Baseball 2005

1. Albert Pujols: Was the NL MVP.

He led the National League in runs (129) for the third straight season.

The Cardinals first baseman was second in the NL in average (.330), OPS, slugging, and on base.

He also was 2^nd in the league with 360 total bases and 117 RBI.

Pujols 3^rd with 41 homers and 4^th with 195 hits.

He dominated the Padres in the division series reaching base 9 of 13 plate appearances (five hits and four walks). He scored four and drove in three in the three game sweep of San Diego.

The Machine delivered one of the most unreal home runs in the NLCS off Brad Lidge.

He crushed a three run blast to put the Cardinals up one in the ninth inning of Game Five.

After winning Game Five, Pujols and the Cards would lose in six to Houston.

The MVP hit .304 with 2 HR and 6 RBI in the series vs. the Astros.

St. Louis won 100 games, the best record in baseball, and the best in the NL by 10 games.

2. Paul Konerko: Led the White Sox to their first World Series since 1917.

He was the ALCS MVP after 2 HR and driving in seven and hitting .288 in the series win over Los Angeles.

In both Game 3 and 4 he hit first inning three run homers to put Chicago up early.  The White Sox would take the series in five.

In the World Series Konerko would drill a 7^th inning Grand Slam in Game Two that would put his team up 6-4. They would go on to win 7-6.

The Chicago would sweep the series over Houston to take the title.

The Sox first baseman hit the go ahead two run shot in the clinching Game Three of the division series. The White Sox knocked out the defending champion Red Sox.

In the regular season, he finished 6^th in the MVP voting and was a an All-Star.

He was 5^th with 40 HR. He added 100 RBI, 98 runs and hit .283.

Chicago won 99 games, the best in the AL. They went 11-1 in the playoffs behind 5 HR, 15 RBI and 6 runs in the 12 games from Konerko.

3. Andruw Jones: Led the NL in HR with 51 and RBI with 128.

He finished 2^nd in the MVP voting. He was Player of the Year named by Sporting News.

He was a Silver Slugger, All-Star, and NL Player of the Month in June and August.

Jones earned his 8^th straight Gold Glove.

The Braves centerfielder hit .263 and scored 95 runs.

In the first round vs. Houston, Jones was 8-17 (.421) and had two three hit games in the four game series.

He also had five RBI and runs in the series to lead the Braves.

Atlanta won it’s 14 straight NL East dating back to 1991. They won 90 games, 2^nd most in the NL.