Today the Baseball Writers Association of America will announce the winner of the 2005 National League Most Valuable Player Award. The award will very likely be given by the BBWAA to an AARP member, Albert Pujols. If not Albert, then it’ll be Andruw Jones, though that’s kind of a long shot.
While it’s true that we hate the Cardinals here, and hate Pujols and the old urine sodded ballpark they’re in the process of crying over and tearing down, it won’t stop us from proclaiming to the heavens that a Pujols’ victory would be a crock.
Did Albert have a good year? Of course he did.
He hit .330 with 41 homers, 117 RBI and a 1.039 OPS.
That’s nice. Way to go!
Derrek Lee hit .335 with 48 homers, 107 RBI and a 1.080 OPS.
So that’s pretty close, even though Lee’s numbers are better. Lee also hit 50 doubles to Albert’s 38, outslugged him .662 to .609, had more hits and more triples.
To be fair Pujols had more stolen bases (really he had 16 and Lee had 15) and scored more runs (129 to Lee’s 120). Never mind that the Cardinals as a team outscored the Cubs by 102, and that Lee spent a lot of time handing his helmet and batting gloves to Chris Speier while Todd Walker carried his cap and glove out to him.
Ken Rosenthal of the Sporting News was on MLB’s XM Radio channel (not to be confused with MLB Radio, which is completely different–why?) yesterday saying that Lee had a great year, but there were a number of factors that go into the award. He said if it was a “player of the year” award, Lee would win easily.
Uh…isn’t it?
Rosenthal admitted that defensively Lee is “an impact player” and Pujols is “slightly above average.” But he said that Pujols had the pressure of playing on a good team, while Lee got to coast down the stretch.
Coast? The Cardinals won the division by 11 games and wrapped up a playoff spot on Memorial Day. Screw that. How many “big” games did Pujols have to win for the Cardinals?
Rosenthal said there are a lot of things that go into picking an MVP. The value part of valuable has multiple meanings.
OK, he’s right.
Well, let’s see. Derrek Lee won the Gold Glove at first base this year. He’s widely regarded as the best defensive first baseman in all of baseball, not just the National League. So that’s pretty good.
Derrek Lee won the Silver Slugger as the best hitting first baseman in the National League.
I don’t subscribe to this, but if you do, Lee’s monetary value is better because his production cost the Cubs $7.6 million, while Pujols’ cost the Cardinals $11 million.
But since I don’t care how much the guys get paid (hey, I’m not writing the checks) let’s just think of it this way.
How can you be the best defensive first baseman in the NL and the best offensive first baseman in the NL and watch another NL first baseman win the NL MVP? How does that make any sense at all?
Please, make a defensible argument that a guy can better than you on offense and defense and you’re more valuable? I guess it must have been that all-important 16th stolen base.
To be fair to Rosenthal, when asked who he voted for, for MVP he said, “Andruw Jones.”
That, I can live with. Giving the MVP to the Generalissimo just because he didn’t win it the last few years because of Barry Bonds, stinks on ice.
Which, brings us back to Busch Stadium…
, . We all know who the real MVP should be.
I was such a dud I almost forgot I had a horse in this race.
Without Lee, the Cubs would have been out of contention in May. With Lee, the Cubs were out of contention in May. It’s not Lee’s fault, but his heartless and gutless team caused his efforts to be of little value, certainly not the most valuable in the league.
#3–
Don’t forget my utterly asinine, inexcusable lineup construction that cost Lee any chance at competing for the Triple Crown when September rolled around.
Batting the two regular players in the National League who saw the fewest pitches per at-bat in front of Lee is proof of my stubborn, contrarian going-out-of-my-way-to-make-an-imposible-to-make-point method.
I really deserve a to be hit over the head with Derrek Lee’s bat.
Once for every RBI I cost him by batting drooling retards in front of him.
Hey now, we won 8 in a row in early June and were right in the thick of the wild card race until we went to play the Yankees…
One hour after I reported a deal for Juan Pierre is “imminent” I came back on and said that Cubs and Marlins haven’t spoken in three days.
Shouldn’t I be fired for this bullshit?
Nope, you make the big bucks by making up rumors and then convinently going in hiding when they are found out to be untrue
Speaking of the urine-sodded Busch Stadium, I drove by the Urinal Cake last Friday morning. While still recovering from drinking all of the beer in East St. Louis and visiting all of the spectacular nightlife there, we got out and took a look at the demolition progress. There were at least 10 people outside taking pictures and looking longingly at the Cake, including one who ignored a security guard’s orders to stop and walked into an area to snap a few photos. I wished aloud that he would get a beat-down for his wave-off of the officer, which got me a dirty look from his female accomplice.
Obviously, the fence kept us from getting close enough to the park to write some funny stuff on the walls. However, there were some things that were legibile from a distance including “Honk if you love Jack” (I’m assuming Buck, not Clark), and “Go Blue Jays” (huh?).
The new park looks nice, but it is so close to the interstate that a passing car could reach out and touch it. I’ve heard that with PSLs and corporate season tickets in the smaller new park, it will be a pretty tough ticket for Joe Citizen to pick up.
