Carlos the 4th

SPORTING GOODS

While I enjoy ripping moron radio men / writers for their individual opinions on the MVP race, I try not to get too worked up about the actual voting. (But don't get me started on the ridiculous Gold Gloves!)

Anyway, the NL MVP has been announced, and Carlos Beltran finished 4th, getting only one 2nd place vote. My reasoned and of course brilliant August post on why Beltran deserved the MVP was somewhat outdated by the time the season ended, as Beltran cooled off considerably. The Mets had it wrapped up by then anyway. But it seemed that the only people still on the Beltran for MVP bandwagon were hardcore defensive stat geeks, who could show you just how good Beltran was, and how lousy Howard was, in the field this year.

Oh well, Howard it is, at least he is fun to watch.

I voted in the Baseball Prospectus fan awards, here's who I voted on my MVP ballot, and where they actually finished.

1 Albert Pujols (2)
2 Carlos Beltran (4)
3 Ryan Howard (1)
4 Miguel Cabrera (5)
5 Jose Reyes (7)
6 Lance Berkman (3)
7 Alfonso Soriano (6)
8 David Wright (9)
9 Chase Utley (8)
10 Mike Cameron (21)

Besides Cameron, who had a vastly under-rated year, I was mostly just 1 or 2 spots off on each player, so all in all it seems that I was in relative agreement with the writers.

But can someone explain to me how this year's Cy Young Brandon Webb did not get a single point, and therefore did not finish in the top 25, yet Trevor Hoffman came in 10th with 46 points? That's just strange.