I didn't look at WAR...

 

Also WAR is useless for stuff before probably the mid-2000s, because the reliable defensive metrics are based largely on video analysis and play-by-play data and that wasn't really used until a few years ago, so the defensive values on older WARs aren't good at all. For Baseball reference, they use Retrosheet zone scoresheets, which don't go further than 89, so the data isn't nearly as useful as it is today.

 

As for the rest, I don't think a player who played 80% of his team's games can be a realistic MVP candidate, short of a total lack of other options. There were plenty of options, and his production in those 80% of games wasn't so great as to wipe that out.

I don't need an explanation of how WAR is calculated outside of the modern era, because I'm well aware. Of course I believe that it does not carry the same precision when looking at 1987 stats, but I believe it has some use nonetheless in providing a rough estimate of value (based on productivity an PA) despite being skewed somewhat by inexact defensive metrics.

 

I think you might be overestimating the PA difference. Clark's OPS+ (176) led the league, with second place belonging to the Straw (162). Straw played in 155 games and had 82 (13%) more PA. Even if Clark did not reach base once in those 82 PA, he would have still had a higher OBP than Strawberry (.400 vs. .398). Value can only be attributed to what was actually done on the field, but this serves to indicate how solid Clark's stat line was that year, despite having less PAs.

 

However, I do think Clark is not the obvious statistical winner, because there really wasn't a non-brainer in that respect. But as I said previously, Clark's role in the lineup that year sets him apart from the rest of the pack, which is why he would have gotten my vote.

 

The Mets actually had the best R/G rate that year (St. Louis being second). The Cardinals had the highest OBP in the league, but one of the worst team SLG. They had a bunch of guys who could get on, but they depended heavily on Clark (and to a slightly lesser extent Pendleton) to be the guy driving those runs in. And of course the next highest OPS on the team that year was Smith's .775. Clark was an essential cog in that offense that year.

And as the Brewers win their 1st division title in 29 years, have any of you seen the ridiculous recent strikeout rate of Yovani Gallardo? In his last 6 starts, he has K'd 59 in 38 innings.