On Monday Nov. 21, the Baseball Writers Association of America announced the voting results for the 2011 American League Most Valuable Player Award. Boston Red Sox center fielder Jacoby Ellsbury tallied more votes than any other position player, but he was beat by the first pitcher to win the award in 19 years.
Detroit Tigers ace Justin Verlander (24-5, 2.40 ERA) took 13 of the 28 first-place votes and scored a total of 280 points to top Ellsbury, who finished with four first-place votes and 242 points. Ellsbury was followed by Jose Bautista (43 HR and 1.05 OPS) of the Toronto Blue Jays, Curtis Granderson (119 RBI and 136 runs) of the New York Yankees and the Tigers Miguel Cabrera (.344 AVG) to round out the top five.
Verlander, the unanimous 2011 AL Cy Young Award winner, is the first pitcher to win the MVP award since Oakland Athletics closer Dennis Eckersley (51 saves, 1.91 ERA) won in 1992. He is first starting pitcher to earn the honor since Roger Clemens (24-5, 2.48) won both the Cy Young and MVP Awards with the Red Sox in 1986.
Ellsbury’s impressive season earned him the AL Comeback Player of the Year Award, a Silver Slugger Award and a Golden Glove. The 28-year-old led the league with 364 total bases, hit .321 and set career highs with 32 home runs, 105 RBI, 119 runs and a .928 OPS. His 39 stolen bases made him the first Red Sox ever to hit 30 homers and steal 30 bases and just the 35th MLB player to accomplish the feat with 35 or more steals.
Fellow Red Sox Adrian Gonzalez and Dustin Pedroia came in eighth and ninth respectively in the voting.
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