly would have been paying any attention to the baseball team. He definitly put people in the seats and generated alot of buzz for baseball. If he had delivered late in the season like Albert did and got his team to the playoffs, then he would be the guy. As it is he got the award and didn't get the Phillies to the playoffs. Albert had a walkoff HR against the Astros and another game winning hit in the last week to propel the Cardinals, who had collapsed a 6 game lead on there division. Albert got his team to the playoffs, they got healthy with Edmonds and Rolen getting back in the lineup, then Albert set the tone against the Padres with a 3 run jack in the 1st playoff game. The Cardinals never looked back and it was because of Albert setting the tone. He had a so so playoff and WS but he lifted the team at the outset and it carried over to a World Series Championship.