2012 Philadelphia Phillies: Hunter Pence Must Win MVP

First off, is Phillies' right fielder Hunter Pence the type of player that can win an MVP award or is he better suited to be a complimentary player? 

Everyone saw what happened to ex-Phillie Jayson Werth when he signed that huge contract with the Washington Nationals and was asked to be "THE man."  Didn't quite work out.  It's not to say Werth isn't a terrific player because I still believe he is.  But some players thrive being "THE man," while others perform better being a complimentary piece.

So back to Pence.  The highest he has ever finished in MVP voting was last season finishing 16th. Without a doubt, he flourished in Philly.  In approximately half the amount of games he played in Houston, Pence came over and hit as many home runs as he did in Houston and his OPS ballooned from .828 to .954. Expand his Philly numbers out to a full season and this is what you would get:

                  AB    R    H     D    T    HR    RBI    AVG    BB    K    SB

Pence        621   105  201  36   6    33     105    .324      78    114   3

.324-33-105 are easily MVP numbers for a division champ and it's just the type of year the Phillies need out of Pence if they are going to try and get another World Championship with this nucleus.

Can Pence put up those kind of numbers being the man?

In Houston, Pence was always surrounded by players like Lance Berkman, Carlos Lee & former AL MVP Miguel Tejada as the leading men. Last year after the trade, Pence had Chase Utley and two former MVP's Ryan Howard and Jimmy Rollins leading the way. In 2012, it appears it's his turn to step to the front of the line like Werth was asked to do in Washington.  How Pence reacts to that might determine how far this team goes.

Howard's season is possibly in jeopardy while Utley's health will certainly be a question mark for the remainder of his career.   Rollins is definitely a key figure for the Phillies but he hasn't sniffed the 2007-type MVP numbers since that year.  Shane Victorino is a solid Major Leaguer but doesn't do quite enough to put a team on his back and carry them.  Classic complimentary player.

Pence isn't the type of guy who will shy away from the burden of carrying the team.  He quickly became a fan favorite in Philly for his "balls to the wall" effort, enthusiasm and catchy "Good game, let's go eat" quote.

The NL East should be more competitive this season.  Atlanta has a solid rotation, impressive young players to add to veterans Dan Uggla, Brian McCann and Chipper Jones, and a stellar back of the bullpen that will enable them to win a ton of tight games. 

The Nationals are getting better every season and their rotation is talented and deep.  New manager Ozzie Guillen and free agent signee Jose Reyes should provide the Marlins with a much needed spark.  If their pitching can stay healthy, specifically ace Josh Johnson, the Marlins can have one of those "out of nowhere" seasons like their World Series titles in 1997 and 2003.

The Phillies won't be able to coast to another NL East title on Roy Halladay, Cliff Lee and Cole Hamels alone.

It was amazing to see a team win 102 games last season and not really have an MVP candidate.   Halladay/Lee/Hamels carried this team throughout the season but it's rare to see a division winner without some sort of offensive MVP threat.  It shows you how impressive the Phils' pitchers were in 2011. 

Phillies fans have been lenient and understanding with this nucleus of talent and divisional dominating run they have been so blessed with the past five years.  But the last two seasons have ended in agonizing disappointment.  The 2012 squad does have enough talent to win it all.  It just might take a little more from the lineup minus some key figures to get this done.

Weight of the World..... meet Hunter Pence, Hunter Pence..... meet Weight of the World.  If the two of you become the best of friends, the Phillies might be parading down Broad Street yet again.