MVP: Most Valuable Pujols

To no surprise, Albert Pujols is your 2009 National League Most Valuable Player.

Pujols was listed first on all 32 ballots submitted by two writers in each league city to score a perfect total of 448 points, based on the tabulation system that rewards 14 points for first place, nine for second, eight for third and on down to one for 10th.

Pujols, 29, led the league in home runs (47) for the first time in his career and was third in batting (.327) and runs batted in (135). He also topped the NL in runs (124), total bases (374), grand slams (5), extra base hits (93), on-base percentage (.443) and slugging percentage (.658). For the eighth straight year he totaled more walks (115) than strikeouts (64).

Gigantosaur adds to his Hall of Fame resume. He becomes the sixth player in NL history to win the award unanimously. And look at the numbers that he put up. Those are Pujols numbers every year. Absolutely sick.

We’ve said it before and we’ll say it again: he’s the best ballplayer of our lifetime. A joy to watch even though he murders the Cincinnati Reds. He’s one of the few players in the game today that you can be certain your grandkids will know about.

And he’s now a 3-time MVP.