NL MVP Race The Long And Adventurous Road

boldsportstalk.com is a newly launched sports website featuring two young and entertaining radio host, bloggers and columnist!  

Throughout the MLB season, like all sports, there are slumps, streaks, ups-and-downs and constant changing of the guard between players and teams.  This season has featured one of the most exciting races for the NL MVP crown, between three worthy candidates. 

The three candidates include one who has won three MVP awards before — St. Louis Cardinals’ first basemen Albert Pujols.  Another who is trying to unseat Albert as the best first basemen in baseball — Cincinnati Reds’ Joey Votto.  And finally, a player who has splashed on to the scene while trying to carry his team into the postseason —Colorado Rockies’ outfielder Carlos Gonzalez. 

I could easily present to you each players statistics at this point in the season, show you where their team lies in the standings and then make a case for who will win the MVP.  But as we’ve learned this season, the favorite to win the MVP of the National League has changed constantly throughout the year.  So with two weeks left what makes me think there’s not a shot it won’t change again? 

To understand this season’s MVP race, you have to understand how we got here.  So incase you were on vacation in Tahiti all summer, living underground anticipating 2012 and the world coming to an end, or you simply forgot, allow me to remind you. 

(Before I get started just want to mention the NL MVP preseason odds to win according to BoDog Sportsbook.  Albert Pujols was favored at 2/1, Joey Votto was at 50/1 and Carlos Gonzalez wasn’t even on the list!  It’s ironic that Houston Astros Carlos Lee was on that list with 75/1 odds but not Carlos Gonzalez.  My roommate Colin would love that Carlos Lee name-drop, not only did he warn me not to draft Lee too early in fantasy but he also told me I’d cut him within a month.  Late April when he was batting .183, with five RBI’s and no home runs, what’d I do?  I cut him.  I’m impatient, get frustrated easily and was pissed. Lesson learned, let’s move on. . .)

May 1^st

Albert Pujols: BA: .345, 7 home runs, 19 RBI’s.  Cardinals- 1^st place NL Central 16-8

Joey Votto: BA: .275, 4 home runs, 12 RBI’s. Reds- 2^nd place NL Central 12-12

Carlos Gonzalez: BA: .350, 3 home runs, 17 RBI’s. Rockies- 3^rd place NL West 11-13

MVP Race status:  It’s based just off April, anyone talking about the MVP race at this point should be tortured by cockroaches.  It’s WAY to early in the season.  The only purpose of talking about the MVP race is to build hype, as the excitement of opening day and a new season slowly dies down. 

Although, for the record, Pujols is scorching hot, Votto is slowly brewing and Gonzalez is feeling it as well.  As if I needed to say that, you could’ve just looked at the statistics. 

June 1^st

Pujols: BA: .316, 12 home runs, 39 RBI’s.  Cardinals- 2^nd place in NL Central 30-23

Votto: BA: . .312, 10 home runs, 33 RBI’s.  Reds- 1^st place in NL Central 31-22

Gonzalez: BA: .309, 7 home runs, 33 RBI’s.  Rockies- 3^rd place in NL West 28-24

MVP Race Status:  Still early, but the talk has definitely begun.  Pujols is still winning the race statistically and everyone is talking three-peat since he won the award in ’08 and ’09.  But something is going on with the Cardinals! There not in first of the division.

Surprise, Surprise, the Reds have a very slight lead in the NL Central.  The majority of us baseball fans and media experts don’t expect this to hold up.  But we do notice that Joey Votto is putting up solid numbers and his team is winning. 

Carlos Gonzalez is still off the map as an MVP candidate, and the Rockies are in 3^rd place still (get used to that). 

At this point in the season, Pujols is the clear favorite.

July 1^st

Pujols: BA: .310, 18 home runs, 57 RBI’s.  Cardinals- 2^nd place NL Central 43-36

Votto: BA: .312, 18 home runs, 55 RBI’s.  Reds- 1^st place NL Central 45-35

Gonzalez: BA: .299, 12 home runs, 46 RBI’s.  Rockies- 3^rd place NL West 42-37

MVP Race Status:  Yes, finally, something to talk about!  MLB hype is slowly dying down as we get to the middle of the season, where we are at the ‘I’m sort of bored of this shit when does football start period’ for the average fan of America.  But, we have something exciting here ladies and gentlemen!  A Pujols verse Votto MVP debate rises and while the numbers are extremely similar, Votto’s team is holding their lead at 1^st place of the division. 

While Votto is starting to gain the eyes of MVP votes, Carlos Gonzalez is patiently waiting to make his mark.  At this point in the race though, Gonzalez doesn’t even get a mention. 

