Ryan Howard Wins NL MVP Over Pujols

Howard Beat Out Pujols On Monday For The NL MVP Award

It has been officially announced that the first baseman of the Philadelphia Phillies, Ryan Howard, has been awarded the National League MVP award of the 2006 season. Ryan Howard started out great and finished the season even better, leading his Phillies to almost going to the playoffs, but missing it not by much.

Howard surpassed Albert Pujols, Carlos Beltran, and Miguel Cabrera for the award. The first baseman recieved 20 first place votes and 12 second place votes for a total of 288 points.

"It has been a fun ride. You can't really just sit there and kind of dwell on what's gone on in the past and all that kind of stuff and what's going to happen as far as being traded or what my future was with the Phillies. The only thing I could have done was just go out and play and let everything else just kind of sort itself out."

Going out and playing was exactly what Ryan Howard did this past season. He hit 58 home runs, had 149 rbis, and had an on base percentage of .425. To top this, he also won the home run derby that was held in Pittsburgh the night before the all star break.

"To be able to be in that kind of company and just being able to compete with a guy like Albert is, I guess, a feat in itself and it's an honor because what he's done."

Albert Pujols is arguably the best player in the majors and in many people's mind, should have been the MVP, but evidently, is not. Pujols though, had a better on base percentage, slugging percantage, and a better batting average and Pujols also missed 19 games. In those 19 games, it is arguable that Pujols could have caught Howard in the home run and RBI categories. Also, an argument can be made that Pujols' team made the playoffs and Howard had more weapons around him.