If Albert Pujols

[rico08]

could not be voted the NL MVP, who would get the nod in his place?

Andre Ethier
Ryan Howard
Prince Fielder
Hanley Ramirez
Ryan Braun
Matt Kemp

Anyone missing?

This question was asked earlier on the Dodgers telecast. Between Ethier, Howard, and Hanley, Ethier won out by a margin only explained by the fact that its an LA TV station. Still, the broadcasters said something like 18 of Ethier's 31 home runs have either tied the game or put the Dodgers ahead. That's pretty damn clutch and has to count toward some votes.

So who do you got and why?

 

[Jaypers]

Prince without a doubt for me.

 

[rico08]

Consider the current numbers:

Andre Ethier .283 159H 88R 31HR 101RBI 6SB
Ryan Howard .271 153H 94R 41HR 123RBI 7SB
Prince Fielder .297 162H 94R 40HR 128RBI 2SB
Hanley Ramirez .352 190H 95R 23HR 100RBI 26SB
Ryan Braun .313 182H 104R 29HR 102RBI 15SB
Matt Kemp .307 172H 93R 25HR 95RBI 34SB

 

[Topnotchsy]

Prince without a doubt for me.

Agreed.

I'm not a big believer in "clutch." A run is a run, and while a homerun in extra innings gets the most attention, the fact is that if not for the run that was scored in the 3rd, there would have been no extra innings.

Fielder's numbers are far superior to Ethier's.

Hanley would be the only guy in the running for me.

 

[Topnotchsy]

Consider the current numbers:

Andre Ethier .283 159H 88R 31HR 101RBI 6SB
Ryan Howard .271 153H 94R 41HR 123RBI 7SB
Prince Fielder .297 162H 94R 40HR 128RBI 2SB
Hanley Ramirez .352 190H 95R 23HR 100RBI 26SB
Ryan Braun .313 182H 104R 29HR 102RBI 15SB
Matt Kemp .307 172H 93R 25HR 95RBI 34SB

Do you have OBP/SLG/OPS handy? I know that Fielder walks a ton and his slash numbers are really impressive.

 

[Austin]

I chose Prince Fielder (and Ethier is my favorite player.)

 

[Daltonb1219]

Hanley all day every day

 

[markakis8]

Prince easily.

 

[sheetskout]

Prince without a doubt for me.

Obviously agreed. Fielder has a pretty similar season if you really look. Great OBP and BB's to go with the power.

 

[jbone17]

No way Fielder deserves it over Han-Ram. Ramirez is an absolute freak and he is a better all around player than Fielder. He hits for power and average and the dude almost has 200 hits!!!! He has carried the Marlins on his back this year.

 

[chippernate]

Hanley for me

 

[Tomlinson21RB]

No way Fielder deserves it over Han-Ram. Ramirez is an absolute freak and he is a better all around player than Fielder. He hits for power and average and the dude almost has 200 hits!!!! He has carried the Marlins on his back this year.

I'm biased, but I agree.

Everyone is talking about the amazing season Mauer is having in the AL. Let's compare:

Mauer .373/28 HR/88 RBI/88 R/4 SB
Hanley .352/23 HR/100 RBI/95 R/26 SB

Twins - 77 Wins
Marlins - 81 Wins

Those two don't seem to far off, yet Hanley isn't getting anywhere near the talk that Mauer is getting. Obviously Pujols gets it in the NL, but I think Hanley should be #2.

And just to compare to prince, Hanley is hitting .055 better, has 17 less HR, but only 28 less RBI, with 1 more R, and 24 more SB. Also the Brewers only have 74 team wins as well compared to the Marlins 81. One more thing to think about is that both Mauer and Prince have another great player on their team (Morneau and Braun).

 

[hive17]

Prince. Hanley after that. too many impressive numbers that outweight things like "a better athlete" and "is clutch." Numbers win votes, and Prince has the better numbers that voters care about.

 

[jbone17]

Prince. Hanley after that. too many impressive numbers that outweight things like "a better athlete" and "is clutch." Numbers win votes, and Prince has the better numbers that voters care about.

Not really my man.

 

[Jeff D]

No way Fielder deserves it over Han-Ram.

I respect other's opinions (and mine is obviously biased)...but NO WAY?
Here's ONE way...Fielder has over 25% more RBI's than Hanley.
He has as many RBI's as Pujols and obviously on a team that's not nearly as productive.

To say there's no reason for Prince to get the vote is a gross exaggeration. And FYI Fielder has fewer errors and a better fielding percentage than Ramirez. Different positions, but FIelder has played in 150 games this year and has a .995 fielding percentage. Which incidentally, is better than Pujols.

 

[Tomlinson21RB]

Prince has the better numbers that voters care about.

That I can agree with. Personally I think Hanley's season is more impressive, but voters are like chicks and dig the long ball.

 

[sportscardtheory]

I think Ethier will end up second in voting.

 

[JoshHamilton]

Gordon Beckham, obviously

 

[hive17]

Prince. Hanley after that. too many impressive numbers that outweight things like "a better athlete" and "is clutch." Numbers win votes, and Prince has the better numbers that voters care about.

Not really my man.

trend example? "chicks dig the long ball" is all too often the rationale for these voters. Besides Rollins, we've had nothing but "power" guys for the decade in the NL. Hell, Howard was still able to finish 5th in the voting the following year and 2nd last year, despite massive BA. drops and near-record K totals.

When you said "not really", I think you meant "not always"; and the counter would still be, "yeah, but usually."

 

[Tomlinson21RB]

No way Fielder deserves it over Han-Ram.

I respect other's opinions (and mine is obviously biased)...but NO WAY?
Here's ONE way...Fielder has over 25% more RBI's than Hanley.
He has as many RBI's as Pujols and obviously on a team that's not nearly as productive.

To say there's no reason for Prince to get the vote is a gross exaggeration. And FYI Fielder has fewer errors and a better fielding percentage than Ramirez. Different positions, but FIelder has played in 150 games this year and has a .995 fielding percentage. Which incidentally, is better than Pujols.

obviously we're both biased, but how much weight can that fielding percentage really have in comparing the two? Let's put it this way:

Hanley: .984/9 E - *6 other players with equal or better fielding percentage at that position with a high of .989
Prince: .995/7 E - *12 other players with equal or better fielding percentage at that position with a high of 1.000 and .998