YES!! Albert Pujols, is just what we thought, once again MVP! 2008 MVP, Albert Pujols edges out Ryan Howard for the award! Congrats ALBERT!!!!

ST. LOUIS — The National League’s best player has also been named its most valuable.

Albert Pujols’ magnificent season earned him his second NL Most Valuable Player Award. Pujols’ 369 points bested the 308 points garnered by Philadelphia’s Ryan Howard, who beat him out by a narrow margin to win the 2006 MVP.

Pujols has finished in the top 10 in the voting in every one of his eight Major League seasons, and has been fourth or better seven times. He is the 11th player to win two NL MVP Awards, and he’s one of three active players with a pair of MVPs. Additionally, Pujols became the third player, along with Sammy Sosa in 1998 and Rod Carew in 1977, to win the MVP and the Roberto Clemente Award in the same year.

“I have to thank my teammates,” Pujols said at a news conference at Busch Stadium on Monday afternoon. “Obviously this is not an award that you win by yourself. My teammates were involved every day, day in and day out, supporting me, getting on base and driving me in. These kinds of numbers, you can’t do it by yourself.”

One of those teammates, Ryan Ludwick, even garnered some MVP consideration himself. Ludwick finished 16th in the balloting with 17 points. He was named on seven ballots out of 32.

Pujols received 18 first-place votes, 10 seconds, two thirds, a fourth and a seventh. He was the only player named on every ballot. He is the first Dominican player to be named MVP twice.

“I couldn’t believe [that],” Pujols said. “There are so many great [Dominican] players. There was one that was in the vote: Manny Ramirez. He’s just a great player, great hitter. Being the first one, I was excited. Hopefully I won’t be the last. Hopefully there will be many more players, not just from the Dominican Republic, but from Latin America.”

As baseball waited to hear the results of the ballot, the discussion centered on the definition of “most valuable.” Some argued that because Pujols’ Cardinals did not make the postseason, he could not be the most valuable player in the league. It was the only possible case against Pujols, who was indisputably his league’s best hitter and who plays Gold Glove-caliber defense at first base.

Albert Pujols views MVP voting a little differently these days.

“You have to consider everything. You have to put all the numbers together,” the St. Louis star said Monday after powering past Philadelphia slugger Ryan Howard to win the award for the second time.

Pujols won despite the Cardinals finishing in fourth place, the lowest spot for an NL MVP winner since Andre Dawson and Chicago Cubs wound up sixth in 1987. Howard led the majors in home runs and RBIs for the World Series champs.

The result surely will renew a debate that Pujols once raised himself: What qualifies as “most valuable”?

In 2006, a month after leading the Cardinals to the World Series crown, Pujols carped when Howard—whose Phillies missed the playoffs—captured the coveted award.

“I see it this way: Someone who doesn’t take his team to the playoffs doesn’t deserve to win the MVP,” Pujols said at that time.

Shortly thereafter, Pujols clarified his remarks and said Howard certainly was worthy of the award.

“I think the writers made the right choice in 2006,” Pujols reiterated Monday. “He did deserve it.”

Just as Pujols believed he earned it this year.

“I wasn’t surprised at all,” he said.

Pujols hit .357 with 37 home runs and 116 RBIs while playing with a sore right elbow that required surgery. Howard hit 48 homers with 146 RBIs for the Phillies.

Voting was completed before the playoffs began.

“I’m happy I didn’t have to make that decision,” Pujols said on a conference call from his St. Louis home. “What you do for your team. The players who take their teams to the playoffs should have some consideration.”

Los Angeles outfielder Manny Ramirez and Milwaukee pitcher CC Sabathia, who both led postseason pushes after being traded by AL teams in July, also drew strong support.

Pujols got 18 of the 32 first-place votes in balloting by the Baseball Writers’ Association of America and had 369 points. Howard drew 12 first-place votes and 308 points.

Pujols added to the MVP award he won in 2005, and was the only player listed on every ballot. The All-Star first baseman became the 25th multiple MVP winner in either league.

Milwaukee outfielder Ryan Braun was third with 139 points, with Ramirez fourth at 138. Houston’s Lance Berkman was fifth and Sabathia sixth.

Brad Lidge, perfect on 41 save chances for the Phillies during the regular season, drew the other two first-place votes and came in eighth.

Pujols was remarkably consistent all year—a trait he’s demonstrated throughout his career. He is the only big leaguer to hit at least 30 home runs in his first eight seasons in the majors, and has finished in the top 10 of the NL MVP voting each year.

Pujols led the league in slugging percentage and intentional walks. He drew 104 walks while striking out only 54 times, and was second in the NL with a .462 on-base percentage.

Almost single-handedly, when the Cardinals’ rotation was depleted by injuries, he kept St. Louis in contention while batting .398 in the month of August. The Cardinals finished 86-76, 11 1/2 games behind the Central champion Cubs.

In mid-October, Pujols had surgery for nerve irritation in his right elbow, an ailment that caused numbness, tingling in his ring finger and pinkie, a weak grip and pain inside his forearm. He hopes to resume weight training after Thanksgiving and is expected to be ready for spring training.

“I had some pain,” he said. “The worst part was the last two months.”

Pujols said there was still a slight chance he might need Tommy John reconstructive elbow surgery.

“I’m crossing my fingers,” he said.

Howard was hitting under .200 toward the end of May. His slow starts have cost him—this year, he was the first player since Cincinnati’s Hank Sauer in 1948 to be left off the All-Star team despite leading his league in homers and RBIs at the break.

Howard’s best month came in September, when he set a team record with 32 RBIs and helped the Phillies rally to the NL East title. He hit .251 overall.

Ramirez had 138 points. He hit .396 with 17 home runs and 53 RBIs after the Dodgers got him from Boston on July 31, and led Los Angeles’ push to the NL West title.

Sabathia got 121 points. He was 11-2 with a 1.65 ERA after Milwaukee acquired him from Cleveland on July 6, and helped the Brewers win the wild-card spot.

Phillies shortstop Jimmy Rollins, who won the NL MVP last season, did not receive a single vote this year.

Pujols earned a $200,000 bonus for winning the award. Ramirez got $75,000 and Braun got $50,000.

The AL MVP will be announced Tuesday. A close vote is anticipated, with Minnesota’s Joe Mauer and Justin Morneau among the top contenders along with Boston’s Dustin Pedroia and Kevin Youkilis.