SI's Award Picks
AMERICAN LEAGUE MVP
1. Vladimir Guerrero, RF, Angels
2. Gary Sheffield, RF,Yankees
3. Manny Ramirez, LF, Red Sox
4. David Ortiz, DH, Red Sox
5. Michael Young, SS, Rangers
6. Miguel Tejada, SS, Orioles
7. Hideki Matsui, LF, Yankees
8. Mark Teixeira, 1B, Rangers
9. Ichiro Suzuki, RF, Mariners
10. Johan Santana, SP, Twins
Guerrero (.337, 39 HRs, 126 RBIs) edged Sheffield (.290, 36, 121) in the major stat categories and stole the award by carrying the Angels down the stretch (.517, six HRs, 11 RBIs as Anaheim went 6-1 to win the West).
NATIONAL LEAGUE MVP
1. Barry Bonds, LF, Giants
2. Adrian Beltre, 3B, Dodgers
3. Albert Pujols, 1B, Cardinals
4. Scott Rolen, 3B, Cardinals
5. Lance Berkman, RF, Astros
6. J.D. Drew, RF, Braves
7. Mark Loretta, 2B, Padres
8. Jim Edmonds, CF, Cardinals
9. Todd Helton, 1B, Rockies
10. Aramis Ramirez, 3B, Cubs
Bonds walked 232 times--179 more than Beltre--and still crushed 45 homers and drove in 101 runs. Bonds, who turned 40 on July 24, has never been better: He finished with a career-best 1.424 OPS.
AL CY YOUNG
1. Johan Santana, SP, Twins
2. Curt Schilling, SP, Red Sox
3. Mariano Rivera, RP, Yankees
Santana joins Randy Johnson (1997) and Frank Viola ('88) as the AL's only lefty 20-game winners with ERAs better than 2.70 since '78. Runner-up to Johnson twice, Schilling is edged by another southpaw.
NL CY YOUNG
1. Roger Clemens, SP, Astros
2. Randy Johnson, SP, Diamondbacks
3. Ben Sheets, SP, Brewers
A brutally difficult call. Clemens (18-4, 2.98 ERA, 4-0 in September) gets the nod over a more dominant but run-starved Johnson (16-14, 2.60), who got two or fewer runs in 17 of his 35 starts.
AL ROOKIE OF THE YEAR
1. Bobby Crosby, SS, A's
2. Shingo Takatsu, RP, White Sox
3. Zack Greinke, SP, Royals
The only rookie to get 500 at bats, Crosby may have tired down the stretch (.187 after July 31), but he showed some good pop (34 doubles, 22 homers) and a steady glove as Miguel Tejada's replacement.
NL ROOKIE OF THE YEAR
1. Jason Bay, LF, Pirates
2. Khalil Greene, SS, Padres
3. Akinori Otsuka, RP, Padres
Bay, who led all rookies in homers (26), RBIs (82) and slugging percentage (.550) even though he missed five weeks because of shoulder surgery, should be the first Pirates player to win the award (established in 1947).
AL MANAGER OF THE YEAR
1. Buck Showalter, Rangers
2. Ron Gardenhire, Twins
3. Mike Scioscia, Angels
No team that burns through 30 pitchers, including 17 tried as starters, has any business hanging in a pennant race until Game 158. But Showalter deftly handled the ever-changing staff and made sure his club played hard every night.
NL MANAGER OF THE YEAR
1. Bobby Cox, Braves
2. Tony La Russa, Cardinals
3. Phil Garner, Astros
The Braves cut payroll, did not have Greg Maddux or Tom Glavine for the first time since 1986, plucked Jaret Wright and John Thomson off the scrap heap--and Cox still turned in his best work yet.
COLOR PHOTO
JOHN IACONO (GUERRERO)
TWO COLOR PHOTOS
CHUCK SOLOMON (BONDS, COX)
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TOM DAHLIN (SANTANA)
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ROBERT BECK (CLEMENS)
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CHRIS BERNACCHI/SPORTPICS (CROSBY)
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DON SMITH/MLB (BAY)
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LARRY GOREN/ICON SMI (SHOWALTER)