2006 NL MVP: You Decide

[redsrbetter]

See, this is how I know I differ from most opinions. I value the value of defense. I love it win someone can make the routine play and exceed that by making the impossible happen. And at the same time, I have seen many games where bad defense has completely turned the tides of a game.

But I can't hold that against Papi. He doesn't play defense. But in the matter at hand, the superior defender is definitely a measurable tool to get your vote down. In this case, it is Pujols. Defense does not define the winner in my book, it just plays a role.

But I think the ones making the selection would undervalue defense alltogether and simply look at offensive production. Unless of course it is a vast difference between the two opposers abilities. In this case, its not so great a difference. So it will likely not be much of a factor in the decision.

[missionhockey21]

Howard currently has 14 errors, but Pujols had the same amount during his MVP year- and he beat out actual gold glovers in the ballot (D.Lee, A.Jones). I know the defensive issue works well against Ortiz (especially when he's competing against former gold glovers), but I can't buy the argument here. Honestly, I never picked ARod over Ortiz either, but eh.

http://sports.espn.go.com/mlb/player...ntext=fielding

The argument isn't intended to be the sole one of this case, but more of a point that when two hitters are for the most part so evenly matched up as I went through showing, you have to go with the advantages you see and thus the coin flip. I am not one to argue defense often (if someone suggests trading Adam Dunn for that reason, I question if they would like another hit to the head with a brick), but both of these guys are evenly matched and the case for it might not be so strong unless Howard wasn't a negative option in the field. If these was something that could discount his 12.8+ runs of production, the runs he cost his team with the glove versus the runs Pujols saved his team is the main argument I could find to that difference in runs created (which was the only one I could see many making for Howard as a main point, despite his greater TPA.)

[Kingdom]

Howard just isn't as bad a fielder as he's being made out to be (Lee's had double digit errors before). And considering Pujol's number of errors when he won the MVP, I don't see defense being used in his favor unless someone wants to be an ass and be real picky. I can see the idea of his team being in the playoffs and if Philly doesn't win the WC as a reason to give the edge to Pujols.

[missionhockey21]

Howard just isn't as bad a fielder as he's being made out to be (Lee's had double digit errors before). And considering Pujol's number of errors when he won the MVP, I don't see defense being used in his favor unless someone wants to be an ass and be real picky. I can see the idea of his team being in the playoffs and if Philly doesn't win the WC as a reason to give the edge to Pujols.

His MVP efforts didn't see negative results from either his FRAA or his Rate2. He remained at least servicable. Like I mentioned, this isn't why I believe Pujols to be the MVP alone, it's a factor but not the major one. The reason this was included was to combat Howards 12.8 edge of run production as we're trying to look at the complete player.

I am not trying to pick and choose as this is about this year's effort and not last year's effort. This is a tight race, one I believe to be one of the more interesting races for in MVP in a while, considering the dynamics of both players numbers. It really comes down to preference and I think in this case it's worth considering (not stating as the main reason, just consideration.)

[Kingdom]

I think it could go either way, and both are deserving. Even Cabrera is deserving, hopefully those six random marlin fans would come out to his victory parade and throw enough confetti at him to cover a small puddle. They'd also have to use an emu to hold up the A to complete the CABRERA sign.

[CincyRedsFan30]

Errors aren't a good way to measure defensive prowess anyway.

Look to Zone Rating and Range Factor.

[Looshius]

I would like to see Ryan Howard win the award for a couple reasons. Mostly because it is his second year in the league and he has pretty much singlehandedly carried the Phillies through a run at the playoffs that finds them a half a game back in the wildcard, despite dumping Abreu at the deadline. Every game can make or break the season, and seemingly daily he has the big hit that wins it for them.

Granted, one could say the same for Pujols, but to be honest, I don't want to see him win the award twice in a row over a guy who is just as qualified, if not moreso, and is playing for a team that is battling for a playoff spot, not a team that has been sitting atop the division for a good while now.

The problem is, that all my arguements for Howard are true of Pujols, such as, they both have twice as many homeruns as their next highest teammate, they both happen to be top 2 in every power category, (HR, RBI, OPS, Slugging)...

So all in all, it's up for grabs, but to be honest I have to hold Pujols' consistency against him, namely that every year will be a carreer year that puts him atop the MVP race, so when I see a guy who deserves the award just as much as Pujols does, I have to hand it to him, because he has placed himself in some elite company.

[Saber]

Poo-holes

[redsfan28]

Has to be Howard.

[HafDawg2003]

With the rotation turning to jelly, with his clutch hits, with Edmonds and the boys passing concussions around like they were a coronavirus...

To be hurt and still put up the amazing production he has... Albert Pujols is the Most Valuable Player for the National League.

[albbla2000mu]

Mission...anyone else...I dont see how you can just dismiss his time spent on DL as not being apart of the equation. Part of "value" to a team is actually playing. Two players as close offensively to each other dont stay that close if one guy ends playing 20 more games than the other. Just like it is fair to evaluate defensive performance to some degree...it is more than fair to consider the games missed. Can we blame Albert for getting hurt? Of course not, but as I recall you cant have any value to your team if your not playing. Had they played the same amount of games my vote would go to Albert in a second as he is very clearly the best player in the game. But the plain fact is that Albert has played in 88% of his teams games and Ryan has played in 98%. Thats a major difference not matter how you slice it.

[love_that_reefer]

Howard currently has 14 errors, but Pujols had the same amount during his MVP year- and he beat out actual gold glovers in the ballot (D.Lee, A.Jones). I know the defensive issue works well against Ortiz (especially when he's competing against former gold glovers), but I can't buy the argument here. Honestly, I never picked ARod over Ortiz either, but eh.

http://sports.espn.go.com/mlb/player...ntext=fielding

Pujols also had over 100 more chances than the others which makes his errors look like a lot less. Pujols is clearly the winner and an absolute great article Mission!! This man has carried this team with Edmonds and Eckstein out for the big playoff push. He leads the league in GW RBI. That in itself is why he is the Most VALUABLE Player.

[love_that_reefer]

Mission...anyone else...I dont see how you can just dismiss his time spent on DL as not being apart of the equation. Part of "value" to a team is actually playing. Two players as close offensively to each other dont stay that close if one guy ends playing 20 more games than the other. Just like it is fair to evaluate defensive performance to some degree...it is more than fair to consider the games missed. Can we blame Albert for getting hurt? Of course not, but as I recall you cant have any value to your team if your not playing. Had they played the same amount of games my vote would go to Albert in a second as he is very clearly the best player in the game. But the plain fact is that Albert has played in 88% of his teams games and Ryan has played in 98%. Thats a major difference not matter how you slice it.

Pujols still had the lead in HRs and RBI when he came off the DL! If he didn't miss those three weeks, we would possibly be seeeing the greatest season ever.

[albbla2000mu]

Saying he had the lead in HR and RBI when he came back just greater illustrates how much more dominate Howard was at the plate in the 2nd half of the season than Pujols.

[redsfan28]

No one's stated this argument...

While the Cards have pretty much cruised to another division title (I know that the Reds gave them a run until about August, but the Cards have pretty much put it away), Howard single-handedly has helped the Phils stay in the hunt for the wild card after the Phillies ownership sold off a lot of parts at the trade deadline, thinking they were out of it.

Howard's driven in more runs and created more runs than Pujols has. Therefore, he should win the MVP.