Baseball Notebook: Cardinals' Pujols powers way to second NL MVP

NEW YORK -- St. Louis Cardinals slugger Albert Pujols won his second NL MVP award, powering past Philadelphia star Ryan Howard by a comfortable margin Monday.

Pujols hit .357 with 37 home runs and 116 RBIs while playing with a sore right elbow. He was rewarded despite the Cardinals' fourth-place finish in the NL Central.

"I wasn't surprised at all," Pujols said. "You have to consider everything. You have to put all the numbers together."

Los Angeles outfielder Manny Ramirez and Milwaukee pitcher CC Sabathia also drew strong support after being traded by AL teams in July.

Pujols got 18 of the 32 first-place votes in balloting by the Baseball Writers' Association of America and had 369 points.

The first baseman added to the MVP award he won in 2005.

Howard, who led the majors with 48 homers and 146 RBIs for the World Series champion Phillies, drew 12 first-place votes and 308 points.

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. Voting was completed before the playoffs began.

"There were so many candidates," Pujols said on a conference call from his home in St. Louis. "I'm happy I didn't have to make that decision."

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, the only player on all 32 ballots, 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.

GIANTS SIGN AFFELDT: Reliever Jeremy Affeldt became the first of 171 free agents to agree to a contract, striking a two-year deal with the San Francisco Giants.

One of Giants general manager Brian Sabean's offseason priorities was to bolster his club's inconsistent bullpen, so adding the left-hander helps in that process. The Giants, who haven't reached the playoffs since 2003, often had problems in the middle innings between their starter and getting to reliable closer Brian Wilson.

Affeldt, 29, pitched for the Cincinnati Reds last season, going 1-1 with a 3.33 ERA in a team-leading 74 appearances. He struck out 80 and walked 25 in 78 1/3 innings.

The 6-foot-4 Affeldt, originally drafted by Kansas City in the third round in 1997, recorded a 2.23 ERA in his final 34 outings of 2008.

EXTRA BASES: Scott Proefrock was hired as assistant general manager of the Phillies. ... Padres 3B Kevin Kouzmanoff had arthroscopic surgery on his right shoulder and is expected to be ready by the start of spring training. ... Baseball's legends and old-timers will play in a new Hall of Fame Classic game beginning in 2009. The inaugural Hall of Fame Classic will be held on Father's Day, June 21. The game replaces the Hall of Fame game, which was discontinued this year after 68 years. ... The White Sox claimed RHP Kelvin Jimenez off waivers from the Blue Jays.