ST. LOUIS -- Choose your definition of valuable, and Albert Pujols lived up to it in 2005. Pujols, 25, was a dominant offensive force, ranking among the National League leaders in virtually every hitting category. He complemented his bat with solid and improving defense and success on the basepaths. He came up with big hits at big times. He was the one constant threat in a Cardinals lineup ravaged by injuries. He was the best player on the best team in the league. And so Pujols now has the one individual award that eluded him for his first four big league seasons. He was named the NL's Most Valuable Player on Tuesday by the Baseball Writers Association of America. Pujols had finished fourth or better in the balloting in each of his first four seasons, placing second twice. Barry Bonds won each of the previous four MVPs in the NL. Pujols edged out two other strong candidates, Atlanta's Andruw Jones and the Cubs' Derrek Lee. Jones led the Majors with 51 home runs while playing for an Atlanta team that, like the Cardinals, was hit hard by injuries. Lee won the batting title and finished ahead of Pujols in batting average, slugging percentage, home runs and doubles, but toiled for a losing club. The most complete package in voters' eyes, then, was Pujols. He led the league in runs scored with 129, finished second in batting average (.330), RBIs (117), slugging (.609), on-base percentage (.430) and total bases (360). Pujols also ranked among the leaders in hits (195, fourth), home runs (41, third), walks (sixth) and extra-base hits (third). Despite dealing with the lingering effects of plantar fasciitis, Pujols played 161 games for a team that badly needed his bat in the lineup. For a significant portion of the second half, St. Louis had to make do without four of its eight Opening Day starters. Yet Pujols churned on, putting up just the kind of numbers that have come to be expected from him. Pujols is the second Cardinal to win a BBWAA award this fall, joining NL Cy Young winner Chris Carpenter. The Cardinals are the first National League team since the 1991 Braves to have both the NL MVP and Cy Young winners. The last Cardinal to garner the MVP was Willie McGee in 1985. At 25 years and just under 10 months, Pujols is the youngest NL MVP since Ryne Sandberg in 1984. He is the 12th Cardinal to be named MVP since the BBWAA began handing out the award in 1931, joining a list that includes Hall of Famers Bob Gibson, Orlando Cepeda and Stan Musial, among othershttp://mlb.mlb.com/NASApp/mlb/news/article...t=.jsp&c_id=mlb
I think Andruw Jones should have won this one, his simply carried the entire Braves offense on his back for the majority of the season to a division title where without him they would have been a 4th place them whereas the Cardinals without Pujols would have still won the NL Central by 5 games. Just my opinion though.(...and im a Mets fan)
<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE (Ven0m @ Nov 15 2005, 11:37 AM)</div><div class='quotemain'>I think Andruw Jones should have won this one, his simply carried the entire Braves offense on his back for the majority of the season to a division title where without him they would have been a 4th place them whereas the Cardinals without Pujols would have still won the NL Central by 5 games.</div> Well, the Braves were battling injuries the whole year anyway so it wouldn't have fallen completely on Jones' shoulders. That being the case, Pujols deserves this. He's been the MVP of the NL ever since he entered the league, and I'm convinced that he'll be one of the greatest (if not the greatest) players of all time.And I'm a Braves fan.
<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE (bravest @ Nov 15 2005, 06:33 PM)</div><div class='quotemain'><div class='quotetop'>QUOTE (Ven0m @ Nov 15 2005, 11:37 AM)</div><div class='quotemain'> I think Andruw Jones should have won this one, his simply carried the entire Braves offense on his back for the majority of the season to a division title where without him they would have been a 4th place them whereas the Cardinals without Pujols would have still won the NL Central by 5 games.</div>Well, the Braves were battling injuries the whole year anyway so it wouldn't have fallen completely on Jones' shoulders. That being the case, Pujols deserves this. He's been the MVP of the NL ever since he entered the league, and I'm convinced that he'll be one of the greatest (if not the greatest) players of all time.And I'm a Braves fan. </div> Doesn't look like it, you got the Mariners set.Well deserved, he's a great player at a pretty young age.
<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE </div><div class='quotemain'>I think Andruw Jones should have won this one, his simply carried the entire Braves offense on his back for the majority of the season to a division title where without him they would have been a 4th place them whereas the Cardinals without Pujols would have still won the NL Central by 5 games. Just my opinion though.</div> He hit .263, it would have been the lowest BA for an MVP in MLB history. Pujols' team battled injuries, Rolen was out for the season, Jim Edmonds was out for most of the year, Larry Walker as well.
<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE (ReddHotBucks @ Nov 25 2005, 12:08 PM)</div><div class='quotemain'><div class='quotetop'>QUOTE </div><div class='quotemain'>I think Andruw Jones should have won this one, his simply carried the entire Braves offense on his back for the majority of the season to a division title where without him they would have been a 4th place them whereas the Cardinals without Pujols would have still won the NL Central by 5 games. Just my opinion though.</div> He hit .263, it would have been the lowest BA for an MVP in MLB history. Pujols' team battled injuries, Rolen was out for the season, Jim Edmonds was out for most of the year, Larry Walker as well. </div> Reggie Sanders also missed a couple months.
