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Ryan Howard can crush a baseball like few others in the major leagues.

As a rookie with the Philadelphia Phillies in 2005, Howard took over first base from an injured Jim Thome and went on to belt 22 home runs in 88 games (leading all first-year players in that category) and earn National League rookie-of-the-year honours.

This year, the power numbers were even more impressive.

The 6-foot-4, 250-pounder won the home-run derby at the 2006 All-Star Game in Pittsburgh and went on to club a major-league leading 58 homers and 149 runs batted in during the regular season — the most homers since Barry Bonds hit a record 73 in 2001.

Monday, as he was lauded for his selection as the NL's most valuable player for 2006, Howard, who turned 27 on Sunday, was asked what accomplishment he was most proud of.

And instead of pointing to one of his gargantuan home runs or the time he knocked in seven runs in a game against the New York Yankees in June, the power hitter provided a somewhat surprising answer.

"I would probably have to say the walks," Howard said. "I think that's the first time I've ever had 100 walks in a season. That's a feat for me. I guess it's kind of hard to come by because I'm usually swinging at a lot of the pitches and things like that."

Howard drew 108 bases on balls, including 37 intentional passes, this season to set a Phillies record. The added patience at the plate was evident as Howard sported an impressive .313 batting average and an on-base percentage of .425.

Howard racked up 388 points (20 first-place, 12 second-place votes) to claim the MVP award won last year by Albert Pujols of the St. Louis Cardinals. Pujols received the remaining 12 first-place votes, along with 19 second-place votes and one third, by the Baseball Writers' Association of America for a total of 347 points.

Houston Astros first baseman Lance Berkman (230 points) and the New York Mets outfielder Carlos Beltran (211) finished third and fourth, respectively. Pittsburgh Pirates outfielder Jason Bay of Trail, B.C., received one 10th-place vote, tallying one point.

The 2006 American League MVP winner will be announced Tuesday.

Ryan expressed mild irritation Monday with all the intentional walks he received, especially toward the end of the season when the red-hot Phillies were engaged in a heated battle for the NL's wild-card berth that was eventually captured by the Los Angeles Dodgers.

In one game against the Florida Marlins on July 20, Howard tied an NL record with five walks in one game. On Aug. 11, against the Cincinnati Reds, Howard was intentionally walked three times in extra innings. The final time came in the bottom of the 14th, to load the bases with none out.

"When he comes to the plate, he's already in scoring position," Reds manager Jerry Narron remarked at the time.

"Everybody's so competitive, I'm so competitive and you want to get out there and compete and get the job done and you know when they're taking the bat out of your hands by walking you it's a little bit frustrating," Howard said. "But at the same time you know they're putting you on base and putting a potential run on base and that's when you hope that guy behind you and the rest of your team can come in and pick you up."

Howard becomes the second player in history to win the rookie-of-the-year and MVP awards in consecutive seasons, after Cal Ripken Jr. in 1982 and 1983.

Howard said topping a player the calibre of Pujols in the MVP voting only adds to his accomplishment. Howard lives in St. Louis in the off-season and he said he has trained on occasion with Pujols.

"You know what, it definitely means something," Howard said. "Albert's a great player. He's been in the running [for MVP] . . . I think every year he's been in the big leagues.

"Just to be able to be in that kind of company and just being able to compete with a guy like Albert is just a feat in itself. It's an honour because of what he's done for his team and for the game of baseball itself."