AL and NL MVP's...

[Big Mac]

Who do you think deserves these awards?

I think Quentin is the clear winner in the AL, but I think the NL is a pretty wide open race. I'll go with Braun in the NL.

[mweb]

Opposite for em, the NL is pretty easy, while the AL is a tough one.

Pujols by a decent margin in the NL, he's been a beast as usual and brings great D to the table as well. Braun isn't even close to him.

In the AL, Sizemore has probably been the best player, so I would just go with him despite not being on a good team. If I had to pick from teams that are have a good shot at the playoffs, I'd probably actually go with Pedroia slightly over Quentin.

[Big Mac]

Opposite for em, the NL is pretty easy, while the AL is a tough one.

Pujols by a decent margin in the NL, he's been a beast as usual and brings great D to the table as well. Braun isn't even close to him.

In the AL, Sizemore has probably been the best player, so I would just go with him despite not being on a good team. If I had to pick from teams that are have a good shot at the playoffs, I'd probably actually go with Pedroia slightly over Quentin.

The difference to me is that the Cardinals aren't going to the playoffs. Pujols has said himself that he doesn't think the MVP should go to a player who's team did not make the playoffs. Braun leads the MLB in XBH.

I'd go with Quentin because he leads the league in HR, and has a 151 OPS+ and a .972 OPS, his team is also in 1st place.

[mweb]

The difference to me is that the Cardinals aren't going to the playoffs. Pujols has said himself that he doesn't think the MVP should go to a player who's team did not make the playoffs. Braun leads the MLB in XBH.

I'd go with Quentin because he leads the league in HR, and has a 151 OPS+ and a .972 OPS, his team is also in 1st place.

Pujols is easily better than Braun, if someone on a playoff team was close to Pujols, I'd consider them, but that's not the case, plus the Cards have played much better than expected. Pujols VORP: 83.3. Braun VORP: 43.8.

Sizemore has a 61.5 VORP, Quentin has a 51.3, and it's obvious who contributes more defensively. Pedroia has a 51.5 and contributes more on defense than Quentin.

As you can tell, I don't put much stock into how one's team is doing. If it's close between two guys, I will factor that in.

[Big Mac]

Pujols is easily better than Braun, if someone on a playoff team was close to Pujols, I'd consider them, but that's not the case, plus the Cards have played much better than expected. Pujols VORP: 83.3. Braun VORP: 43.8.

Sizemore has a 61.5 VORP, Quentin has a 51.3, and it's obvious who contributes more defensively. Pedroia has a 51.5 and contributes more on defense than Quentin.

As you can tell, I don't put much stock into how one's team is doing. If it's close between two guys, I will factor that in.

That's a valid point, unfortunately I don't think many voters have any idea what VORP is.

If I could give you a vote, I would.

[mweb]

If one were to go solely off WPA(win probability added), Berkman and Quentin(even though he's 8th, he's first in guys who have been in the AL all year) would win.

Pujols is 3rd, Sizemore is 14th.

[mweb]

That's a valid point, unfortunately I don't think many voters have any idea what VORP is.

If I could give you a vote, I would.

That's true, but it's not difficult to look at the numbers and conclude that Pujols >> Braun.

In the AL it's a lot closer, people have to be smart enough to adjust for position and defense to realize Sizemore > Quentin, and Pedroia has been slightly better than Quentin.

But then if you look at WPA, which the vast majority of voters won't, that helps Quentin. And obviously many will take Sizemore out of contention since his team hasn't been good.

[Big Mac]

That's true, but it's not difficult to look at the numbers and conclude that Pujols >> Braun.

In the AL it's a lot closer, people who have to be smart enough to adjust for position and defense to realize Sizemore > Quentin, and Pedroia has been slightly better than Quentin.

But then if you look at WPA, which the vast majority of voters won't, that helps Quentin.

Yeah, you've pretty much sold me on Pujols in the NL.

[whatdoiget000]

my top 5 for each:

AL:

1 Quentin

2 Morneau

3 Longoria

4 Hamilton

5 Guerrero

NL:

1 Braun

2 Pujols

3 Wright

4 Berkman

5 Utley

[waroriole]

AL: Quentin (Look how similar his #'s are to Huff)

NL: Pujols (easy)

[Migrant Redbird]

Pujols by a decent margin in the NL, he's been a beast as usual and brings great D to the table as well. Braun isn't even close to him.

