Five- year climb to MVP for Pujols

Cardinals slugger ends Bonds’ reign Delgado sixth, but earns five points

NEW YORK—

Albert Pujols has won his first National League MVP award, beating Andruw Jones in a close vote. The St. Louis Cardinals first baseman ended Barry Bonds’ four- year winning streak, receiving 18 first- place votes and 14 seconds for 378 points in balloting by baseball writers. Atlanta centre fielder Jones got 13 first- place votes, 17 seconds and two thirds for 351 points.

Chicago Cubs first baseman Derrek Lee got the other firstplace vote and was third with 263 points.

“ It’s awesome when you hear people compare yourself with Barry,” Pujols said yesterday.

Pujols was second in the NL with a .330 batting average, five points behind Lee. He smacked 41 homers, trailing only Jones ( 51) and Lee ( 46), while tying for second in RBIs with 117, 11 behind Jones. He played in 161 of 162 regularseason games despite being bothered nearly the entire season by plantar fasciitis, a foot injury that also troubled him in ’ 04. “There were some times when I got out of bed, I had to sit up before I jumped out of bed because it was bothering me so bad,” he said. The 25- year- old Pujols has put up remarkable statistics in his first five seasons, averaging 40 homers and 124 RBIs to go with a .332 average.

Jones led the major leagues in home runs for the Braves and batted .263. He has won eight consecutive Gold Gloves.

“ I think he deserved it. The voting was the right vote. He was the right choice,” Jones said. The Cardinals led the majors with 100 wins and breezed to the Central title. Pujols was the driving force on a team that lost Scott Rolen and other key players to injuries.

Pujols, who gets a $200,000 bonus ( all figures U. S.), won the 15th MVP award for the Cardinals, the first since Willie McGee in 1985. By finishing third, Lee triggered a $ 750,000 increase in his 2006 salary to $ 8.75 million.

Florida first baseman Carlos Delgado, a former star with the Jays who was sixth, earned five points toward the 30 he needs by the end of 2008 to guarantee a $ 16 million salary in 2009. He would get 10 points for being MVP, 20 if he is a World Series MVP and 10 if he is a league championship series MVP.