Boston's Pedroia named AL MVP
Sports Network | November 18, 2008
New York, NY (Sports Network) - Boston Red Sox second baseman Dustin Pedroia has been named the American League's Most Valuable Player, as voted on by the Baseball Writers' Association of America.
Pedroia, last year's AL Rookie of the Year, garnered 317 points to outdistance Minnesota's Justin Morneau by 60 points. Pedroia placed first on 16 of the 28 ballots cast by two writers from each AL city, second on six others, third on four, and fifth on another, as he became just the second player to win an AL MVP Award the year after being elected Rookie of the Year.
Baltimore's Cal Ripken Jr. was the AL Rookie of the Year in 1982 and AL MVP in 1983. Philadelphia's Ryan Howard also accomplished the feat in the NL, as he won the Rookie of the Year in 2005 and the MVP in 2006.
The 25-year-old Pedroia batted .326 with 17 home runs, 83 RBI and 118 runs scored. He also ranked first in the AL in doubles (54), fourth in total bases (322) and was the only player who had at least 175 hits, 75 runs scored, 75 RBI, 15 home runs, and 20 stolen bases while winning the Gold Glove.
This is the 11th time that a Red Sox player has won the award and the first since Mo Vaughn in 1995.
Morneau picked up seven first-place votes, seven second-place tallies, six thirds, three fourths, three fifths, a sixth, and a seventh-place vote for a total of 257, based on a tabulation system that rewards 14 points for first place, nine for second, eight for third on down to one for 10th.
Pedroia's teammate Kevin Youkilis finished third with 201 points in the voting.
Details to follow.