My sources say that the Cubs and Marlins haven’t talked for 3 AND A HALF days. I also have a an imminent blockbuster deal involving Julio Lugo. Does anyone else have this on their radar?
Hoops
Dave B,
I have heard that there are some concerns from the St. Louis police about the ballpark being so close to I-70 and that half the westbound lanes could be closed during home games in order to prevent something from happening (i.e. terrorist attack).
The last time I was in St. Louis was for last year’s Illini/Missouri Braggin’ Rights game. I was wondering if construction was going to be done in time, because it looked like they had barely even started when I saw it.
Even we wouldn’t waste our time and resources on St. Louis.
Yes, I heard that the city was a little upset with it being so close to I-64. There are thoughts of closing lanes or even moving the interstate, an expensive and daunting task.
They work round the clock on both stadiums (the stadium lights are on 24-7) but it looks to me like a good portion of the grandstand area is done and the seats are in. Of course, the field is nowhere near ready and they had better hope for good weather over the next four months.
They gave the Cy Young award to a deadbird, only because he performed so well they had to, but I think Jones will when it. The sports writers/announcers started making his case in Sep (in fairness they also did for Clemens) and who outside St Louis really gives a damn about the Cards anyway? They’ve only had 2 Cy Young award winners. The only way Pujols will win is if his numbers are so superior to everyone else’s they have to give it to him.
They are actually thinking about moving or closing part of an INTERSTATE HIGHWAY to accommodate baseball games? I’m hoping the Cardinals are paying, because I’m going to draft a letter to my Congressman, asking he help deny Missouri any funding. I think that if a terrorist attack is that much of a problem, the Cards can forfeit all their games, or play their home schedule in Springfield.
I’m still upset that the team didn’t make good on it’s threat to move to East St. Louis. Then Illinois could have 3 baseball teams.
It’s Albert 1, Jones 2, Lee 3.
Damn, so you’re saying winning games matters in the real world. What fun is that?
I suck balls.
Better put me on if you’re going to say Cub Nation sucks balls around here, bub.
Um dude, I think I was referring to the poster, not Cub Nation.
Do I really include grown up men wearing pajamas, playing a child’s game, who make millions of dollars a year?
After Chuck announced the results, I went south faster than a pair of snowbirds from Sheboygan.
If it wasn’t for me getting screwed out of Manager of the Decade (I mean, Year), we’d have swept the awards. It’s a good thing I threw Carp in all of those meaningless September games and pushed Albie to play all those games with a bad wheel. Who cares if they were worn out in the playoffs? We got these trophies!!!
Something tells me I would trade the MVP for a Series title. Then again, maybe not, I sure wanted this hardware. Individual awards are very important, now where’s my gold glove?
Albert, we all tried to get you every award out there. Lord knows that you deserve them. I can’t help it if you were robbed again, I still love you.
What a bunch of dumbasses. That idiot wannabe sportswriter Dolan shows us why the only job he can get is writing for a website where a bunch of whiny, putrid, filth sodden douche bags bitch and moan about why their team didn’t make the playoffs for the upteenth time.
Perhaps you people don’t understand the concept of MOST VALUABLE PLAYER. Let me explain it to you.
Where would you be without Lee? Last place.
How far did you get with Lee? Fourth place.
Yeah he’s really valuable.
I’m tired of being a wannabe league bowler. I wanna be a league bowler!
Look at what a hardass I am!
A st. louis fan calling someone else a “filth sodden douchebag”? Or the guy doing it anonymously on a Cubs website?
There’s only way to solve this. Someone drunk dial Walt Jocketty, impersonate Jim Hendry and offer him Derrek Lee straight up for Albie Pujols. And then that same person can call Jim Hendry, pretend he’s Walt Jocketty and offer Albert Pujols for Derrek Lee. If Jocketty jumps at the deal, then obviously we know who the Cards find to be more valuable. If Hendry almost chokes on his Bavarian Creme Doughnut to get Pujols in a Cub uniform, then we have to concede that it’s Pujols.
Honestly, if you told Tony LaRussa at the start of the NLDS with San Diego that for old times’ sake, the tarp machine was going to run over a Cardinals star, thereby injuring him for the rest of October, but LaRussa could pick one player to “protect,” I’m not so sure he picks Pujols. Isringhausen, Carpeneter, Suppan and Mulder could all make compelling cases that the Cards’ playoff hopes hinged on their health. Conversely, if a healthy Cubs team managed to get to the playoffs, and the same prop were given to Dusty Baker — that one star would get injured and be out for the playoffs, but that he’d have a choice — he wouldn’t spare Derrek Lee either. He’d pick Jose Macias.
#26 writes: “That idiot wannabe sportswriter Dolan shows us why the only job he can get is writing for a website”
Yeah, Andy. How’d you get this job? What was the interview process like? Did you have to take a drug test? Was there a second and third interview?
BTW, I heard your boss is an asshole. You should try “getting a job” somewhere else.
Re: The picture that illustrates the post:
Shouldn’t Derrek’s glare be pointed at Dusty for robbing him of about 25 RBI and a chance to be the first Triple Crown winner since those Mississippi swamp, genetic mishaps’ Depression-Era hero, Joe “Ducky” Medwick in 1937?
