AJ might get MVP

[RacersEdge]

but Pujols is the best hitter in baseball. He has such discipline and with his power. What a pressure at bat against an awesome closer.

[Clarkmeister]

If AJ gets MVP it's a joke.

[lastchance]

[ QUOTE ]
If AJ gets MVP it's a joke.

[/ QUOTE ]
Yup. Pujols deserves it, he's been the best player in the MLB this year.

[TheRover]

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If AJ gets MVP it's a joke.

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[RacersEdge]

[ QUOTE ]
If AJ gets MVP it's a joke.

[/ QUOTE ]

If you put emphasis on "valuable", AJ could get it. But this argument has already been made.

[Clarkmeister]

[ QUOTE ]
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If AJ gets MVP it's a joke.

[/ QUOTE ]

If you put emphasis on "valuable", AJ could get it. But this argument has already been made.

[/ QUOTE ]

AJ's surrounding cast was no worse than Albert's during the season.

[GuyOnTilt]

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If AJ gets MVP it's a joke.

[/ QUOTE ]

[mikech]

[ QUOTE ]
but Pujols is the best hitter in baseball. He has such discipline and with his power. What a pressure at bat against an awesome closer.

[/ QUOTE ]
i think it's clear that the "awesome closer" choked. he let the moment get to him, looking so forward to the pennant-winning celebration: he didn't finish off eckstein, lost the strike zone against edmonds, and then served up a FAT hanging slider to pujols. of course, pujols still had to actually hit it (and man, did he crush it), so he certainly deserves credit, but that pitch was served to him on a platter.

what i'm saying is, lidge gets more blame than pujols gets credit.

[Jack of Arcades]

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If AJ gets MVP it's a joke.

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[Clarkmeister]

While on the topic, I don't really think AJ will win it. But think for a second about Albert's horrific luck to run into the Barry Bonds machine. Without Bonds, Albert's working on his 4th MVP in his first 5 seasons IIRC.

[andyfox]

Horrible pitch selection. Start with a slider and then come back with one oh-and-one. Throw him your best pitch low and outside and throw the slider off of that. You can't hang a fastball.

I hate to say this, but when Garner came out to talk to Lidge I knew Albert would get him. The only thing Garner knows about pitching is that he couldn't hit it.

But let's not take anything away from Albert. He still had to hit it.

Shocking loss.

And I agree about AJ. I vote him third.

[Josh W]

[ QUOTE ]
[ QUOTE ]
[ QUOTE ]
If AJ gets MVP it's a joke.

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If you put emphasis on "valuable", AJ could get it. But this argument has already been made.

[/ QUOTE ]

AJ's surrounding cast was no worse than Albert's during the season.

[/ QUOTE ]

AJs team scored 35 fewer runs, and AJs team's ERA was half a run higher.

I think Pujols supporting cast was better.

I agree that Pujols should win, but to say that AJs supporting cast was no worse than Pujols seems a stretch.

Josh

[RacersEdge]

[ QUOTE ]
[ QUOTE ]
[ QUOTE ]
If AJ gets MVP it's a joke.

[/ QUOTE ]

If you put emphasis on "valuable", AJ could get it. But this argument has already been made.

[/ QUOTE ]

AJ's surrounding cast was no worse than Albert's during the season.

[/ QUOTE ]

Kind of misleading though - the division for the cardinals was pretty much locked when Rolen went down wasn't it?

[Josh W]

[ QUOTE ]
[ QUOTE ]
[ QUOTE ]
[ QUOTE ]
If AJ gets MVP it's a joke.

[/ QUOTE ]

If you put emphasis on "valuable", AJ could get it. But this argument has already been made.

[/ QUOTE ]

AJ's surrounding cast was no worse than Albert's during the season.

[/ QUOTE ]

Kind of misleading though - the division for the cardinals was pretty much locked when Rolen went down wasn't it?

[/ QUOTE ]

He went down in early May.

[Clarkmeister]

[ QUOTE ]
[ QUOTE ]
[ QUOTE ]
[ QUOTE ]
If AJ gets MVP it's a joke.

[/ QUOTE ]

If you put emphasis on "valuable", AJ could get it. But this argument has already been made.

[/ QUOTE ]

AJ's surrounding cast was no worse than Albert's during the season.

[/ QUOTE ]

Kind of misleading though - the division for the cardinals was pretty much locked when Rolen went down wasn't it?

[/ QUOTE ]

It was May.

[antidan444]

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he didn't finish off eckstein

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Somewhat unfair. It wasn't his best slider, but it was a good one, low and outside. Eckstein just won the battle.

Now, the next two at-bats ... eww.

[battschr]

DLEE=MVP.

[RacersEdge]

[ QUOTE ]
[ QUOTE ]
[ QUOTE ]
[ QUOTE ]
[ QUOTE ]
If AJ gets MVP it's a joke.

