[Willie Bee]

No surprise here as Pujols was without a doubt the best AND most consistent hitter in the NL this year. Would love to know who the two writers were that voted for Lidge first on their ballots. Don't really disagree with how valuable he was to the Phils, but still would be interesting to find out what daily rags the two writers work for.

http://sports.espn.go.com/mlb/news/story?id=3708596

NEW YORK -- St. Louis Cardinals slugger Albert Pujols won his second NL MVP award, powering past Philadelphia Phillies star Ryan Howard by a comfortable margin Monday.

Pujols hit .357 with 37 home runs and 116 RBIs while playing with a sore right elbow. He was rewarded despite the Cardinals' fourth-place finish in the NL Central.

Los Angeles Dodgers outfielder Manny Ramirez and Milwaukee Brewers pitcher C.C. Sabathia also drew strong support after being traded by AL teams in July.

Pujols got 18 of the 32 first-place votes in balloting by the Baseball Writers' Association of America and had 369 points. He added to the MVP award he won in 2005.

Howard, who led the majors with 48 homers and 146 RBIs for the World Series champion Phillies, drew 12 first-place votes and 308 points.

Milwaukee outfielder Ryan Braun was third with 139 points, with Ramirez fourth at 138. The Houston Astros' Lance Berkman was fifth and Sabathia sixth.

Brad Lidge, perfect on 41 save chances for the Phillies during the regular season, drew the other two first-place votes and came in eighth. Voting was completed before the playoffs began.

Pujols was remarkably consistent all year -- a trait he's demonstrated throughout his career. He is the only big leaguer to hit at least 30 home runs in his first eight seasons in the majors and has finished in the Top 10 of the NL MVP voting each year.

[Kingctb27]

Well deserved.

[element1286]

He deserved it.

[yisman]

well deserved

[bigboydan]

I live in St.Louis and even I say that Howard got hosed on this one.

[element1286]

Originally Posted by bigboydan

I live in St.Louis and even I say that Howard got hosed on this one.

No way. Howard would have been an awful choice.

[Illusion]

No big surprise here, I called this months ago in another thread.

[Willie Bee]

Originally Posted by bigboydan

I live in St.Louis and even I say that Howard got hosed on this one.

Yeah, but you're always critical of the Cardinals. I still want to know who the writers were that voted for Lidge; I'd bet 10 bucks to a doughnut they're Philly hacks who listed Howard #2 on those ballots. And I also want to know who the writer was that bumped Pujols all the way to seventh on their list. Was that you, Dan?

[bigboydan]

Pujols wouldn't have even been on my list at all Willie.

[Willie Bee]

If you're serious then that's a pretty sad indication of your overall ability to be anything close to an objective and realistic observer of baseball, Dan.

[htfdc102]

After the 2006 and 2007 NL MVP winners the voters finally got it right this year. Pujols should have won in 06 and Holiday last year.

[Victor]

the decision is absolute right........ the man deserve that applause for sure.... he plays brilliantly