Fat Albert MVP Inevitable

Pujols will be a hot topic most of 2011.

St. Louis Cardinals first baseman Albert Pujols seems to be the preseason favorite for the National League Most Valuable Player Award every year, but that might be true even more so this season.

It has been well documented that the Cardinals and Pujols were unable to come to a contract extension prior to his arrival to camp earlier this month. Pujols has said there will be no talk of a contract extension until after the season due to not wanting to be a distraction to his teammates.

This means Pujols will hit the open market and have an abundance of suitors for his services this offseason.

Coming off a year where he hit at a clip of .314 with 41 home runs while driving in 118 runs, most consider it to be an under achieving year for the nine-time All-Star. Pujols is expected to have a monster year to prove his worth to the Cardinals and twenty-nine other major league clubs.

More pressure has amounted on Pujols with ace right-hander Adam Wainwright set to miss the entire season after undergoing Tommy John Surgery to repair a torn ligament in his pitching elbow.

It seems almost inevitable that Pujols will win the NL MVP in 2011 given all the circumstances. With left fielder Matt Holiday and the acquisition of Lance Berkman this winter, there is added protection for Pujols to be even more dangerous. But if the Cardinal offense sputters at all this season, you might throw St Louis' playoffs hopes out the window.

They will need another huge season from Albert to contend in the greatly improved NL Central. 'The Machine' looks to capture his fourth MVP award in seven years for the Redbirds and lead them back to the postseason glory.