The Pujols Awards—the grand finale

Well, it’s soon time to get The Hardball Times annual together and part of it is going to be a recap of sorts of this year’s Pujols Awards.

Since this was of the readers by the readers and for the readers—so I wouldn’t have to work so hard—I felt it appropriate to let everyone chime in on who were the biggest Pujols of 2008. Below are the various persons who were nominated for The Albert, The Luis, The “Manny being Manny” and The Samson (nee “The Bud”). The week of their nomination is listed beside their name with a link to the edition that contained their selection if you need to refresh your memories.

So, I will be looking for a winner and a third, second and first runner-up in all four categories, and you get to decide. Along with the vote (if you‘re so inclined), you can write why you feel they’re deserving and if it’s a particularly witty submission it’ll be included in the Annual, fully credited to you and your blog if you are in possession of same.

Write-in votes are acceptable (a good opportunity to make a submission if you lost your battle against the forces of procrastination) and if it’s particularly good you will attain immortality as part of the Annual. Heck, I now blog from my own basement.

Send your votes and comments to , the usual location.

The Alberts

Frank Thomas (Week 1)
Mike Lowell (Week 1)
Alex Rodriguez (Week 1)
Clint Hurdle (Week 1)
Pat Gillick (Week 2)
John Gibbons (Week 2)
Jim Kaat (Week 3)
Nate Robertston (Week 3)
Scott Speizio (Week 3)
Josh Hamilton (Week 4, 21)
Bernie Williams (Week 4)
Juan Gonzalez (Week 5)
Brian Bannister (Week 5)
KC Royals (Week 6)
Debbie Clemens (Week 6)
Terry Francona (Week 6)
Tao of Stieb (Week 6)
Drunk Jays Fans (Week 6)
Aaron Rowand (Week 7)
eTrueSports (Week 7)
Gary Sheffield (Week 8)
Tom Gordon (Week 9)
John Henry (Week 9)
Tony LaRussa (Week 9)
Arizona Diamondbacks front office (Week 10)
The Macon Music (Week 10)
The Chicago Cubs (Week 11)
The New York Yankees (Week 11, 15)
Ichiro Suzuki (Week 11)
Chase Utley (Weeks 12 & 13)
Albert Pujols (Week 14, 19&20, July)
Keith Foulke (Week 14)
Edwin Encarnacion (Week 14)
Jeff Brantley (Week 14)
Troy Percival (Week 15, 16)
Maury Brown (Week 15)
MLBAM (Week 16)
Jeff Suppan and wife (Week 16)
Priscilla Oppenheimer (Week 16)
The Tiger Stadium Fan Club and Field of Schemes e-list (Week 16)
Roy Halladay (Week 17)
Liz Wallace and Mallory Holtman (Week 18)
Jake (Week 18)
Skip Caray (Weeks 19 & 20)
Jamie Moyer (Weeks 19 & 20)
Sports Illustrated (Weeks 19 & 20)
MLB (Week 21)
Marvin Miller (Week 21, 22)
Impressive rookies (Week 21)
David Samson (Week 22)
Jon Hale (Weeks 23 & 24)

The Luis

Scott Boras (Week 1, 8)
Don Fehr (Week 1)
Bud Selig (Week 1, 3, 10)
Roger Clemens (Week 1, 3)
J.P. Ricciardi (Week 2, 23 & 24)
Jeffrey Loria (Week 2)
David Samson (Week 2, 11)
Elijah Dukes (Week 2, 23 & 24)
U.S. government (Week 3)
Brian Cashman (Week 4)
Jose Canseco (Week 4)
Jim Pohlad (Week 4)
Bill Smith (Week 5)
Benny Aybar (Week 5)
Jim Bunning (Week 5)
Brian MacNamee (Week 6)
Red Sox front office (Week 6)
Pittsburgh Pirates (Week 6)
Toronto Blue Jays (Week 6, 19 & 20*, 23 & 24)
Elijah Cummings (Week 7)
Billy Beane (Week 7)
Michael Lewis (Week 7)
Rusty Hardin (Week 7)
The Hendricks Brothers (Week 7)
Jim Murray (Week 7)
Gary Sheffield (Week 7)
Alex Rodriguez (Week 7)
John McLaren (Week 8)
Scott Speizio (Week 8)
Tony LaRussa (Week 8, 9)
South Florida/Miami politicians (Week 8)
The Philadelphia Phillies (Week 9)
Hank Steinbrenner (Week 9, 16, 23 & 24)
Elliot Spitzer (Week 10)
Joe Maddon (Week 10)
Shelley Duncan (Week 10)
Bob Watson (Week 11)
Adam Eaton (Weeks 12 & 13)
Ken Rosenthal (Weeks 12 & 13)
St. Louis Cardinals (Weeks 12 & 13)
Oakland A’s (Week 14, 17)
Jose Canseco (Week 14)
Manny Acta (Week 16)
Wrigley Field vendor (Week 17)
Joe Girardi (Week 17, 22)
Blue Jays’ hitters (Week 17)
Cleveland Indians (Week 18)
Darrin Fletcher (Week 18)
Lou Pinella (Week 18)
MLB (Weeks 19 & 20)
LaTroy Hawkins (Week 21)
Billy Wagner bashers (Week 21)
You know who you are (Week 21)
Bill Bavasi (Week 21)
Aramark (Weeks 23 & 24)
New York Yankees (Weeks 23 & 24, July)
Cincinnati Enquirer (Weeks 23 & 24)
Frank Wren (July)

*Nominated twice that week

The “Manny being Manny” Award

Luke Scott (Week 18)
Alex Rodriguez (Week 18)
Manny Ramirez (Weeks 19 & 20)
Mariah Carey (Week 22)
Melky Cabera (July)
All-Star voters (July)

“The Bud”/”The Samson” Award

Bud Selig (Week 11)
Clay Bennett (Weeks 12 & 13)
David Stern (Weeks 12 & 13)
St. Louis Cardinals (Week 14)
Mike Ilitch and Detroit politicians (Week 16, 22)
Washington Nationals (Weeks 19 & 20, 21)
New York Yankees (July)