Albert Pujols

Spring Training starts up in less than a week and the upcoming baseball season should be a great one. The NL MVP is most prestigious individual award in National League.

The National League MVP is awarded annually to the player who has the most value to his respected team. Recent winners of the NL MVP include names such as Joey Votto, Albert Pujols, and other greats.

In follow-up of my AL list I have decided to make an NL version of the preseason prediction.

As we know, the injury of Adam Wainwright has put the St. Louis Cardinals in a really tough position. What was looking to be a promising 2011 season is now looking to be one of disappointment. Adam Wainwright has been the Cy Young runner-up in the National League the past two seasons. According to the Wins Above Replacement statistic, Wainwright was worth 5.7 and 6.1 wins in 2009 and 2010 respectively.

As everyone knows Albert Pujols did not sign a contract extension with the Saint Louis Cardinals by the deadline that was put in place by Pujols.  As a result Pujols will become a free agent after the 2011 Major League Baseball season.  At the Winter Meetings, Pujols will sign the largest contract in the history of baseball, 10 years for $300 million, with the Chicago Cubs.  Immediately afterwards the world will start its decline into the apocalypse.
 

When it became known that Adam Wainwright was injured and may need Tommy John surgery, virtually every sports media outlet was all over it.

like any serious sports fan, questions from every angle must have come to your mind:

"How exactly did he get injured?"

"How will the Cardinals adapt to his injury?"

"Does this affect Albert Pujols?"

However, one person that may be of particular concern is Chris Carpenter.

With that being said, don't be surprised if he moves on. Take a look.

Let's make this clear right off the bat before some of you start popping off a hate filled comment aimed in my direction, stick needles in a doll with my name on it or chant some ancient curse on me based simply on the title of this column (If I wake up tomorrow with blue hair on my tongue I will know it was one of you)...

St. Louis Cardinals ace Adam Wainwright injured his elbow and may require season-ending Tommy John surgery.

The right-handed pitcher injured his elbow throwing in a bullpen session. The team believes it is a “significant injury,” and he is returning to St. Louis for further examination by team doctors.

Last season, Wainwright was shut down after 20 wins from team doctor recommendations following a forearm injury from an accident in his home.

With the Pujols situation looming large in Cardinals camp, the last thing they needed was something as catastrophic as this.

Co-ace Adam Wainwright has returned to St. Louis, just a few days into spring training, to have his right elbow examined. Many believe it to be a possible ligament injury.

As we head to Spring Training, all of the major MLB free agents are now off the board. But that doesn't mean we're done seeing big contracts handed out on baseball's Hot Stove.

No big names will be signing with new teams until next winter, but plenty of superstars, solid starters, and scrubs could still work out extensions to lock them up through their arbitration years and beyond.

The St. Louis Cardinals offer plenty of fantasy baseball value in 2011, from front to back of the draft board. But the Cardinals have also had some issues with consistency over the past few years, and a couple of questions surrounding some key players.

There's nothing better than finding a pair of favorite sweatpants with a perfect fit.

Albert Pujols needs that. He's done all the Cardinals have asked and exceeded all expectations. In my eyes, I believe he deserves $30 million a season.

Look at what Alex Rodriguez does, and look at what Pujols does.

(Note: Rodriguez's stats are from 2001-2010 because Pujols entered the league in 2001)