NL MVP RACE

[NJTank]

I think Derek Lee has faded to 3rd

[STL FANATIC]

Interesting thoughts, but I gotta disagree with you PCGC using my heart and head.

Take Pujols away from us and we might be a second place team. Think about this. Only Pujols and Eckstein have been consistantly healthy all year. Grudzielanek and Edmonds have been close, but not quite. After that, you'd have just our bench.

Do you really think our bench plus Eckstein, Grudzielanek, and Edmonds (of this year, don't confuse him with Edmonds of the last two...I still think he's great though) would be the first place team it is now?

I don't see that. We'd at best be in a struggle for first.

What numbers of Jones are ridiculous?

He's got HR's and RBI's, and that's about it.

I grant you, he leads Pujols by 10 HRs and 16 RBIs.

But after that, Pujols leads Jones .063 in BA (.338 to .275), by .076 in OBP (.434 to .358), by .022 (.630 to .608) in SLG, and by .097 (1.064 to .967) in OPS.

That's 34 more hits, 11 more doubles, 24 more walks (and 38 less strikeouts). Also note that Albert has stolen 15/17 attempted bases, while Andruw has stolen just 3/6.

Also, as for the Cardinals having more guys around to help Albert, here's a comparision.

The Braves as a team are at a .264 AVG, .331 OBP, .434 SLG, and .765 OPS.

The Cards as a team are at a .269 AVG, .339 OBP, .425 SLG, and .763 OPS.

Those are pretty even numbers.

The only thing I see Jones having that Pujols doesn't is HRs and RBIs, and I think Pujols more than makes up for that in everything else. Plus, do you really feel that a .275 average is MVP worthy?

[HedleyLamarr]

I just thought I pull this up now that there's under 20 games left in the season.

The race perhaps is as close as it was all year, but Lee now has a very outside shot, and it appears to be between Pujols and Jones.

I'm still going with Pujols here, but I'm sure that surprises nobody.

Where are you guys on this now?

Andruw Jones.

Say what you will about his batting average, but he has more RBI's with RISP than Pujols or Lee. The man has been clutch since May for the Braves. Plus, his defense is a lot better than Pujols and Lee.

[STL FANATIC]

I just thought I pull this up now that there's under 20 games left in the season.

The race perhaps is as close as it was all year, but Lee now has a very outside shot, and it appears to be between Pujols and Jones.

I'm still going with Pujols here, but I'm sure that surprises nobody.

Where are you guys on this now?

Andruw Jones.

Say what you will about his batting average, but he has more RBI's with RISP than Pujols or Lee. The man has been clutch since May for the Braves. Plus, his defense is a lot better than Pujols and Lee.

On the defensive front, I think Pujols, Lee, and Helton are top notch defensive first baseman. That said, first base is thought of as the easiest defensive position.

CF on the other hand is definatley thought of as one of the harder positions...or at least hard to be really good at. And Jones is right there with Edmonds at the top of the defensive CF.

So, all of 'em field their position well, but you could give Jones and edge because it's a harder position.

I don't know the RBI with RISP numbers, but I'll trust your not lieing. Regardless, RBIs and HRs is really all Jones has. It's not just his average that is lacking.

[HedleyLamarr]

I just thought I pull this up now that there's under 20 games left in the season.

The race perhaps is as close as it was all year, but Lee now has a very outside shot, and it appears to be between Pujols and Jones.

I'm still going with Pujols here, but I'm sure that surprises nobody.

Where are you guys on this now?

Andruw Jones.

Say what you will about his batting average, but he has more RBI's with RISP than Pujols or Lee. The man has been clutch since May for the Braves. Plus, his defense is a lot better than Pujols and Lee.

On the defensive front, I think Pujols, Lee, and Helton are top notch defensive first baseman. That said, first base is thought of as the easiest defensive position.

CF on the other hand is definatley thought of as one of the harder positions...or at least hard to be really good at. And Jones is right there with Edmonds at the top of the defensive CF.

So, all of 'em field their position well, but you could give Jones and edge because it's a harder position.

I don't know the RBI with RISP numbers, but I'll trust your not lieing. Regardless, RBIs and HRs is really all Jones has. It's not just his average that is lacking.

Is the MVP based on batting average, or on the player's performance on the field as a whole?

[Jigga]

Andruw Jones is the NL MVP, he has carried that team more than Pujols has carried his (great pitching) and Jones is going to hit 50 homers when no one thought it could be done...especially not by him! Pujols is my 2nd favorite player, but just because he's in contention every year doesn't mean he's owed one (though it worked for A-Rod once) and he's not a top tier defensive player at his postion like Jones. Albert will get his, when he deserves it.

Carpenter deserves the Cy Young. He should end up with an ERA within a half run of Clemens, will lead the league in wins and only should have 5 losses at most! Yes, Clemens has a much better ERA, but let's be real, his ERA is a mirage, he doesn't pitch past the 6th inning most games. Carp has 7 CGs!

[NJTank]

You may be right god I hate Andruw Jones but yea Pujols has other factors carrying the Cardinals

[gashouser27]

Carp has an ungodly number of quality starts!

[pcgd]

Take Pujols away from us and we might be a second place team. Think about this. Only Pujols and Eckstein have been consistantly healthy all year. Grudzielanek and Edmonds have been close, but not quite. After that, you'd have just our bench.

Do you really think our bench plus Eckstein, Grudzielanek, and Edmonds (of this year, don't confuse him with Edmonds of the last two...I still think he's great though) would be the first place team it is now?

Yes. It'd be close but I still feel we'd be at the top of the heap.

I'm not saying Pujols doesn't deserve the honor. And nobody is going to be upset except the few people around here that want to knock the Cardinals as much as they can. And I'm not saying he's not the key to the franchise. I just think what andrew jones has done this year is more deserving of being Most Valueable player. Just like every year previous the other factors that didn't allow pujols to get his MVP made sense. (Last years was lame, but it still made sense) I mean, the Giants are not the same team without Bonds. The cardinals are the type of team taht no matter what is thrown at them, they are going to win somehow. It may not be pretty, but they'll pull it off. Did you think we could be leading the Majors best team WITHOUT Scott Rolen at the begining of the year? This team as a whole has taken up the slack, not just Pujols. You can compare his numbers every year to this. He hasn't picked anything up except his batting average. Not a knock on him.

The batting average thing is a worry. I agree that you shouldn't be hitting .275 as an MVP. But his value to the Braves has been incredible.

Overall, I think Pujols is the better player and I'd rather have him to build around anyday before Andrew Jones. But most valueable to their team THIS year? Andrew Jones.

Another thing, Carp will more than likely win the Cy Young. I can't see voters giving both awards to one team, when there are other deserving canidates.

Personally, Jones can have the MVP. Willis can have the Cy Young. I just want the World Series, and I'm sure that Carp and Pujols will agree.

[yh]

Let's keep in mind that the people voting for MVP are sportswriters and make other considerations when voting. That's why I think Pujols will probably win. I think enough writers will recognize that it's Pujols's "turn" with Bonds out of the picture and will award him the MVP this year. Yes, numbers are important, but other intangibles creep into the factoring.

[pcgd]

I bet Barry Bonds wins it this year, I mean he has played now.

[SEMOSTLfan]

the obvious choice for MVP is barry bonds...he hit a double so he's a shoe in.