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MLB World Series 2008 News - Sports News | November 21, 2008
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AL Most Valuable Player: Dustin Pedroia
By Jim Rogash
November 18, 2008
Dustin Pedroia, Boston•Why he won: Pedroia, 25, led the American League in runs, hits and doubles while finishing second in batting average and fourth in total bases. He was the AL’s starting second baseman in the All-Star Game and was previously honored as a Gold Glove winner for defensive excellence and with a Silver Slugger award as the top offensive player at his position. •In his words: “I’m not the biggest guy in the world. I don’t have that many tools. If you look at me — if I’m walking down the street, you wouldn’t think I’m a baseball player. That’s the biggest thing that (helps) me to be a good player. I’ve had to deal with that my whole life. It’s been instilled in my mind that I have to overcome everything and prove people wrong. So far, I’ve done that.” The voting
| Player, Team | 1st | 2nd | 3rd | 4th | 5th | 6th | 7th | 8th | 9th | 10th | Total |
| Dustin Pedroia, Boston | 16 | 6 | 4 | 1 | — | — | — | — | — | — | 317 |
| Justin Morneau, Minnesota | 7 | 7 | 6 | 3 | 3 | 1 | 1 | — | — | — | 257 |
| Kevin Youkilis, Boston | 2 | 4 | 4 | 9 | 2 | 4 | 1 | 2 | — | — | 201 |
| Joe Mauer, Minnesota | 2 | 8 | 1 | 3 | 4 | 3 | 3 | 2 | 1 | — | 188 |
| Carlos Quentin, Chicago | — | 1 | 4 | 8 | 4 | 4 | 4 | — | 1 | 1 | 160 |
| Francisco Rodriguez, Los Angeles | 1 | 2 | 6 | 1 | 6 | — | 3 | 2 | — | 2 | 143 |
| Josh Hamilton, Texas | — | — | 2 | 2 | 3 | 7 | 3 | 2 | 4 | 3 | 112 |
| Alex Rodriguez, New York | — | — | — | — | 1 | 1 | 4 | 1 | 4 | 7 | 45 |
| Carlos Peña, Tampa Bay | — | — | 1 | — | 2 | — | 2 | 3 | 2 | 3 | 44 |
| Grady Sizemore, Cleveland | — | — | — | — | — | 2 | 1 | 5 | 6 | 1 | 42 |
| Evan Longoria, Tampa Bay | — | — | — | — | — | 2 | 2 | 5 | 2 | 1 | 38 |
| Cliff Lee, Cleveland | — | — | — | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | — | 1 | — | 24 |
| Miguel Cabrera, Detroit | — | — | — | — | — | 1 | — | 1 | 4 | 1 | 17 |
| Vladimir Guerrero, Los Angeles | — | — | — | — | — | — | 2 | 2 | 1 | — | 16 |
| Jermaine Dye, Chicago | — | — | — | — | 1 | — | — | 2 | — | 2 | 14 |
| Aubrey Huff, Baltimore | — | — | — | — | — | 1 | — | — | 2 | 3 | 12 |
| Milton Bradley, Texas | — | — | — | — | — | 1 | 1 | — | — | — | 9 |
| Jason Bartlett, Tampa Bay | — | — | — | — | 1 | — | — | — | — | — | 6 |
| Mike Mussina, New York | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | 1 | — | — | 3 |
| Raul Ibañez, Seattle | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | 1 | 1 |
| Ian Kinsler, Texas | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | 1 | 1 |
| Ichiro Suzuki, Seattle | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | 1 | 1 |
| Mark Teixeira, Los Angeles | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | 1 | 1 |
The voting panel consists of two BBWAA members from each of the 14 chapters in American League cities. Players receive 14 points for a first-place vote, nine for a second-place vote and eight for a third-place vote, etc., down to one point for a 10th-place vote. Balloting is conducted prior to postseason play.
