@Region Philbis,
I didn't pay much attention to the AL this year, so I'm not gonna speculate on MVP. Did watch the NL a bit, though.
Pujols produced 179 runs (runs + RBI - HR). Howard produced 203 runs. Howard strikes out a ton, so he's not as likely to move runners over as Pujols. However, for the same reason, he's also not as likely to ground into double plays (2.0% of the time, vs. 3.6% for Pujols).
Defensively, of course, Pujols has a big edge. He gets to more balls hit his way, he commits fewer errors. Dunno how many runs a gold-glove caliber first baseman is compared to, well, whatever you want to call Howard when he's playing over there.
Of course, the Phillies were better than the Cards, and the team always plays into the equation, but the Cardinals were solidly in contention until the last month, and weren't eliminated until near the end. Howard's production down the stretch was phenomenal, though, and obviously his team made it.
Then there's David Wright. Produced 206 runs, won the Gold Glove at 3B. Haven't seen much talk of him as an MVP candidate, though. Odd, I think.
I see Delgado mentioned as an MVP candidate, and frankly I just don't get it. His second-half production doesn't put him ahead of Howard, and his all-around value and full-season stats aren't as good as for Wright or Pujols.
I like that local kid (for me) Ryan Braun is getting some mention, but his season wasn't in the same class as these other guys. Also, I'm not sure if it shows up in his numbers, but he's still very much a work-in-progress in left field. (Even with Mike Cameron in center, the Brewer outfield is a bit of an adventure...) Anyway, C.C. was the MVP of the Brewers this year (whatever Region says; I watched most of those stretch run games, and the confidence he gave the team was like what Gibson brought to the '88 Dodgers, as I think I've mentioned already...), and you can't be MVP of the league if you're not MVP of your own team.
So, anywho -- with all due respect to Pujols, I think NL MVP should go to Ryan Howard.
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