Batting Clean-Up,...Number 6,... the 2006 NL MVP - Ry-y-a-n-n-n How-a-a-ard!!!

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Ryan Howard wins NL MVP
ASSOCIATED PRESS

NEW YORK - Ryan Howard of the Philadelphia Phillies was voted the National League's Most Valuable Player on Monday, beating out the St. Louis Cardinals' Albert Pujols.

Howard received 20 first-place votes and 12 seconds for 388 points in balloting by a panel of the Baseball Writers' Association of American. Pujols got 12 firsts, 19 seconds and one third for 347 points.

Howard, the 2005 NL Rookie of the Year, led the major leagues with 58 homers and 149 RBIs. He hit .313 and set Phillies records for home runs and RBIs while producing the highest totals in those categories in big league history for a second-year player.

"I tried to treat this like any other day," said Howard, who turned 27 on Sunday, in a story on MLB.com. "I wasn't consumed by it, because it was out of my hands. But to finally get to this point ... to get the call ... it's definitely a relief. It is a good birthday present, and an honor to be named NL MVP."