Pujols Bitter over MVP Snub

I have no problem with what he said, its a valid point the Phillies did not make the play offs. Others also think MVP should go to a player on a play off team. Also I think its the dream of every baseball player to be inducted in the hall of fame. Competitive people want to win no matter what the competition

Honest maybe, but sometimes honesty can judge your character. I wonder what his thoughts would be if he were on the other end, he had a great year, his team did not make the playoffs, and he won the MVP. I don't buy that playoff talk either. You're kind of shrinking the player pool if only those who take their teams to the playoffs have the MVP candidates. Besides, Washington had a better record, in a better divsion, and didn't get to play the Cubs as often.

The other thing that bothers me is that he waited to get to the DR where he has media support before he spouted off. I'm a big Pujols fan who is now a little disappointed.

Pujols is a great player. He seems to employ the method of having a chip on his shoulder or always feeling slighted to motivate himself. To each his own. If the roles were reversed between him and Howard, he would be arguing that his team won two more regular season games and that he hit for a much higher average. This has nothing to do with the playoffs. It has everything to do with Albert believing he is the best player. It's hard to argue with him. I think the cross he bears fuels him to greatness but it may not be a good thing for his long term mental health

I forget if it was on these message boards where I read it, but apparently he is still upset with the St. Louis scout who played a role in him getting drafted after all these years. Apparently, he was upset with some commentary that he felt caused him to slide further down the draft than he felt he should. Let it go Albert and just play the game. All that said, it won't surprise me to see him hit 60 homeruns, bat .375, and knock in 170 next season.

I have always liked Albert and respected his skills. Never knew much about him as a person. After seeing this, I respect him a bit less.

ESPN did a piece on the scout that signed him. He was let go and out of baseball, sort of down on his luck. There was mention of Pujols feeling slighted over his low pick.

if he feels cheated, how should jeter feel??? inmo, jeter may do more for his team and be more of a complete player than any other in the game!

quote:

Originally posted by turnin2:
if he's ****ed, how should jeter feel???

The great thing about Jeter is, if he was PO'd he would not wine to the press about it. He keeps that to himself. He is a stand up guy and pointed out they play for the ring!!!

Pujos 50 ks on the year. Howard 181 ks.

Pujos - Gold Glove (6 es) Howard, second worst fielder in his position w/14 errors.

I know that "If ifs and buts were candies and nuts, we'd all have a Merry Christmas" but, If Pujos had avoided that injury, his number projections would have surpassed Howard's in both HRs and RBIs.

What about the Post Season Remark?

Maybe this was that "exception" year where for no known reason the vote was intended to make a statement that this is a league of MVP's and anything can happen if you play the game 110%. There is reason for both winners to feel justified.

There are some unfortunate players who had to settle for the 2nd, 3rd, 4th, most valuable player. What a terrible year. Get over it boys and look into where your game can go to another level. I'll bet that's Jeters approach. That would be a leaders approach.

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That would be a leaders approach.

Interesting comment rz1. No arguing that Pujols is the statistical leader of that team. Curious who the real leader on that team is though? Might it be that 5-6 guy who can't throw over at ss?

If Jeter has an ounce of realism he wakes up every day praising God for his blessings remarking "Pinch me. I can't believe I'm actually Derek Jeter"

Pujols has been getting increasingly hissy lately, which is a disappointment. Perhaps he needs a specialist coach....to teach him to shut up.

Or, I could look at it as a positive. This kind of immature behavior could indicate that (as a player from the DR) he really is as young as he says he is.

On the other hand, he has put up MVP-consideration numbers every year, and been passed over repeatedly for Bonds and now Howards. His consistency, I believe, has worked against him, what with the sports writers so easily distracted by bright, shiny things. Didn't Hank Aaron have the same problem? He was always money, but I believe he only won one MVP award.

Not winning MVP did cost him $100,000 in incentives, though I'm sure his WS share will salve the sting of that loss a bit.

