by Nick Boyd
Texas outfielder, Josh Hamilton was a runaway winner of the American League Most Valuable Player award, receiving 22 first-place votes and 358 points in voting. Hamilton had a batting average of .359 and slugging percentage of .633 with 32 home runs, and 100 runs batted in, despite missing valuable season time with broken ribs. Hamilton is the sixth Rangers MVP, following Jeff Burroughs (1974), Juan Gonzalez (1996, 1998), Ivan Rodriguez (1999) and Alex Rodriguez (2003). It wasn’t the first honor for Hamilton this postseason. In voting done by 326 major league players, Hamilton was named Sporting News’ 2010 player of the year. He also won his second Silver Slugger award.
Joey Votto was overwhelmingly elected the National League’s Most Valuable Player on Monday, ending Albert Pujols’ two-year reign.
A first baseman that helped the Reds reach the postseason for the first time in 15 years, Votto received 31 of 32 first-place votes and 443 points in voting announced by the Baseball Writers’ Association of America. Votto was a first-time All-Star, finishing second in the NL in batting average at .324 and third in homers with 37 and RBIs with 113. He led the NL in slugging percentage with .600, topped the major leagues in on-base percentage with .424 and had 16 stolen bases in 21 chances.
The National League Golden Glove winners were: Catcher Yadier Molina; First Baseman, Albert Pujols, Second Baseman, Brandon Phillips; Third Baseman, Scott Rolen; Short Stop, Troy Tulowitzki; Outfielders Michael Bourn, Shane Victorino, and Carlos Gonzalez; and Pitcher, Bronson Arroyo.
The American League Golden Glove winners were: Catcher, Joe Mauer; First Baseman, Mark Teixeira; Second Baseman, Robinson Cano; Third Baseman, Evan Longoria; Short Stop, Derek Jeter; Outfielders Carl Crawford, Ichiro Suzuki, and Franklin Gutierrez; and Pitcher, Mark Buerhle.