I’m not sure that was “priceless.” Sounds to me like more of a “Good times.”
OK, D Lee is off to fight Mothra and Godzilla. So he didn’t win MVP. What about me for Bears MVP?
And by MVP I mean “Most Vapid Personality.”
Jose (#33),
Just so you know, you happen to be pretty fucking far from “good times”.
Did somebody need something? We couldn’t hear over the music. Seriously.
Ahh, I remember my interview with the bosses here at Desipio pretty well. It was held in the parking lot of a Golden Corral. Karry Ling was in charge of hiring at the time and even though the interview went horriby (as only it could since I have no talents as a writer, and my douchebag had sprung a leak and was distracting me), they had to hire me because nobody else would work for what they were offering as payment.
I mean who else could afford to pay them $100 a month to write for them?
We’re a much easier interview than the Cubs who, I’ve heard, as the final step in the interviewing process, make you stare at a poster-sized picture of a naked Sharon Panozzo for one whole minute without turning your head.
It’s a great tool for weeding out their many applicants.
Speaking of which, whatever happened to me?
What the hell are you implying, #39?
Any similarity between the Cubs’ bulldog, media gatekeeper and myself is strictly coincidental.
Say what you will, but I’d trade Lee for Pujols straight up. That doesn’t mean that Lee wasn’t better this year, but Pujols first five MLB seasons are better than anyone in the history of baseball (other than Ted Williams and Joe DiMaggio).
And I heard the same thing when Sammy beat out Mark in 1998–“well, the Cubs made the playoffs.” McGwire had an OPS about .190 higher than Sammy, although Sammy had more RBIs.
Brian,
You miss the point. Sammy paid the world back in smiles and happiness! He made Mark McGwire see how much fun it could be to be in a home run race. That’s why people voted for him!
Or something.
And I never thought of comparing Linda Zapatos to Sharon Panozzo.
Hey, now that Arrested Development’s been cancelled by Fox, maybe I can get Desipio TV to buy the rights to the show and we can run The Front Office and AD back to back?
Genius!
Yeah, Pooholes may have been a more productive hitter(except for last year), but I am twice the fielder he is. If I can keep my offensive production where it is, I would take me over Albie.
Plus, Albie has got to be right around my age. If he is in his mid twenties, Sammy really is 39.
to 26- Well, if you’re going to use that logic:
-Cardinals with Pujols-finish in first
-Cards without Pujols-finish in first
Yeah, he seems real valuable to that outfit.
Yea that’s right. You all heard me. If the Cardinals didn’t have Albert Pujols they would have just finished in first place anyway.
Our team stunk that bad..
Even with Pujols and Rolens out and Lassie playing like shit in the outfield, we still wouldn’t have had a chance to win the f***’in division.
*sigh* I guess it’s just “Dustiny.”
Actually it’s not even “Dustiny.” How about all the other times we choked when Dusty Baker wasn’t even our manager? whew!
Hoops,
Did you mean an imminent Lugo to the Cubs trade? The only thing I’ve heard regarding Lugo is the Braves were looking at him.
Matt,
Absolutely. My sources tell me that Hendry just doesn’t want to overpay for Furcal. He likes a Lugo/Neifi/Cedeno platoon. All three are solid, inexspensive, and practically interchangeable. My Braves sources tell me that Furcal likes the warm weather and night games, and might stay put for a while longer. As far as the Pierre trade, I’m being told the Fish want to wait a little longer, since other teams might offer up a better package of prospects.
Hoops
D. Lee’s defense was marginally better, but Pujols was pretty good himself.
Lee–1322 PO, 122 Assists, 118 DP, 6 Errors, .996 F%
Pujols 1597 PO, 97 Assists, 175 DP, 14 Errors, .992 F%, with a higher range factor.
The Cubs are a strikeout team, so that “hurt” D. Lee’s defensive statistics, but to say Lee’s as good a player overall, he’d have to have four more years like last. Hope it happens.
C’mon guys, lets be honest here. I’m the best hitter you’ve ever seen not named Barry Bonds.
I’ve done nothing but make history since the day I entered the majors.
I was the best hitter in baseball again this year. Derrek Lee had numbers that were slightly better, but teams didn’t pitch around him nearly as much either.
His defense was more than “marginally” better than mine, but I was above average at first base.
Pujols defense is marginally better. Than McGwire’s. 14 errors from a first baseman is a lot.
The MVP award is kind of like the Hall-of-fame. Lots of subjectivity going on.
Does anybody have “Hoops doesn’t know shit about shit” on their radar?
I am a useless stat. Go to NSBB if you wanna argue my worth. Snow, Lee, Helton, Johnson, and Doug Eyechart are all much better defenders than Pujols. If you think Pujols is good defensive 1st baseman, you like espn and Joe Buck.
No Andy, Hoops is God. Range Factor and OBP are the only stats that matter. Pujols, Dunn, and Wilkerson are God too. Even though Pujols is the only sure fire hall of famer in the group, which isn’t fair. Pujols range factor was better than Foxx and Dimaggio.
Andy, don’t be jealous of my insider information.
Hoops