The Baseball Analysts: Make Room For MVP #6 In The Bonds Portfolio

Make Room For MVP #6 In The Bonds Portfolio

By Rich Lederer

My National League MVP top ten list (excluding pitchers) is as follows:

Rank	Player	        Team	Pos
1	Barry Bonds	SF	LF
2	Albert Pujols	STL	LF
3	Gary Sheffield	ATL	RF
4	Javy Lopez	ATL	C
5	Todd Helton	COL	1B
6	Marcus Giles	ATL	2B
7	Scott Rolen	STL	3B
8	Edgar Renteria	STL	SS
9	Jim Thome	         PHI	1B
10	Richie Sexson	MIL	1B

"THE QUAD" STATS

Rank	Player	        Team	Pos	TOB	OBP	TB	SLG
1	Barry Bonds	SF	LF	291	.529	292	.749
2	Albert Pujols	STL	LF	301	.439	394	.667
3	Gary Sheffield	ATL	RF	284	.419	348	.604
4	Javy Lopez	ATL	C	187	.378	314	.687
5	Todd Helton	COL	1B	322	.458	367	.630
6	Marcus Giles	ATL	2B	244	.390	290	.526
7	Scott Rolen	STL	3B	251	.382	295	.528
8	Edgar Renteria	STL	SS	260	.394	282	.480
9	Jim Thome	         PHI	1B	269	.385	331	.573
10	Richie Sexson	MIL	1B	272	.379	332	.548

BA/OBP/SLG (OPS) STATS

Rank	Player	        Team	Pos	BA	OBP	SLG	OPS
1	Barry Bonds	SF	LF	.341	.529	.749	1.278
2	Albert Pujols	STL	LF	.359	.439	.667	1.106
3	Gary Sheffield	ATL	RF	.330	.419	.604	1.023
4	Javy Lopez	ATL	C	.328	.378	.687	1.065
5	Todd Helton	COL	1B	.358	.458	.630	1.088
6	Marcus Giles	ATL	2B	.316	.390	.526	.916
7	Scott Rolen	STL	3B	.286	.382	.528	.910
8	Edgar Renteria	STL	SS	.330	.394	.480	.874
9	Jim Thome	         PHI	1B	.266	.385	.573	.958
10	Richie Sexson	MIL	1B	.272	.379	.548	.927

While everyone seems to have a favorite A.L. MVP (A-Rod for the sabermetrically inclined and anyone from Shannon Stewart to David Ortiz to Miguel Tejada for the touchy feely crowd), the choice in the N.L. comes down to Barry Bonds vs. Albert Pujols. Rate stats vs. cumulative stats in the eyes of many. The major difference for me is that Bonds' rate stats are historically significant whereas Pujols' cumulative stats are not.

BARRY BONDS:

	2003	All-Time Rank

OBP	.529	5th

SLG	.749	11th

OPS	1.278	7th

TA	1.731	5th

ALBERT PUJOLS:

	2003	All-Time Rank

TOB	301	>100th

TB	394	37th

RC	174	54th

RCAA	101	T47th

As great as Pujols' numbers were this year, Bonds' were even better. Another way of looking at their relative values is to ask yourself the following questions:

1. Would a Giants team with Albert Pujols and without Barry Bonds been better off or worse off?
2. Would a Cardinals team with Barry Bonds and without Albert Pujols been better off or worse off?

According to Lee Sinins of the Sabermetric Baseball Encyclopedia and Around The Majors report, Barry Bonds created 115 runs above average (RCAA), while Pujols had 101. The next best player on the Giants had 8. The next best player on the Cardinals had 42 and Pujols had five teammates who had more RCAA than Bonds' best teammate.

The bottom line is that the magnitude of Barry's stats and significance to his team this year were superior to Albert's contributions, no matter how hungry voters may be to come up with an MVP other than Bonds.

Richard Lederer
Rich's Weekend Baseball BEAT
www.baseballbeat.blogspot.com