I never said RBI’s were a meaningless stat, because certainly hitters with higher RBI totals are generally better at hitting with men in RISP than people with low RBI numbers. BUT, what I did say was that they aren’t the best indicators for how good somebody does in these situations. In the very first comment to this blog I cite stats that indicate that Pujols has been a better hitter in these situations this season than Howard, however, due to his inept teammates he doesn’t have all the opportunities that Howard does to knock in runs. Personally, I don’t like using stats that an individual doesn’t have complete control over to evaluate their performance.

You say that stats have no place in determining winners, and that is just not true. I’d like to point you toward Theo Epstein. I’m sure you’re familiar with him, but are you familiar with his management strategy? If you’re not then let me fill you in; his philosophy has deep ties with sabermetrics. His philosophy has lead them to two of the past 4 World Series titles and has them poised for their third.

Also, I’m sorry if I laughed a little when you cited Jerry Manuel (I’m a White Sox fan). In regards to that Manuel quote; he’s talking about being a winner. Do you really think that Pujols didn’t put everything he had into getting the Cardinals into the playoffs? This team was picked to finish behind the Reds and some people said behind the Pirates in that division, but he lead them to a much better finish. This is also a man who helped make this team the best team in the NL from 2003-2006.

It’s not my tenacity for Pujols, but rather my tenacity for recognition of true greatness. I love the sport of baseball, and it just makes me a little upset that players like Pujols can somehow go unnoticed (of course I realize he has been noticed, but I don’t think that many people have noticed how truly great he is). It’s funny, too, because I really really hate the Cardinals.

Pujols himself said he can’t see giving the MVP to a player no in the playoffs last year. I’m applying the same logic here. Was Howard as prolific a hitter as Pujols? Absolutely not. Is he a better all-around player? No here too. You are right about Pujols leading in every statistical category except two — RBIs and HRs.

HRs are not as important as RBIs, but yet, you act like RBIs are meaningless in relation to Howard. It’s somehow a slight that he knocked that many people in. I’m sorry, isn’t the idea to score runs? How is knocking more in than: Any. Other. Player. In. MLB. Somehow invalid? Same with leading the entire league in home runs?

However, it’s apparently my fault for applying the Steve Nash/basketball thinking here. I understand just how statistical baseball is, but the bottom line is winning.

I offer a segment from Jerry Manuel:

On his first full day as the Mets’ long-term manager, Manuel forcefully attacked the SABR-type mathematical analysis some have fixated on in recent years.

“That’s not really how it works, and that’s what we have to get away from. And that’s going to have to be a different mind-set of the team in going forward. We must win and we must know how to win rather than win because we have statistical people. We have to win because we have baseball players that know and can understand the game.”

But like I said, I admire your tenacity for Pujols, and if he wins, I certainly won’t be disappointed or feel Howard was robbed. I just think he deserves the same consideration.

Pujols is leading Howard in pretty much every other major statistical category (and yes, that includes OBP and SLG). Also, you come off as completely uneducated about baseball when you say things like “nifty little things like OBS and slugging percentage”. A very large portion of the baseball community recognizes these stats as very significant, yet you’re stuck in your bull shit traditionalist mindset that only AVG/HR/RBI matter.

You say that my argument is “Pujols is the better hitter , therefore, he’s the most valuable” and that’s not true. My argument is that Pujols is a much much much MUCH better hitter than Howard and that’s why. Pujols is putting up out of this world numbers, and the fact that most people can’t recognize this is a shame. Pujols will go down as one of the 10 greatest hitters ever, and unfortunately there are people who don’t realize it.

Lastly you state that I probably think A-Rod should have won those years he was in Texas. Actually I don’t! In 2002 he probably had the 4th or 5th best season out of AL batters. He was behind Giambi who made the playoffs, but somehow Tejada won, eek. In 2003 when he did win, Manny had a better season and also made the playoffs.

Hopefully, this won’t go down as the second time Ryan Howard robbed Albert Pujols of an MVP, but I’m afraid it will.

Apparently, that only matters when Pujols isn’t involved.

You play the game to win, not to post the prettiest Sabermetric numbers. And guess what? The Phillies won and Howard essentially drove them to the post season. If you want to ignore that for a great batter on an also ran team, that’s on you.

Oh yeah, despite all those pretty numbers Pujols posted, Howard still out-homered and out-RBI’d him. But I guess that doesn’t count because of nifty little things like OBS and Slugging Percentage. You’ve been so blinded by Pujols’ bat, you’ve forgotten why you play games like these to begin with.

Oh I forgot it’s his fault he doesn’t have Chase Utley, Jimmy Rollins, and the best bullpen in the NL (Cardinals easily had one of the worst) on his team.

Anybody that thinks Howard is more deserving than Pujols should never be allowed to write about baseball again, unfortunately that won’t happen.

So much for value.

MVP! MVP! MVP!