MVP

Out of here! First Phillies MVP since Mike Schmidt. Not since Cal Ripken has a player won Rookie of the Year followed by MVP.

First good news in a while for a sports town on a losing streak.

Ryan Howard, National League's Most Valuable Player.

Beerleaguer dug up the stats:

In just his second season, the Phillies first baseman led the majors with 58 home runs and 149 RBIs, while his surprisingly robust .313 batting average ranked eighth in the NL.

According to Baseball Reference, Howard's season was historically good enough to win the Triple Crown in three different seasons. Only Barry Bonds, Mark McGwire, Sammy Sosa, Roger Maris, Babe Ruth, Jimmie Foxx and Hank Greenberg have belted as many homers in one season. The last Phillies player to win the award was Mike Schmidt in 1986. Howard's 58 homers crushed the franchise record 48 set by Schmidt in 1980.

Couldn't happen to a nicer guy.

Good for Ryan Howard. Now the Phillies need to step up and give him the income he deserves even though they don't have to.

OK, now I'm getting carried away. For every Dudley Dooright, there's always a Snidley Whiplash.


WAY TO GO RYAN!!!!!!!!!!!!

He's been MVP at every level of baseball he's been in.

And, literally, it couldn't happen to a nicer guy.
Next -- World Series MVP.

Hey, I can dream, can't I?