Twins catcher Joe Mauer was a nearly unanimous selection for 2009 American League MVP by the Baseball Writers' Association of America, receiving 27 of 28 first-place votes to win the award in a landslide Monday. He beat out Yankee teammates Mark Teixeira and Derek Jeter, who finished second and third, respectively, to win the award for the first time in his career. Tigers first baseman Miguel Cabrera, who finished fourth in the voting, was the only other player to receive a first-place vote.
Mauer hit .365 to win the batting title for the second straight season and third time in his career, matching the total number of batting titles won by all other catchers in major league history. Babe Phelps is the only backstop in major league history to qualify for a batting title and hit for a higher average, hitting .367 for the 1936 Brooklyn Dodgers.
But Mauer's triumph is complete. In addition to winning the batting title, he also led the American League in on-base percentage, slugging and OPS, a feat never accomplished by a catcher before.
On top of that, he helped the Twins climb out of seven-game hole in the AL Central on Sept. 6, leading them to the division title after they defeated the Tigers in a one-game playoff.
Mauer wins the award without ever having played a game in April. He missed most of spring training and the entire first month of the 2009 season recovering from an inflamed sacroiliac joint in his back, returning to the Twins lineup on May 1 and hardly missing a beat from there.
Mauer is the first catcher to win the MVP in either league in a decade. Ivan Rodriguez was the last backstop to garner the honor, winning it in 1999 as a member of the Texas Rangers. Mauer is just the fourth catcher since 1972 to win the award (again in either league). Eight catchers have won the award in American League, while seven have won it in the NL.On the other hand, he's the second Twin to win MVP honors in the last four years. Teammate and former roommate Justin Morneau captured the award in 2006. Three other Twins besides Mauer and Morneau -- Zoilo Versalles in 1965, Harmon Killebrew in 1969 and Rod Carew in 1977 -- have won the award.
Teixeira's second-place finish was the 21st by a Yankee, but the first since 2004 (Gary Sheffield).
The top 10 was rounded out by Angels first baseman Kendry Morales in fifth, a pair of Red Sox -- Kevin Youkilis and Jason Bay -- in sixth and seventh, Rays utilityman Ben Zobrist in eighth, Mariners right fielder Ichiro Suzuki in ninth and three-time MVP winner Alex Rodriguez in 10th.
| How They Voted |
|||||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Voting for 2009 AL MVP (14 points for first-place vote, nine for second, eight for third on down to one for 10th): | |||||||||||
| Player, Team | 1st | 2nd | 3rd | 4th | 5th | 6th | 7th | 8th | 9th | 10th | Pts |
| Joe Mauer, Twins |
27 |
1 |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
387 |
| Mark Teixeira, Yankees |
15 |
6 |
4 |
1 |
1 |
|
1 |
|
|
225 |
|
| Derek Jeter, Yankees |
9 |
5 |
3 |
5 |
3 |
|
1 |
1 |
1 |
193 |
|
| Miguel Cabrera, Tigers |
1 |
1 |
5 |
8 |
4 |
3 |
2 |
|
1 |
3 |
171 |
| Kendry Morales, Angels |
|
3 |
9 |
10 |
3 |
2 |
|
|
|
170 |
|
| Kevin Youkilis, Red Sox |
2 |
7 |
3 |
4 |
2 |
2 |
4 |
|
1 |
150 |
|
| Jason Bay, Red Sox |
|
1 |
1 |
|
4 |
5 |
4 |
5 |
1 |
78 |
|
| Ben Zobrist, Rays |
|
|
|
|
1 |
4 |
3 |
1 |
2 |
34 |
|
| Ichiro Suzuki, Mariners |
|
|
|
|
2 |
|
4 |
4 |
3 |
33 |
|
| Alex Rodriguez, Yankees |
|
1 |
|
3 |
|
|
|
2 |
1 |
31 |
|
| Chone Figgins, Angels |
|
|
|
|
3 |
1 |
2 |
3 |
|
31 |
|
| Aaron Hill, Blue Jays |
|
|
|
1 |
|
2 |
2 |
|
3 |
23 |
|
| Bobby Abreu, Angels |
|
|
|
|
2 |
1 |
1 |
1 |
4 |
23 |
|
| Mariano Rivera, Yankees |
|
|
|
|
2 |
1 |
1 |
|
|
17 |
|
| Adam Lind, Blue Jays |
|
|
|
|
|
1 |
1 |
2 |
3 |
14 |
|
| Michael Young, Rangers |
|
|
|
|
|
1 |
1 |
2 |
2 |
13 |
|
| Zack Greinke, Royals |
|
|
|
|
1 |
1 |
|
1 |
1 |
12 |
|
| Robinson Cano, Yankees |
|
|
|
|
|
3 |
|
|
|
12 |
|
| Evan Longoria, Rays |
|
|
|
|
|
1 |
1 |
1 |
|
9 |
|
| Justin Verlander, Tigers |
|
|
|
|
1 |
|
|
1 |
|
7 |
|
| CC Sabathia, Yankees |
|
|
|
|
|
1 |
|
|
|
4 |
|
| Michael Cuddyer, Twins |
|
|
|
|
|
|
1 |
|
1 |
4 |
|
| Victor Martinez, CLE/BOS |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
2 |
|
4 |
|
| Jason Kubel, Twins |
|
|
|
|
|
|
1 |
|
|
3 |
|
| Placido Polanco, Tigers |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
1 |
|
2 |
|
| Felix Hernandez, Mariners |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
1 |
1 |
|
| Ian Kinsler, Rangers |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
1 |
1 |
|
Comments (Page 1 of 3)
i believe the writers got it right escept for the first place vote for miguel- he si great but joe should have been unanimous. he had a superman season for a catcher and a really good one for any other position. being a yankee fan my heart lies w/ jeter but mauer was better this year.
