From The Windup is FanHouse's daily, extended look at a particular portion of America's pastime.
We've been discussing the MVP award frequently here at FanHouse recently ... like what the definition should actually be, and someone tried to push Aramis Ramirez as a candidate before he joined the rest of his teammates in a slump and removed himself from contention.
Some good points were made, and we've even discussed a MOP (Most Outstanding Player) award as an alternative, which would just be given to the best player. My immediate thought was that Albert Pujols would win the NL MOP every single year. I digressed into the thought that MVP voting is never consistent because people like variety. Sure, Barry Bonds won a ton, but it would have been outlandish to give some of his to other people. The BBWAA actually did hand one to Jeff Kent that Bonds deserved, so even then they craved change. It would appear the same thing is happening this year with Pujols. Again. Can you believe he only has one MVP?
This dude has been the best player in the league for the past few years, and top three for his entire eight-year career. I don't know what it's like to cheer for him, but I can tell you what it's like to cheer for his rival when he steps into the box. Terror. Sheer and unadulterated terror. It's not possible that Red Sox fans are this afraid when Alex Rodriguez steps in. I don't buy that Yankees fans have nightmares of David Ortiz digging in, at least not like this. When Albert Pujols steps in the batter's box against my Cubbies, though, I become about as fearful as I do on the way up the first hill of Millenium Force.
Just last week -- when the Cubs visited St. Louis -- Pujols made a 3-0 Cubs lead into a tie game with one swing. I wasn't surprised, in fact, I had just said to my wife "3-3," the second he started approaching home plate from the on-deck circle. I would have been surprised if he didn't drop a bomb. Cubs fans everywhere are nodding in agreement as they read. It's just one of those things you can't quantify in numbers.
Of course, if you need numbers, you aren't going to find anything you don't like about Phat Albert ... unless you really love steals. His career OPS+ is 170 -- which means his on-base percentage plus slugging percentage (OPS) is 70 percent higher than the league average. He recently drove in his 100th run of the season, making him the first player in major league history to eclipse that plateau in each of his first eight seasons. And you know, he actually can steal, with 44 career swipes. Defensively he's as good as it gets, owning a gold glove and career .994 fielding percentage at first base. The true separation points, though, are Pujols' power and durability. In 2006 he missed 19 games, which was a career high by far. Of course, he also clubbed 49 taters that season. He's currently playing through an elbow injury which is severe enough that surgery will be needed eventually. The condition, however, is not affecting his bat, as his batting average is lingering around the .360 clip. The aforementioned OPS+ is currently an obscene 191. Yes, almost double the league average.
I could go on and on. If you go through the offensive numbers on his baseball reference page -- and you're a stat-hound -- your jaw will drop. Look at the BB/K ratio (95/50), the intentional walks or his career batting average just to name a few examples.
As I said earlier, though, the numbers don't tell the whole tale. Until you have watched Albert Pujols step into the batter's box for a large sample of at-bats, you don't understand his greatness. If you could run some sort of line graph where you attempt to quantify how "good" the Cardinals hitters are throughout the lineup, it would be the steepest Bell Curve imaginable. I'm talking about an 88 degree drop on both sides, even with Ryan Ludwick behind him. As an opposing fan, I'd rather face a lineup with nine Ludwicks as opposed to one with a single Pujols. He's that much better than everyone else. And he only has one MVP.
My bet is that he won't win it this year. The voters will find a story they like better. So how will the transcendent player of the post-Bonds generation emerge from his eighth season with only one MVP? I don't know.
I do know this: When I'm 75 and my grandson asks me who is the best hitter I ever saw in my lifetime, there's no doubt in my mind the answer will be Albert Pujols. Not Barry Bonds, not A-Rod, and not a single man who will play in the next fifty years.
Pujols is that good.
Reader Comments (Page 1 of 1)
9-16-2008 @ 2:30PM
Dana said...
Absolutely right on! And if you think his baseball abilities are great, check out www.pujolsfamilyfoundation.org and click on the three PSA announcements with him talking. Check out all his Foundation is doing and how he has turned down high-profile events to make missions trips to feed and care for the poor of his home country.
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9-16-2008 @ 4:17PM
One More Dying Quail said...
"Sure, Barry Bonds won a ton, but it would have been outlandish to give some of his to other people."
