MIDSEASON MVPS AND CY YOUNGS - NATIONAL LEAGUE

by Matt Minucci

After running through the American League contenders for their respective hardware, I've decided to run through the National League, in what will almost assuredly be a much easier analysis, mainly because the NL MVP race is already over.

It's over Johnny. It's over.

What's that you say? How can it be over when we're not even out of July? Easy. One person in the National League is simply just that much better than every one else. Albert Pujols is having a season for the ages - at least, a half-season for the ages. No one in the NL even comes close. I could theoretically end the article right here. Albert Pujols. End of conversation.

There's no point arguing for anyone but Albert. 

But for the sake of the argument, I'll run through some NLers that are having solid seasons in their own right. They just can't compare to Prince Albert.

For example, Carlos Lee is having a solid season for the Houston Astros, helping to keep them in contention in the NL Central. He's batting .309 with 14 HR, 53 RBI and 17 2B. Not too shabby.

Lee is just going sit back and watch Pujols win the award.

The Diamondbacks are one of the worst teams in the National League, but at least third baseman Mark Reynolds is trying to do his share, with a .268 average, 25 HR, 63 RBI and 16 stolen bases. It's a great season, but nowhere near good enough.

For a team heading in a complete opposite direction, the Los Angeles Dodgers, the owners of the Major League's best record, have one the National League's best up and coming young players, five-tool OF, Matt Kemp, is raking along, having a season so strong, I'll give you his stats the way I have been in previous articles:

Player BA HR RBI R 2B SB SLG TB

Matt Kemp .320 13 55 56 12 20 .503 173

Dodger fans love Kemp, but he's still not the MVP.

Throw in 6 triples and you can see that Matt Kemp is really a big part of the Dodgers early season success.

Still...it's not even remotely close to Pujols.

The Giants have a talented first baseman as well. Young star Pablo Sandoval is hitting .327 with 15 HR and 56 RBI, while slugging at a .562 clip. But again, not a chance.

The Marlins are fighting for a wild card and it's thanks mainly to their superstar short stop Hanley Ramirez, who, in any other season would be an easy choice for top honors.

 Player BA HR RBI R 2B SB SLG TB

Hanley Ramirez .348 15 62 56 27 13 .563 189

These numbers are very impressive, no doubt about it. But you've not seen anything yet.

There's no shortage of solid players across the National League. For instance, the Reds have Joey Votto, who's crushing the ball with a .347 average, 12 HR, 44 RBI, 14 2B while slugging .584. 

Even Superman pales in comparison to Albert Pujols.

The Nationals, the worst team in the NL, at least have some hitters making noise, as Adam Dunn has 24 HR, 64 RBI and is batting a respectable .265.

The Rockies Brad Hawpe is having a phenomenal season, batting .322 with 15 HR, 61 RBI, 28 doubles, and a .581 slugging pct.

Even the woeful Padres have Adrian Gonzalez, who's mashed 25 HR and 53 RBIs. 

In fact, very few teams can say they don't have a hitter who at least bears a passing mention in the MVP race. However, to those few teams, let me salute you, Cubs, Mets, Pirates and Braves. You have truly produced some incredibly craptacular hitters. Well done. 

Let's go Mets!

Now that we've separated the pretenders out, we're left with the creme of the crop, and this year, it doesn't really amount to all that much, especially when compared to the incomparable Pujols.

Essentially, we have one Brewer and no less than FOUR members of the Philadelphia Phillies. Let's dispatch of the Phillies first. 

Player BA HR RBI R 2B SB SLG TB

Raul Ibanez .309 25 68 58 19   4 .662 184

Chase Utley .302 21 66 65 19   9 .554 185

Ryan Howard .259 24 69 60 20   4 .531 187

Jayson Werth .266  21 61 63 15 12 .508 168

The Phillies have their own Fab Four.

That's quite a quartet the Phillies have there. Clearly, those 4 are the primary reason the Phillies have run away and hid from the rest of the NL East. (That and the fact that the Mets decided to completely implode.) Clearly, Raul Ibanez has been the MAN for the Phillies, with his amazing 1/2 season. But Howard, Werth and Utley have also been beyond solid as well. A fantastic foursome, but none of them are the NL MVP.

In Milwaukee, it's been the Prince Fielder show. Winner of the All Star Home Run Derby, Fielder has been the 2nd best Prince in the National League. A little shout out goes to Ryan Braun, who's helped support Fielder in Milwaukee with a .307 average, 17 homers, 60 rbis and 9 stolen bases. But Prince has clearly taken it to the next level:

Player BA HR RBI R 2B SB SLG TB

Prince Fielder .312 24 86 63 23  1 .610 203

Those are some ridiculous numbers after only 90 or so games. Prince would be the run away MVP in the National League if it wasn't for the other "Prince" - Prince Albert Pujols, first baseman for the St. Louis Cardinals.

Prince is loading up on doughnuts and homers. He's still no Albert.

His numbers are absolutely out of this world. He's threatening for the triple crown, which would make him the first winner since Carl Yastremski in 1967, and the first NL winner since Ducky Medwick in 1937. That's quite some time.  Now, Pujols trails the leader in BA by .020 points, but he's leading the world in HRs and RBIs. And all it would really take is a slip by SS Hanley Ramirez for Albert to make a serious run at the batting title. It. Could. Happen!

Give Albert Pujols the MVP!

Here are his ridiculous numbers:

Player BA HR RBI R 2B SB SLG TB

Albert Pujols .328 34     90 77 22 10 .711 234

He's on pace to hit 57 homers and drive in over 150 RBIs all while hitting .330. It's just been a tremendous run for Pujols and he's shown no sign of slowing down.

Pujols is second in batting average, trailing only Hanley Ramirez, albeit by 20 points (.348-.328); he leads by 9 in homers and leads Prince Fielder in RBIs 90 to 86. The law of averages say Pujols probably won't win the Triple Crown, but he's the run away leader for the NL MVP. 

The MVP.

Tune back in tomorrow, when we run through the leader for the NL Cy Young (there's not really that many, but the race is close) and NL Rookie of the Year.