Is Carlos Delgado National League MVP?

Mets' Wright, Cardinals' Pujols, Astros' Berkman Also Candidates

Sep 10, 2008

Who will be the National League's most valuable player? Some experts believe Carlos Delgado, clutch-hitting first baseman, deserves strong consideration.

His batting average is hovering in the range of a so-so.265. He won’t beat out Ryan Howard as the league’s home run or RBI king. Yet Carlos Delgado is so obviously his team’s inspiration that the noisy New York sports press more and more trumpets Delgado as the possible winner of the Most Valuable Player award.

The National League MVP race this year does not have an odds-on favorite. In the first half of the season, Chase Utley of the Phillies looked like a good choice, but the Phillies may not even make it to the post-season, and those who vote - sportswriters – consider it extremely important that the prize go to someone one a contending team.

Pujols and Two Named Ramirez

Albert Pujols, the fabulous first baseman for the St. Louis Cardinals, once again is putting up numbers that demand attention. But his team is not headed for the post season. What’s more, although he is in contention to win the batting crown there is speculation he may have elbow surgery before the season’s end.

If the season were to end right now the Mets, Cubs and Dodgers would win their divisions and the Milwaukee Brewers would be the Wild Card team.

The Mets have three players with 100 or more RBIs: Delgado, David Wright and Carlos Beltran. Their shortstop, Jose Reyes, is hitting around .300 and is among the league leaders in steals.

The Cubs have a candidate in Aramis Ramirez, but they might not even win their division. Ryan Braun is having a monster year for Milwaukee. The Dodgers’ MVP clearly is Manny Ramirez, but it is unlikely he will get votes because he is playing only half a season for them. Lance Berkman could be the sneak victor in a classy field because he is having one of his best years and the Houston Astros may yet reach the playoffs.

The last time a player won the NL MVP award with a so-so batting average was Hank Sauer, who batted .270 for the Chicago Cubs in 1952. The lowest-average winner was Marty Marion of the St. Louis Cardinals, who was MVP in 1944 with a .267 average. That, however, was during World War II when all teams were depleted because many major league baseball players were serving in the military.

Sauer was a slugger and even though the Cubs finished fifth in the eight-team National League in 1952, he has 37 home runs (and thus tied Ralph Kiner for the league lead) and 121 runs batted in, the league’s best. Delgado is approaching those numbers for a league-leading team. What do readers think?

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Sep 11, 2008 9:40 AM

Guest :

The Cardinals are not headed for the postseason most likely, but that is on a team that has been decimated by injuries and looks more like a minor league team than one that won the world series just two seasons ago. Pujols has already been cheated out of at least one MVP (thanks to Barry Bonds). Let's not make it another this season, especially when you've got a guy leading in the batting title race, leading in gold glove consideration, and putting up solid power numbers despite nagging injuries.

Sep 12, 2008 8:21 PM

Guest :

If there were only one MVP trophy for all of MLB, the winner would be obvious. However, because his gaudy numbers span two leagues, Manny won't add this piece of hardware to his mantelpiece.

All of the talk about Carlos Delgado is ridiculous. (If one wants to throw out the first 1/2 of the season, then Manny is MVP in the NL.) It's time for New Yorkers to get over the fact that the A-Rod and the Yanks will be watching the playoffs in October, and look outside the overpaid clubhouses in Queens and the Bronx for MVP candidates. Most people's grandmothers could knock in 100 runs if they were batting in the middle of the Mets or the Yanks lineup.

Sep 16, 2008 9:17 PM

Guest :

Um, Ryan Howard.

Sep 24, 2008 8:48 PM

Guest :

Are we kidding about this? I mean seriously
Hint...50HR and 150 RBI for a division winning team...
Ryan Howard folks. That simple. Huge in September, monster numbers (AGAIN)
Yeah, people who worry about a slugger striking out, have no idea what they are talking about. He's clutch as clutch gets and without him you think the Phils are in the game? LOVE Utley, but look at his second half numbers, 7HR since the break? Not quite gonna get it done.

Sep 25, 2008 10:56 PM

Guest :

Pujols all the way. Best hitter in baseball the last 8 years.

Sep 25, 2008 10:58 PM

Guest :

Yeah right Ryan Howard????, .250 batting average doesn't cut it. Pujols averaging .353 are you serious? Just 12HR difference and about 35 rbi's. Pujols played like 25 less games. You do the Math. MVP TO PUJOLS..PUJOLS...PUJOLS...PUJOLS...PUJOLS...CAREER .334 HITTER OVER EIGHT SEASONS. BETTER THAN AROD WILL EVER BE.