I agree he wuz robbed. How can Howard have "carried" his team (as a definition of MVP) if two other guys on the Phils got MVP votes as well? And (as I have already gone on about numbers), I will just quote myself (in an excess of ego...OMG! It's catching! ):


From the Morneau Thread:
Who has the better glove? Pujols got the Gold.

Pujols was on base more (even with 16 fewer walks), had a better slugging percentage AND scored more runs (even with 9 fewer homeruns), and (astonishingly) Pujols struck out 50 TIMES ALL SEASON while Howard struck out 181 times.

Cogitate on that for a moment, sports fans. Struck out 50 times and hit 49 home runs. Ever hear of a power hitter so close to matching numbers in those two categories?

Importantly (and this would take some appreciation of the game) Pujols hit .397 with RISP (66 points above his season average); Howard hit .256 with RISP...57 points below his season average.

How about RISP with 2 outs? When you either get the run or take the field? Um....what you might call clutch situations? Howard hit .247 (66 points below average). Pujols hit .435. That’s FOUR THIRTY FIVE.


I know I'm thinking Most VALUABLE Player here.

Interestingly, he was gracious in St Louis and in English as quoted in the Post-Dispatch. He and Howard train at the same place (Howard is from St Louis).

Again, McGwire was not named MVP in '98, with the published reason being that the MVP should come from a post-season team. I would expect that would still be discussed in the organization.

There was some indication, post-season, that Jim Edwards was taking a leadership role. As AP went from Quiet Guy to Cranky Guy, I wouldn't expect him to play that role with either persona.

It said he was talking in spanish to a dominican reporter. if he was talking to a reporter in the U.S. he prolly wouldnt have said this. he was in his home country speaking his mind. he should be a little upset he didnt win, who wouldnt? im sure jeter feels he should have won, he just doesnt speak about it. now if pujols went public right away to a large U.S. media source it would be different.

Cardinals fans are strangely dedicated.....
PostSeaon Clay

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It said he was talking in spanish to a dominican reporter. if he was talking to a reporter in the U.S. he prolly wouldnt have said this

Two answers depending on the language spoken, excuse me.

Thats even worse, in my hood thats being 2-faced. I suppose when he comes back to the US in the Spring and is asked about his comment he will say he doesn't understand English, the ultimate DR cop-out.

Pujols needs to "just shut up." He needs to stop being the second coming of Bonds and just play. He spouted off towards the end of the season. Prince Albert is starting to get on my nerves, and I like him and the Cards.

It is all part of the game now---I did not get my "award"---ugly situation

quote:

Originally posted by rz1:
Two answers depending on the language spoken, excuse me.

Thats even worse, in my hood thats being 2-faced. I suppose when he comes back to the US in the Spring and is asked about his comment he will say he doesn't understand English, the ultimate DR cop-out.

He could have been misquoted, mistranslated or mis somethinged....

quote:

He could have been misquoted, mistranslated or mis somethinged.... Wink

How 'bout mis-directed

It would appear that nuances were missed and words exacerbated to make it more of a story.

With some translations

Should we have any Spanish speakers here who would like to offer an opinion as to what was actually said:

Diario Libre story

This will almost definitely keep him from getting into the HOF on the first ballot.

quote:

Originally posted by Holden Caulfield:
This will almost definitely keep him from getting into the HOF on the first ballot.

Hey he just got through the Barry Bonds School of Public Relations...Very Nice,,High Five!

Im a few days late but heres my thoughts:

Pujols is a big baby if he is crying about the MVP award.He won the World Series,be happy,dont complain about not winning a personal achievment award.

A playoff team?The cardinals had 83 wins.The Phillies won more games playing in a much better division,thats how baseball works though.Howard also had better offensive numbers in the key categories(HR,RBI).

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The Phillies won more games playing in a much better division

Really, A much better division??