"So how will the transcendent player of the post-Bonds generation emerge from his eighth season with only one MVP? I don't know."
You answered your own question. If we're going to go ahead and say that the 2001-04 version of Barry Bonds was far and away the most deserving recipient of the National League' MVP awards for those seasons, then Pujols was, by definition, destined to finish no better than second. So we're not talking about one MVP in eight years for Pujols - we're really talking about one in three years (2005-07).
He won in 2005, lost to Ryan Howard's 58 homeruns (and 167 OPS+) in 2006, and finished ninth last season. At first glance, you look at the numbers and say, "Ninth?! In-con-ceivable!" But really, a bunch of the guys who finished higher (Holliday, Fielder, Wright, Jones) actually had comparable offensive numbers (Chipper Jones' OPS+ was 166, compared to 157 for Pujols). The reason he wasn't in the running was because the Cardinals weren't in the running.
If he loses this year, well, that's an argument. This year, he's been significantly ahead of the rest of the league.
Finally, as a Red Sox fan, there's still one guy who scares me above all others, who is almost guaranteed to do damage when he comes to the plate in a key situation. His name is Derek Jeter.
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9-16-2008 @ 5:36PM
George said...
I'm a Mets fan since 1962 (stop booing people). My favorite outfield was Mr. Aaron in right, Say Hey in center (that's Willie Mays for the illerate) and one of the most exciting and underrated players of all time, Senor Roberto Clemente in right (and a great human being). Albert Pujols is in that same class and maybe then some. The guy is so much better than anyone else playing today. It's not even close. The good news is that he is playing in a great baseball town, St. Louis. The bad news is that he's not playing in my town (or yours). Sit back and just enjoy a very special career.
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9-16-2008 @ 6:14PM
George said...
Nice article Matt. It is a shame that the Cardinals were tied with Chicago for team hitting (a whopping .279) but the bullpen has been a total disaster. Our lineup is just as good as the Cubs,it's sad that we didn't give them a run because of our pitching,Isringhauser has to go. And you are right on with Albert,could easily have 4 mvp's if not for the steroid-induced other/s.
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9-17-2008 @ 12:22AM
Rick said...
A great post from a Cubs' fan. I freely admit that I would not likely be able to be so nice to a Cubs' player, although I did love Ernie Banks. But speaking of Banks, it is interesting and instuctive to remember that, when he won his two consequetive MVPs in 57 and 58, (the only SS to ever do so), his Cub teams finished either last or close to it.
Pujols obviously deserves the MVP, but will not likely get it. The award has morphed into an honor reserved for a player from a post-season team, unlike in 57, when Banks won over Spahn and Matthews.
But, let us also keep this in perspective. However great Pujols is, and he is indeed great, let us also remember that he and Utley and Holliday and all these current players: they are not quite up to the level of the greatest of the great: Musial.
All of you who doubt me: do your research. Look at the first five or six yrs of the careers of these players. Look at the extra-base hits. Add together the doubles and triples of Musial against these others. It is truly amazing.
I do not mean to diminish these other players. As I said, he is great, and likely a first-ballot hall of famer. Holliday is also great, and very young, Utley is also a great guy for extra-bases.
(A pause: Are any of you surprised when I point out that Pujols is the youngest player vs Utley and Holliday?)
Still, none of these players are Musial-esque. Stan is likely in the top four or five greatest players of all time. None of these players are, not even the great Pujols.
The top four or five: Here are mine (but it is difficult, and I exclude players from the steroid era):
Of course, the greatest player ever: Babe Ruth. Then, it gets difficult. I would submit the following names as candidates: Stan Musial, Honus Wagner, Warren Spahn, Lefty Grove, Willy Mays, Ted Williams, and Rogers Horsby.
Tell me why I am wrong, but be respectful.
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9-23-2008 @ 8:27AM
mike said...
i am a huge cardinmal fan and what i love the most aboyt albert pujols is its sept 23 and you can plainly see he has hit a wall with the elbow and all the games he has played, and he has even admitted his elbow is in some pain. but he continues to go out everyday and play . He is in an awful slump roght now but I know he will come out of it before these las 6 games are over. I wish Larussa would make him sit just one game so he can refresh. Chipper will win the batting title but with much fewre games than albert. remember albert has put these great numbers up with no one hitting in front of him or behind him. I could not imagine the numbershe would put up if he had some hitters around him
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