Fortunately, this one is going to be a lot easier to figure out than the AL ballot.
Let’s start with the NL’s top position players according to VORP:
1. Albert Pujols – 62.6
2. Hanley Ramirez – 46.6
3. Chase Utley – 46.0
4. Prince Fielder – 43.4
5. Pablo Sandoval – 37.8
6. Raul Ibanez – 34.0
7. Ryan Braun – 33.6
8. Carlos Beltran – 32.8
9. David Wright – 32.8
10. Matt Kemp – 31.6
11. Miguel Tejada – 30.4
12. Brad Hawpe – 29.9
13. Adam Dunn – 28.2
14. Justin Upton – 27.8
Adrian Gonzalez has dropped from fifth to 23rd since the first-third MVP ballot on June 5.
Apart from the top 14, the only other player that looks like a
legitimate option for the top 10 is Shane Victorino, who ranks 17th at
25.8.
The OPS list isn’t a whole lot different from the one VORP came up with:
1. Albert Pujols – 1179 – 90 games
2. Prince Fielder – 1056 – 88 games
3. Raul Ibanez – 1015 – 64 games
4. Chase Utley – 1004 – 84 games
5. Hanley Ramirez – 979 – 82 games
6. Brad Hawpe – 973 – 80 games
7. Pablo Sandoval – 964 – 82 games
8. Carlos Beltran – 952 – 62 games
9. Adam Dunn – 943 – 87 games
10. Lance Berkman – 929 – 85 games
11. Ryan Braun – 921 – 86 games
12. Justin Upton – 918 – 84 games
There also aren’t any big surprises at the top of the WPA list:
1. Albert Pujols – 4.83
2. Prince Fielder – 4.31
3. Chase Utley – 3.85
4. Raul Ibanez – 3.53
5. Pablo Sandoval – 3.13
6. Ryan Howard – 3.05
Obviously, it’s a race for second. If Pujols stays healthy, it’s
going to be extremely difficult for anyone to overtake him. Maybe
Fielder could in the minds of the real voters if the Brewers reach the
postseason and the Cards don’t, but it’s a long shot.
VORP has the next three pretty tight. I favor Utley because of his
defense, but Hanley and Fielder both belong in the top four. After that
group, it’s more of a free for all. Beltran and Ibanez are right there
with the Utley group in terms of performance, but both have missed a
quarter of the season. Sandoval and Braun offer little defensively, and
Hawpe and Dunn are significant liabilities. Wright, always an overrated
fielder, is having his worst year with the glove. Kemp, on the other
hand, has played a nice center field. With so many imperfect options,
I’m definitely including both Dan Haren and Tim Lincecum in the top 10.
Midseason NL MVP
1. Pujols
2. Utley
3. H. Ramirez
4. Fielder
5. Haren
6. Sandoval
7. Lincecum
8. Braun
9. Ibanez
10. Kemp