August 1^st

Pujols: BA: .299, 24 home runs, 72 RBI’s. Cardinals- 1^st place in NL Central 59-46

Votto: BA: .325, 27 home runs, 72 RBI’s. Reds- 2^nd place in NL Central 59-47

Gonzalez: BA: .334, 21 home runs, 68 RBI’s.  Rockies- 3^rd in NL West 55-50

MVP Race Status:  Joey Votto overtakes the thrown after Pujols struggles in the month of July — .267 batting average, 6 home runs, 15 RBI’s.  Votto now becomes the favorite everyone is penciling him in, oh but wait someone not named Pujols is hot! 

Welcome to the club Carlos Gonzalez!  After an astonishing .382 batting average, 9 home run and 22 RBI month of July, Gonzalez is gaining steam.  No one seriously thinks this will last, but we are impressed with what the young outfielder is doing.

The month of August changes the fate of it all.

September 1^st

Pujols: BA: .316, 35 home runs, 95 RBI’s. Cardinals- 2^nd place of NL Central 69-62

Votto: BA: .326, 32 home runs, 97 RBI’s. Reds- 1^st place of NL Central 78-55

Gonzalez: BA: .336, 29 home runs, 91 RBI’s. Rockies- 3^rd place NL West 69-63

MVP Race Status:  The three-headed race has officially begun!  I mean, come on, did you really expect Pujols to fade away.  Pujols had his best month in August batting .379, hitting 11 home runs and bringing in 23 runs.  What hurt Pujols, though, was his team’s performance, or lack thereof. 

Joey Votto still the slight favorite — his team is doing great, he has been consistent — but everyone sees the two candidates trailing behind him.  Pujols, a three time MVP, and the young Gonzalez who is on an absolute tear. 

Gonzalez’s numbers were just as impressive in the month of August posting a .344 batting average, eight home runs and 23 RBI’s.  His team’s position in the playoff hunt, like Pujols, is holding him back. 

At this point all we know is we have a dramatic finish ahead. 

September 16^th

Pujols:  BA: .307 , 39 home runs , 104 RBI’s.  Cardinals- 2^nd place NL Central 74-70

Votto: BA: .321, 34 home runs, 104 RBI’s.  Reds- 1^st place NL Central 83-64

Gonzalez: BA: .341, 31 home runs, 106 RBI’s. Rockies- 3^rd place NL West 80-66

MVP Race Status:  Finally, we are here, if you made it this far, I hope you realize why it was so important.  Over the course of the season we went through so much in this MVP race only to find ourselves in a dead heat at the very end.  You can make a case for every single one of these players for the final two weeks of the season.  Let me gives this a shot at while they will win . . .

(For those of you complaining I didn’t consider defense and fielding statistics in my MVP race.  Here’s my theory: Pujols and Votto are similar, share near identical fielding percentages, share the same position and have only a one error difference.  Carlos Gonzalez has one error on the year and plays all outfield positions, which gives him a very tiny edge, so I’ll just let that make up for his weak early season start and call it a draw.  I think that theory works? Um screw it, my article, your reading, it definitely does.)

Pujols:  There is no doubt that year-in and year-out Albert Pujols is the best player in baseball.  Statistically for the NL he has a nice lead on everyone in home runs, is seventh in batting average and tied for second in RBI’s.  Obviously his team isn’t doing too well right now, but any miraculous run to finish the season and maybe clinch a postseason berth, Pujols will get the nod. 

Votto:  As the numbers show he has been extremely consistent all season long.  His Reds are currently in the first place in the NL central, which has been the pleasant surprise of this season.  If he can finish the season strong, fend off Pujols and the Cards to clinch the NL Central pennant, we have our winner.  Better be careful though, Carlos Gonzalez hasn’t slowed down yet. 

Gonzalez:  First in RBI’s and batting average in the National League really stick out.  He is currently batting .472, with 3 home runs and 15 RBI’s since September 1^st.  What’s been hurting him all season long, though, is his team.  However, times are changing, thanks to a 10 game winning streak this month, the Rockies are only 2.5 games behind the NL West leading Padres.  If the Rockies and Gonzalez’s hot play lead them to the postseason, the young gun takes home the trophy. 

MVP Race Final Thought: At this point in time, I give a slight edge to Votto for how his team has performed, as well as his play.  His lead is very slim.  But with a three time MVP winner and the hottest player in baseball on his rear-end, we have an exciting finish ahead.  

boldsportstalk.com is a newly launched sports website featuring two young and entertaining radio host, bloggers and columnist!