MLB 2011: Predicting the NL Leaders: Can Albert Pujols Win a Triple Crown?
Who will be this year's batting champion? Who will hit the most home runs? Who will be the most valuable player in baseball?
When the season starts, everyone has an answer to these questions—and almost everybody ends up being wrong.
Yesterday, we revealed who 24 of Bleacher Report's MLB Featured Columnists thought would lead the American League in each of 10 categories: batting average, home runs, RBI, runs, steals, OPS, wins, ERA, UZR and WAR.
Today, we take a look at the results for the National League.
Included this slideshow are the results for each category, as well as the average league-leading total and an explanation from someone who voted for the winner.
Let's see how we did!
Batting Average: Joey Votto, Reds
1 of 10
1. Joey Votto, Reds—58 percent
2. Carlos Gonzalez, Rockies—13 percent
T3. Starlin Castro, Cubs—Eight percent
T3. Troy Tulowitzki, Rockies—Eight percent
T5. Ryan Braun, Brewers—Four percent
T5. Matt Kemp, Dodgers—Four percent
T5. Pablo Sandoval, Giants—Four percent
On Votto (by Jordan Schwartz)
Joey Votto finished second in the National League with a .324 average last season, and he's off to an even better start this year, batting .351.
The 2010 NL MVP has increased his average each year he's been a full-time player, and he has the benefit of playing his home games at hitter-friendly Great American Ball Park in Cincinnati.
Home Runs: Albert Pujols, Cardinals
2 of 10
1. Albert Pujols, Cardinals—29 percent
2. Prince Fielder, Brewers—25 percent
3. Ryan Braun, Brewers—17 percent
4. Ryan Howard, Phillies—13 percent
5. Joey Votto, Reds—Eight percent
T6. Carlos Gonzalez, Rockies—Four percent
T6. Troy Tulowitzki, Rockies—Four percent
On Pujols (by Robert Knapel)
Albert Pujols is one of the most, if not the most, feared hitters in the National League. The fact that he is in a contract year makes him a whole lot more intimidating to pitchers.
For the past two years Pujols has been the National League home run leader, and there is no reason why it should be any different this season.
RBI: Albert Pujols, Cardinals
3 of 10
1. Albert Pujols, Cardinals—29 percent
2. Ryan Howard, Phillies—25 percent
3. Prince Fielder, Brewers—17 percent
4. Joey Votto, Reds—Eight percent
T5. Ryan Braun, Brewers—Four percent
T5. Carlos Gonzalez, Rockies—Four percent
T5. Matt Holliday, Cardinals—Four percent
T5. Troy Tulowitzki, Rockies—Four percent
T5. David Wright, Mets—Four percent
On Pujols (by Tim Keeney)
RBI is a category that tends to sometimes rely on the players around you. No NL lineup has looked better than St. Louis' so far this season, and with Ryan Theriot hitting well and Colby Rasmus looking to have a breakout season, the bases will be filled often for Pujols.
On top of lineup protection, Pujols is a pretty good hitter himself. The man is a machine. Don't bet against him.
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Runs: Albert Pujols, Cardinals
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1. Albert Pujols, Cardinals—25 percent
T2. Brandon Phillips, Reds—17 percent
T2. Joey Votto, Reds—17 percent
4. Carlos Gonzalez, Rockies—Eight percent
T5. Ryan Braun, Brewers—Four percent
T5. Matt Kemp, Dodgers—Four percent
T5. Martin Prado, Braves—Four percent
T5. Jose Tabata, Pirates—Four percent
T5. Troy Tulowitzki, Rockies—Four percent
On Pujols (by Dan Hartel)
Albert Pujols has led the National League in runs for each of the last two seasons, and there’s no reason to think that he won’t do it again.
Simply put, he’s the best player in the game today—an on-base and power machine who will have ample opportunities to be driven in by the likes of Matt Holliday, Colby Rasmus and a revitalized Lance Berkman hitting behind him.
Stolen Bases: Michael Bourn, Astros
5 of 10
1. Michael Bourn, Astros—75 percent
T2. Angel Pagan, Mets—Eight percent
T2. Jose Reyes, Mets—Eight percent
T4. Willie Bloomquist, Diamondbacks—Four percent
T4. Matt Kemp, Dodgers—Four percent
On Bourn (by Brandon Williams)
Michael Bourn has led the National League in steals the past two seasons and is on his way to a third straight crown, having swiped 11 in the first month of play. No one in the NL owns Bourn's speed, and—as his perfect steal rate thus far suggests—he has become a smarter runner.
