Albert Pujols is a______(Fill in the blank)

[JackPMiller]

His team won the World Series, and he is crying over not being the regular season MVP. By the way, the Phillies granted, did not make the playoffs, actually finished the regular season with a better record than the Cardinals, even though it was by two games. In other words, the Cardinals won in a division that is not very good.

http://sports.espn.go.com/mlb/news/story?id=2680495

Snubbed Pujols says MVP should be on playoff team
Associated Press

SANTO DOMINGO, Dominican Republic -- Albert Pujols thinks he was snubbed.

The St. Louis Cardinals' slugger is upset he lost out to Philadelphia's Ryan Howard for the National League MVP award, saying Wednesday the honor should go to someone on a playoff team.

"I see it this way: Someone who doesn't take his team to the playoffs doesn't deserve to win the MVP," Pujols said in Spanish at a news conference organized by the Dominican Republic's sports ministry.

Pujols led the Cardinals to the NL Central title this year and their first World Series championship since 1982. Howard and the Phillies missed the playoffs -- though they won two more regular-season games than St. Louis.

The Dominican-born Pujols batted .331 with 49 home runs and 137 RBI, while Howard hit .313 with 58 homers and 149 RBI.

Howard got 20 first-place votes for MVP and 388 points in balloting by a panel of the Baseball Writers' Association of America. Pujols received 12 first-place votes and 347 points. Voting is conducted before the postseason.

Pujols, the 2005 NL MVP, said he has bigger dreams -- a spot in the National Baseball Hall of Fame in Cooperstown, N.Y. The BBWAA also votes for the Hall of Fame.

"It is still early, but it is a dream I have," Pujols said. "My hope is that in good time I will have sufficient numbers to get to Cooperstown."

Pujols praised several moves the Cardinals have made this offseason, including signing second baseman Adam Kennedy and pitcher Kip Wells. The slugger noted that his club had been hoping to land fellow Dominican star Alfonso Soriano, who instead agreed to a $136 million deal with the Chicago Cubs.

"I thought we were going to sign Soriano, but it wasn't possible. We also intended to trade for him during the season, but the Nationals wanted too much for him," Pujols said.

Copyright 2006 by The Associated Press

 

[sdaniels7114]

The sleazy way that particular award is given out has me convinced a player should avoid winning it. The Baseball Writers Association is loaded with little pissants who use their vote as a weapon more than anything else. There's tons of examples that prove this; but I'll just point towards two. Pedro Martinez in '99 and David Ortiz's entire career.

I agree that it should be very tough for a Pitcher to win the award and I can respect people who are consistent in thinking it should never happen. What I can't accept is the fact that that jerk from NY held Pedro off his ballot altogether that year even though he had voted for pitchers before. That makes his decision nothing more than a NY jerk sticking it to a Boston player. That kind of pettiness at the very least should have cost that 'writer' his ballot.

I certainly wouldn't say that big Papi deserves to win that award every year; but come on, look at 2004 and all his walk-off Home Runs. I know he doesn't play the field that much; but y'all know that if he was on any NL team he'd be the First Baseman and if he demanded the Sox put him at first they'd do it in a second. He's more than just a serviceable fielder. He's just not the best possible player available to the Sox at that position due to the DH rule. In other words, because Ortiz put the team ahead of himself he has no shot at ever winning the MVP. That's just wrong.

So I can't really look down at Pujols for questioning the sleaze that is the Baseball Writers Association. There's nothing wrong with wanting to win an individual award. Its just wrong to put winning one ahead of winning the big award.

 

[VJCPatriot]

I think taking your team to the playoffs should have some consideration but it's not the only factor. If you look at Ortiz in the AL and Pujols in the NL their situations are reversed.

Ortiz had way better offensive numbers than Jeter and an obscene number of walk off homeruns/RBIs. But since the Sox didn't make it into the playoffs I can see why he didn't win the MVP.

On the other hand in the NL Ryan Howard has better numbers (almost 10 more homeruns) but Pujols arguably led his team into the postseason and a WS championship. Who should have gotten more consideration in that situation??

Aren't the ballot voters being two-faced with their standards then?

I suppose it is unseemly for Pujols to complain but he does have a point.