Sportsfrog.com

1. Albert Pujols, 1B, SLN: 700 PA, 47 HR, 16 SB, .327/.443/.658
2. Hanley Ramirez, SS, FLO: 652 PA, 24 HR, 27 SB, .342/.410/.543
3. Chase Utley, 2B, PHI: 687 PA, 31 HR, 23 SB, .282/.397/.508
4. Troy Tulowitzki, SS, COL: 628 PA, 32 HR, 20 SB, .297/.377/.552
5. Tim Lincecum, SP, SFN: 15-7, 225.3 IP, 2.48 ERA, 28.8% SO%, 3.5 SO/FP
6. Prince Fielder, 1B, MIL: 719 PA, 46 HR, 2 SB, .299/.412/.602
7. Ryan Zimmerman, 3B, WAS: 694 PA, 33 HR, 2 SB, .292/.364/.525
8. Adrian Gonzalez, 1B, SDN: 681 PA, 40 HR, 1 SB, .277/.407/.551
9. Pablo Sandoval, 3B, SFN: 633 PA, 25 HR, 5 SB, .330/.387/.556
10. Matt Kemp, CF, LAN: 667 PA, 26 HR, 34 SB, .297/.352/.490

Its a Thanksgiving travel day so I don’t have a ton of time to analyze so just two quick points …

While I think this is Pujols’ award, I’d love to go a couple years in the future and see if defensive valuations have advanced to the point where we can accurately quantify defensive runs saved. I imagine we’ll eventually look back at some of the offense only MVP winners and realize that there was a two-way player who was far more important to his team. Not to say anything negative about Pujols’ defense, and quantifying 1B defense is so tough as it is, but a great defensive 1B doesn’t equal a great defensive 2B. I sort of wanted to go with Utley here as a nod to what I expect to eventually see but, at this point, the numbers don’t support it.

It seems to have gone somewhat unnoticed but Troy Tulowitzki had an absolutely outstanding season. He has to either be at the back end of a list of top 10 players to start a team with or just outside the cut. And he just turned 25 in October.