No one has stolen 100 bases since 1987, but if there is a player in the majors capable of doing so, Bourn would be at the top of the list.
OPS: Joey Votto, Reds
6 of 10
1. Joey Votto, Reds—62 percent
2. Troy Tulowitzki, Rockies—19 percent
3. Albert Pujols, Cardinals—14 percent
4. Rickie Weeks, Brewers—Five percent
On Votto (by Vinnie Cestone)
In 31 games Votto has played so far, his OPS is an incredible 1.079. What separates Votto is his incredible eye at the plate. The number of strikes he sees is almost Barry Bonds-like, but he does not swing at the slop.
With his great head start, combined with the offensive ballpark where he plays, there is no reason Votto cannot continue as OPS champion.
Wins: Roy Halladay, Phillies
7 of 10
1. Roy Halladay, Phillies—54 percent
T2. Tim Hudson, Braves—Eight percent
T2. Tim Lincecum, Giants—Eight percent
T2. Roy Oswalt, Phillies—Eight percent
T5. Bronson Arroyo, Reds—Four percent
T5. Matt Cain, Giants—Four percent
T5. Ubaldo Jimenez, Rockies—Four percent
T5. Clayton Kershaw, Dodgers—Four percent
T5. Cliff Lee, Phillies—Four percent
On Halladay (by Bob Warja)
Wins are not always in a pitcher’s control, as we know. Lots of variables go into that, including defense and relief pitching.
Yet Roy Halladay will once again lead the NL in victories for two main reasons: 1) He is damn good, and 2) he pitches deep into ball games. It doesn’t hurt that the Phillies offense scores enough runs for him.
ERA: Roy Halladay, Phillies
8 of 10
1. Roy Halladay, Phillies—33 percent
2. Josh Johnson, Marlins—21 percent
3. Tim Lincecum, Giants—13 percent
T4. Yovani Gallardo, Brewers—Eight percent
T4. Clayton Kershaw, Dodgers—Eight percent
T4. Cliff Lee, Phillies—Eight percent
T7. Matt Cain, Giants—Four percent
T7. Jaime Garcia, Cardinals—Four percent
On Halladay (by Lewie Pollis)
What more is there to say about Halladay? In his first year out of the AL East, he posted a 2.44 ERA in 250.2 innings with the best xFIP (2.80) in the game en route to a unanimous Cy Young award.
So far this year, Halladay has a 2.19 ERA with an identical xFIP and an insane 1.51 FIP. It's no surprise to see him as the favorite to take the ERA crown.
UZR: Michael Bourn, Astros
9 of 10
1. Michael Bourn, Astros—45 percent
T2. Jay Bruce, Reds—18 percent
T2. Ryan Zimmerman, Nationals—18 percent
T4. Marlon Byrd, Cubs—Nine percent
T4. Angel Pagan, Mets—Nine percent
On Bourn (by Nathan Palatsky)
UZR is the combination of four metrics to mathematically express who the best fielder is in baseball: outfield arm, double plays, range and errors. Bourn has a below-average arm, but he has a career .991 fielding percentage and might have the single best range in baseball.
Bourn was second in to Jay Bruce in UZR last year, but Bruce can't match Bourn's raw speed in getting to fly balls.
WAR: Troy Tulowitzki, Rockies
10 of 10
1. Troy Tulowitzki, Rockies—38 percent
T2. Albert Pujols, Cardinals—23 percent
T2. Joey Votto, Reds—23 percent
T4. Prince Fielder, Brewers—Eight percent
T4. Hanley Ramirez, Marlins—Eight percent
On Tulowitzki (by Lewie Pollis)
A true five-tool player with a monstrous bat and a great glove, Tulowitzki would be a good bet to be the NL's Most Valuable Player even if he didn't get a huge boost from playing shortstop.
Last year, injuries limited Tulo to just 122 games, yet he still produced 6.4 WAR. Over 162 games, that would be worth 8.5 WAR. For some comparison, last year's NL WAR leader, Joey Votto, had 7.4.
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