Albert Pujols won his second straight National League MVP Tuesday, a unanimous selection of the Baseball Writers' Association of America. Pujols is just the sixth player in National League history to win the award unanimously , and the first since Barry Bonds, who swept the honors in 2002. He is also the 12th player in either league to win the award in consecutive seasons. Bonds was also the last player to accomplish that feat, winning MVP in four straight seasons from 2001-04.
It is the third time Pujols has won the award -- he also won in 2005 -- and he has finished in the top five in the MVP voting in every year of his career except one, 2007, when he finished ninth.
The three MVPs ties Pujols with Alex Rodriguez for the lead among active players and ties him with Rodriguez and seven others for the second most all-time. Bonds holds the record, with seven career MVP awards.
Pujols was his usual historically productive self in 2009 as he led the Cardinals to their first NL Central title since 2006. He was first in the senior circuit in OPS and slugging for the third time in the last four seasons. He also led the league in on-base percentage for the first time ever and was tops in home runs (47), runs (124), extra-base hits (93) and total bases (374). He was also in the top three in the league in batting average, games played, doubles, walks and RBI.
Marlins shortstop Hanley Ramirez was the runner-up to Pujols, garnering 15 of 32 second-place votes. It's the first time he has finished higher than 10th in the voting. Phillies first baseman Ryan Howard, who beat out Pujols in a tight race to win the 2006 NL MVP, was third in the voting, followed by Brewers first baseman Prince Fielder and Rockies shortstop Troy Tulowitzki.
Dodgers outfielder Andre Ethier, Giants infielder Pablo Sandoval, Phillies second baseman Chase Utley, Cubs first baseman Derrek Lee, and Dodgers outfielder Matt Kemp rounded out the top 10.
This is the 17th time a Cardinals player has been honored, putting St. Louis behind only the Yankees for the most by one team.
| How They Voted |
|||||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Voting for 2009 NL MVP (14 points for first-place vote, nine for second, eight for third on down to one for 10th): | |||||||||||
| Player, Team | 1st | 2nd | 3rd | 4th | 5th | 6th | 7th | 8th | 9th | 10th | Pts |
| Albert Pujols, Cardinals |
32 |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
448 |
| Hanley Ramirez, Marlins |
15 |
5 |
3 |
3 |
|
2 |
3 |
1 |
|
233 |
|
| Ryan Howard, Phillies |
6 |
8 |
7 |
5 |
1 |
3 |
1 |
|
|
217 |
|
| Prince Fielder, Brewers |
5 |
9 |
7 |
3 |
1 |
|
3 |
1 |
3 |
203 |
|
| Troy Tulowitzki, Rockies |
3 |
6 |
5 |
5 |
5 |
1 |
1 |
|
172 |
||
| Andre Ethier, Dodgers |
2 |
|
3 |
2 |
5 |
4 |
5 |
3 |
|
113 |
|
| Pablo Sandoval, Giants |
|
1 |
|
2 |
5 |
5 |
6 |
1 |
4 |
89 |
|
| Chase Utley, Phillies |
|
2 |
2 |
1 |
5 |
4 |
|
3 |
1 |
84 |
|
| Derrek Lee, Cubs |
1 |
|
|
3 |
3 |
2 |
2 |
5 |
|
66 |
|
| Matt Kemp, Dodgers |
|
|
2 |
1 |
2 |
3 |
1 |
1 |
2 |
49 |
|
| Ryan Braun, Brewers |
|
|
|
3 |
1 |
|
2 |
4 |
6 |
43 |
|
| Adrian Gonzalez, Padres |
|
|
1 |
|
1 |
|
3 |
2 |
5 |
30 |
|
| Todd Helton, Rockies |
|
1 |
1 |
|
1 |
1 |
|
2 |
|
28 |
|
| Chris Carpenter, Cardinals |
|
|
|
1 |
2 |
1 |
|
2 |
1 |
25 |
|
| Adam Wainwright, Cardinals |
|
|
|
1 |
|
|
2 |
1 |
2 |
16 |
|
| Matt Holliday, Cardinals |
|
|
1 |
|
|
1 |
|
2 |
|
15 |
|
| Jayson Werth, Phillies |
|
|
|
1 |
|
1 |
|
|
|
10 |
|
| Shane Victorino, Phillies |
|
|
|
|
|
2 |
|
|
|
8 |
|
| Tim Lincecum, Giants |
|
|
|
|
|
1 |
|
1 |
2 |
8 |
|
| Yunel Escobar |
|
|
|
1 |
|
|
|
|
|
6 |
|
| Mark Reynolds, D'backs |
|
|
|
|
|
|
1 |
1 |
1 |
6 |
|
| Joey Votto, Reds |
|
|
|
|
|
1 |
|
|
|
4 |
|
| Yadier Molina, Cardinals |
|
|
|
|
|
|
1 |
|
|
3 |
|
| Miguel Tejada, Astros |
|
|
|
|
|
|
1 |
|
|
3 |
|
| Huston Street, Rockies |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
1 |
|
2 |
|
| Justin Upton, D'backs |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
1 |
|
2 |
|
| Ryan Zimmerman, Nationals |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
2 |
2 |
|
| Jeremy Affeldt, Giants |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
1 |
1 |
|
| Chris Coghlan, Marlins |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
1 |
1 |
|
| Brad Hawpe, Rockies |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
1 |
1 |
|
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