[/ QUOTE ]

If you put emphasis on "valuable", AJ could get it. But this argument has already been made.

[/ QUOTE ]

AJ's surrounding cast was no worse than Albert's during the season.

[/ QUOTE ]

Kind of misleading though - the division for the cardinals was pretty much locked when Rolen went down wasn't it?

[/ QUOTE ]

It was May.

[/ QUOTE ]

Hmm, thought it was later.

Still, an average year by AP and the Cards still win the division by 5. AJ has an average year, the Braves lose the division and a playoff spot. Again, we're talking value to the team here.

[Clarkmeister]

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Still, an average year by AP and the Cards still win the division by 5.

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I don't think that's the case.

[nothumb]

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Still, an average year by AP and the Cards still win the division by 5.

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I don't think that's the case.

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Question: wasn't this about an 'average' year for Pujols? I mean .335, 40+ home runs is pretty much what he does every year.

I think he deserves it.

NT

[Jim Kuhn]

Without AP the Cardinals do not make the playoffs this year. Only one other player had more than 61 RBI's (Edmonds with 89). With Sanders, Rolen, Walker and Molina missing much of the season Pujols had guys like So Tuguchi, Abraham Nunez and John Mabry protecting him in the cleanup spot! If those four players are not hurt Pujols has at least twenty more RBI's and runs scored and there is no debate on the NL MVP! With fewer stats he was actually MORE VALUABLE!

Jim Kuhn
Catfish4u
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[andyfox]

But isn't that only because AJ's average year is so much worse than Albert's? And anyway, why should a player be punished because his teammates are better or another's are worse? The 1927 Yankees won the pennant by 19 games. Should Ruth or Gehrig have been not considered as valuable as somebody else simply because even had they had "average" years the team would still have won the pennant by 10 games?

[andyfox]

He's a better pick than AJ.

[andyfox]

Eckstein hit a slow, twelve hopper just in the right spot. A-Rod grounded sharply into a double play.

Luck does play a part.

But Lidge's pitch and pitch selection to Albert was horrible and, indeed, give Albert all the credit he's due. He hit a game winning home run with the season on the line. There isn't anything any more valuable than that.

[Clarkmeister]

[ QUOTE ]
Eckstein hit a slow, twelve hopper just in the right spot. A-Rod grounded sharply into a double play.

Luck does play a part.

But Lidge's pitch and pitch selection to Albert was horrible and, indeed, give Albert all the credit he's due. He hit a game winning home run with the season on the line. There isn't anything any more valuable than that.

[/ QUOTE ]

I'll always remember last year in Game 4 when the Cards closed out the Dodgers and Andy let me sit with his family about 10 rows up from 3rd base. Albert hit a towering shot to left. From our vantage no one knew if it was far enough, or fair. Everyone stood up. Everyone. Soon, by watching the left fielder, it became apparent it was far enough. A little later, it was obviously fair, gone about 3/4's the way up into the left field seats. Everyone exhaled and sat down. Everyone except the obnoxious skinny guy with the red Pujols jersey sitting with the Dodger season ticket holders.

[andyfox]

Funny the things you remember about a game. I remember that one because it's the only one I've stayed to the end for since Drysdale's sixth consecutive shutout. That would have been around 1843.

[antidan444]

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Eckstein hit a slow, twelve hopper just in the right spot. A-Rod grounded sharply into a double play.

Luck does play a part.

[/ QUOTE ]

Without question. Although I give Eckstein credit for making contact on a tough pitch and even putting it in play. (That it wound up going through the hole was the lucky part.)

[Clarkmeister]

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Funny the things you remember about a game. I remember that one because it's the only one I've stayed to the end for since Drysdale's sixth consecutive shutout. That would have been around 1843.

[/ QUOTE ]

One thing I know for sure. There will be no NHL Stanley Cup style group handshake at the end of this series.

[andyfox]

Electrifying home run, I know, but I still liked your previous avatar, oh, about a zillion times better. And I'm a very big baseball fan.

[Clarkmeister]

[ QUOTE ]
Electrifying home run, I know, but I still liked your previous avatar, oh, about a zillion times better. And I'm a very big baseball fan.

[/ QUOTE ]

It'll be back eventually, but it might be a while since the Illiniois basketball season is coming up. Root for the Cards to lose on Wednesday, you might get it back for a few weeks in the interim.

[offTopic]

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Funny the things you remember about a game. I remember that one because it's the only one I've stayed to the end for since Drysdale's sixth consecutive shutout. That would have been around 1843.

[/ QUOTE ]

Jeez, you might have missed the last streetcar from Ebbets Field!

[CCass]

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He's a better pick than AJ.

[/ QUOTE ]

I don't think DLee should be ahead of AJ. Statistics are important (and overall Lee's are a little better), but the valuable does come into play. The Cubs are a crap team with or without Lee. The Braves don't make the playoffs without AJ. AJ's value to his team pushes him ahead of DLee, but not ahead of AP.