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Discounts abound at the MLB.com Shop
Selected merchandise reduced by an unprecedented 30 percent
By Mark Newman
November 19, 2008
You had so much fun saving money on Wednesday, we're going to do it again. Everything at the MLB.com Shop is an unheard-of 30 percent off.
As you know, 30 percent can be a good number in baseball.
Rangers shortstop Michael Young has hit in exactly 30 percent of his official at-bats as a Major Leaguer, or .300 for a career.
Young's No. 10 Authentic Home Jersey from Majestic Athletic is always a popular item around Rangers home games. It's normally $244.99, and until 3 a.m. Friday, you can take 30 percent off that. It is a savings of $73.
Chase Utley will turn 30 on Dec. 17, and he just had an unbelievable season. He hit 33 homers, drove in 104 runs and was close to 30 percent (.292) at the plate.
A Mounted Memories No. 26 Autographed 2008 World Series Jersey would look pretty good on the wall of a Phillies fan enjoying the team's reign. it's normally listed at $637.99, and you can knock off an astounding $191 and order one for yourself or for that special someone on your holiday shopping list.
Twins first baseman Justin Morneau hit .300 in 2008 -- a hit in 30 percent of his at-bats.
Take 30 percent off a Morneau 2008 All-Star Game Home Run Derby matted 8x10 framed photo. It's normally $49.99, so this is crying out for a space on a Twins fan's wall.
Yankees shortstop Derek Jeter hit safely in exactly 30 percent of his official at-bats in 2008.
Order from the Derek Jeter Collection and take 30 percent off the total tab. It's all part of the MLB.com Shop big sale.
Diamondbacks first baseman Conor Jackson hit .300 for the first time in his young Major League career, exactly three hits out of every 10 official trips to the plate.
Do you have an Authentic Game Performance 59FIFTY On-Field Cap yet? Now is the time to get one, including the kind Jackson wore in that .300 season. They normally go for $31.99 at the Shop, and now you can take 30 percent off.
Ryan Ludwick? What a year for the Redbirds. Though teammate Albert Pujols took home the National League MVP award, the young outfielder batted .299 to go with his 37 homers and 113 RBIs. He was a 30-percenter.
Who knows? Maybe Ludwick will be part of the World Baseball Classic. Gear for that much-anticipated event is now available, including that incredible USA Fashion Color Therma Base Tech Fleece from Majestic. It's all 30 percent off, just like everything at the Shop on this day.
As you can see by now, the sales are constant at the MLB.com Shop, and look for similar offerings right through the Christmas holiday. There are sales on top of sales. This one is the kind you just can't miss -- the opportunity to take an amazing 30 percent off at checkout.
Look around and see what you want.
Pete Rose had more hits than anyone, and he hit safely in about 30 percent (.303) of his official at-bats. Houston's Lance Berkman just hiked his career average to .302 after batting .312 in a stellar 2008 season. No one's sure if Bobby Abreu will be a Yankees outfielder in 2009, but this much is certain -- he will start the year with a .300 career average, or a 30 percent success rate.
As a baseball fan, you know that 30 percent as a nice number. Get a hit in three out of 10 at-bats, and you're doing well. Fill your shopping cart with a load of holiday gifts, save 30 percent on the final sum, and you're going to be happy as well.
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Howard finishes second in MVP voting
Slugger gets 12 first-place votes, but Cards' Pujols wins award
By Ken Mandel
November 17, 2008
PHILADELPHIA -- Two years ago, Ryan Howard edged Albert Pujols for the National League Most Valuable Player Award, despite the fact that Pujols led his team to the playoffs and eventually a World Series championship.
Despite missing the playoffs that season, the Phillies had a better record than the Cardinals, and Howard's 58 homers and 149 RBIs were too significant to ignore.
In 2008, Pujols won that argument for the same reason and captured the NL MVP Award, though Howard's monstrous September and Major League-leading home run (48) and RBI (146) totals made the race much closer. