Pujols snares second NL MVP award

Source: Agencies  |   2008-11-19  |     NEWSPAPER EDITION

ST. Louis Cardinals slugger Albert Pujols won his second National League Most Valuable Player award, powering past Philadelphia star Ryan Howard by a comfortable margin on Monday.

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

"I wasn't surprised at all," Pujols said. "You have to consider everything. You have to put all the numbers together."

Los Angeles outfielder Manny Ramirez and Milwaukee pitcher C.C. Sabathia also drew strong support after being traded by American League 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. The first baseman added to the MVP award he won in 2005.

Howard, who led the majors with 48 homers and 146 RBI 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. Houston's 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.

"There were so many candidates," Pujols said on a conference call from his home in St. Louis. "I'm happy I didn't have to make that decision."

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.

Pujols, the only player on all 32 ballots, led the league in slugging percentage and intentional walks. He drew 104 walks while striking out only 54 times, and was second in the NL with a .462 on-base percentage.