Well you would think that division would of Won the WS??

Pujol's is upset, Cause he lost $100,000 dollar's in incentive's.
Period.
EH

Futurecatcher, would you rather have a guy on your team who hit a homerun once every three games and struck out at least once a game, or a guy who struck out (the most unproductive of outs) once every three games and who was pretty much a 50:50 shot to hit with RISP?

Key categories? Not in my book. Glam categories, maybe, but look deeper into the game to the productive categories.

RBI depend on the guys in front of you in the batting order. Hitting with RISP, however, is the individual player's gig. Pujols hit 147 points higher than Howard with RISP. And 200 points (aproaching double) higher with RISP and two outs. The man is clutch.

Me, I like clutch.

So, he's upset because he was drafted in a late round, and he's upset because he thinks an MVP should single-handedly carry a team to the playoffs.

Mike Piazza should be in the HOF in the future, and Pujols certainly wasn't drafted lower than him. MP was the Dodger's last pick in the last round..and it was only as a favor because Tommy Lasorda was close with his Dad.

As for a single player single-handedly leading the charge into the playoffs...ARod disproved that theory a long time ago. The Mariners and Rangers were both better teams after he left...guess he needed to learn to pitch.

Maybe the voters took note that at the same time Pujols was "injured" and missed time, Jason Grimsley was indirectly implicating him in illegal supplement use.

You may well be right, 2seamer, that may have been in the voters' minds; I don't credit them with deep thought or awareness.

It would be nice if the voter/writers/commentators were aware that that was the first time Pujols has ever been on the DL. So I'm buying he was, as you put it, "injured".

It would also be nice if the voter/writers/commentators were aware that in October, it was reported that the trainer's name that was on the Grimsley affadavit wasn't Mihlfeld (who was the connection to Pujols) but former Yankees trainer Brian McNamee which was how Clemens and Pettite's names started coming into the steroid gossip.

Deadspin.com, the source of the Mihlfeld assertions and so the Grimsley-Pujols-steroid rumor has since issued a retraction and apology. So it would further be nice if casual fans stopped perpetuating that particular rumor.

L.A. Times Article

Deadspin 'A Deeply Regretable Wrong'

From Olbermann Watch

Mihlfeld's Statement

This isn't Roid Rage from our Albert. More like Ego Cranky.

I'm not going to go either way on this, but my question is this: What is the set criteria for being named MVP?

From Hardball Times (don't know where they got it):

"Of course, choosing a stat would be easier if the BBWAA were clearer about its MVP criteria. That is unfortunately not the case. Instead, the BBWAA says (among other things):


There is no clear-cut definition of what Most Valuable means. It is up to the individual voter to decide who was the Most Valuable Player in each league to his team. The MVP need not come from a division winner or other playoff qualifier.

The rules of the voting remain the same as they were written on the first ballot in 1931:

1. Actual value of a player to his team, that is, strength of offense and defense.
2. Number of games played.
3. General character, disposition, loyalty and effort.
4. Former winners are eligible.
5. Members of the committee may vote for more than one member of a team.

You are also urged to give serious consideration to all your selections, from 1 to 10. A 10th-place vote can influence the outcome of an election. You must fill in all 10 places on your ballot. Keep in mind that all players are eligible for MVP, and that includes pitchers and designated hitters.

Only regular-season performances are to be taken into consideration."


Win Shares For MVP

By the Win Shares stat, it's Pujols over Howard 39 - 31. Actually, Beltran was his close competitor on that stat (38); Howard's in sixth place in the NL.

Jeter led the AL in Win Shares with 33(Morneau was fifth). Interestingly, by that stat, he wasn't even Most Valuable Twin; Mauer was second to Jeter.

As you can see, it says the MVP doesn't have to come from a playoff qualifying team. That arguement would be used less frequently by disappointed fans and players if the members of the BBWAA hadn't used that excuse to justify choices so often in the past.