I think that the Cardinals may have blown Albert's chances of being the MVP when they let the Astros sweep them out of the playoffs picture this weekend.

But I was certainly surprised by the disparity of VORP between Pujols and Braun. However, I expect that either Wright of the Mets or Soto of the Cubs will steal it from him.

There's an argument among Cardinals fans that Ludwick deserves the MVP as much or more than Pujols. But Ludwick's stats were depressed by La Russa insisting upon platooning him along with Duncan earlier in the season.

Brandon Webb of the Snakes or Tim Lincecum of the Giants also might sneak into the picture. When voters have difficulties choosing between a host of relatively unqualified hitters, they sometimes turn to a pitcher who totally out distances his competition.

What might salvage Albert's chances -- if any of the voters pay attention to things like that -- would be if he achieves the "alternate triple crown" this season. He is currently the NL leader in BA, OBP, and SLG, with a good chance of holding those leads. (Chipper is 5 points below him in BA and 14 points below in OBP, but Chipper is fading fast and hasn't ranked all that well in previous seasons.)

But voters are infatuated with home runs and RBIs. Albert is tied for 7th in home runs, behind Howard, Dunn, Braun, Ludwick, Delgado, and Uggla. Of those, only Uggla would get a bonus for playing a more "highly skilled" position. Albert is 12th in RBIs, behind all those home run leaders plus Aramis Ramirez, Carlos Lee, Berkman, Adrian Gonzalez, Beltran, and Mark Reynolds. Albert's RBIs have been depressed by getting pitched around so much -- he leads the league in intentional passes and will set a career high in total walks.

[mweb]

I think that the Cardinals may have blown Albert's chances of being the MVP when they let the Astros sweep them out of the playoffs picture this weekend.

But I was certainly surprised by the disparity of VORP between Pujols and Braun. However, I expect that either Wright of the Mets or Soto of the Cubs will steal it from him.

There's an argument among Cardinals fans that Ludwick deserves the MVP as much or more than Pujols. But Ludwick's stats were depressed by La Russa insisting upon platooning him along with Duncan earlier in the season.

Brandon Webb of the Snakes or Tim Lincecum of the Giants also might sneak into the picture. When voters have difficulties choosing between a host of relatively unqualified hitters, they sometimes turn to a pitcher who totally out distances his competition.

What might salvage Albert's chances -- if any of the voters pay attention to things like that -- would be if he achieves the "alternate triple crown" this season. He is currently the NL leader in BA, OBP, and SLG, with a good chance of holding those leads. (Chipper is 5 points below him in BA and 14 points below in OBP, but Chipper is fading fast and hasn't ranked all that well in previous seasons.)

But voters are infatuated with home runs and RBIs. Albert is tied for 7th in home runs, behind Howard, Dunn, Braun, Ludwick, Delgado, and Uggla. Of those, only Uggla would get a bonus for playing a more "highly skilled" position. Albert is 12th in RBIs, behind all those home run leaders plus Aramis Ramirez, Carlos Lee, Berkman, Adrian Gonzalez, Beltran, and Mark Reynolds. Albert's RBIs have been depressed by getting pitched around so much -- he leads the league in intentional passes and will set a career high in total walks.

Well I agree that them falling back in the playoff chase really hurts Pujols' chances, but that's also why the best pitcher in the NL(Lincecum) has no chance. A pitcher will only win if he's had a great year on a good team.

Webb getting hit hard by the Dodgers yesterday doesn't help him.

No way will Soto win, he's had a great year, but isn't that well known at this point.

I agree that the voters may not vote for Pujols because it doesn't look good for their playoff chances and his hr's and rbi aren't great, but I would vote for him because he's been the best player, and by a good margin imo.

[Pedro Cerrano]

Sizemore and Pujols.

If we're doing only players on teams that have a shot at the post-season, Quentin and Braun.

[mrbig1]

my top 5 for each:

AL:

1 Quentin

2 Morneau

3 Longoria

4 Hamilton

5 Guerrero

NL:

1 Braun

2 Pujols

3 Wright

4 Berkman

5 Utley

No Huff? not even in the top 5.

[Camden_yardbird]

No one for Delgado in the NL.

Wouldn't it be interesting if Sizemore and Lee won the MVP and CY Young respectively on a team that is not going to the playoffs?