As a Yankee fan, of course I am biased towards Jeter and Mariano.
But, the season that Mauer put together was incredible, especially as a catcher.
He deserved the award, period!!!!
My biggest disappointment however was that Mariano only recieved 17 votes!!!!
How is that possible? Abreu received more, can you believe that?
Without Mariano, the Yankees wouldn't have had the best record in baseball or possibly win the world series. Look at Lidge, Pabelbon, and the other closers and how they blew up and lost their series, Mariano was AUTOMATIC---GAME OVER.
How can any one vote for Cabrera over Jeter or Texeira? Who is this guy?
Congratulations Mauer, by the way, Posada is about ready to retire, keep your options open.
Congrats Joe!!!!
Cameron, North Branch MN
I remember how the Twins were getting ripped for drafting Mauer instead of Mark Pryor. The reason they didnt draft Pryor was suppose to be only about the difference in the size of the signing bonus between the two. Everyone was saying how the Cubs really lucked up by the Twins bypassing on Pryor and it may have looked that way for 1 yr....maybe the Twins knew something the Cubs didnt, but it probably was the signing bonus demands made by the Prior camp, but here's betting Cub fans wished the Twins had drafted Pryor that day in June a few years back.
Dammit plateump2, I could not agree more....dammit.....
Ahhhh. the life of a Cubs fan. Even when things go perfectly, like the Twins passing on Prior, the Caubs end up with the short end. Good thing its only baseball.
No way in hell Mauer is the MVP.
Like anybody else you are entitled to your opinion. However, in MHO you know nothing about baseball. Mauer was hands down the MVP.
STHU fool!! Way to go Joe. Best player in baseball!!!!!!!
DD-Cambridge, MN
why because they did not win the world series? he was the best this season the stats dont lie!
No problem with Maurer but Jeter #3. Texiera had a good year after A-Rod came back to protect him. DJ was solid the whole year and for the last how many. He may be considered "old-hat" by the voters by now but he is the MVP of the WS champs.
Nice Job Joe!! Derek Lee, Edina Mn....
HOW IN THE HELL DID HE WIN GO YANKS..........
What FOOL voted for Cabrera on the first place ballot ???
I bet not many stories will be written by sportswriters calling out Mr. Konishi. Voting for Cabrera over Mauer is worse than leaving Carpenter off of a ballot that only allows three guys on it.
As far as the Yankees fans complaining about Mauer, set aside your bias and look at the facts. Mauer had a better year Jeter and Teixeira. In fact, Zobrist did too, but he didn't get much recognition for it. The right person won though. So, I won't dwell on that any further.
The fact that anybody but Mauer would get a first place vote makes this whole voting process laughable. Just because Cabrera has 6 more HR while giving up 40 points of avg and OBP and having the easiest position (1B) vs. the toughest position (Catcher) of Mauer?
Exactly what constitutes an MVP? What is the criteria used by the voters? Yes, Joe Mauer had an excellent season but his team did not win the BIG ONE. The Twins lost with him and would have lost without him. On the other hand D.J. had an outstanding season as did M.T. and both came in 2nd and 3rd. Good but not good enough. I believe the Yankees would NOT have won it all without Derek. I feel that the person most responsible for his team winning it all should be the winner. When Alex won it with the Rangers even though they came in last, I felt that in spite of a great season the rangers still stunk up the joint. They were terrible with him as well as they would have been without him. Nothing can help a bad team so why reward failure. Fix it.
you are such an idiot. The MVP award is based on the regular season, not the post season. Mauer is hands down the MVP. You Yankee fans are so bottled up in your own money driven world that you are blind to the truth. Next time your at a game, go out and try to find the two balls Mauer deposted into Monument Park and cram them.
The MVP award is for regular season performance, hence why they have a playoff and World Series MVP award.
Joey Twin was eons better than Jeter, and with far less talent surrounding him. Jeter plays in a lineup with a crop of annual MVP candidates, Mauer has...Morneau. Mauer plays staunch defense at bar none the toughest position to man, and put up better numbers than Jeter DESPITE missing a month to start the season. To say the Twins could win without Mauer is pretty sad, all things considered. I honestly believe if he hadnt missed the first month, the Twins might have never had to come back from a seven game deficit in the first place.
And for the record? Morneau was hurt at the end of the year, and it was Joe that practically carried the Twins SINGLEhandely into the playoffs. Those efforts gave the Twins a chance to play in the postseason, and thats why he won the MVP. Im still wondering how the hell Jeter ever wins a Gold Glove, much less an MVP for a glorified slap hitter.
They got this 1 RIGHT, when you consider the position Joe play's and the numbers he put up. It's very hard to argue, Sure Tex, DJ, Cabera had great yr's , But just not good enuf, It's just to bad Joe plays in Minn. with a CHEAP OWNER ,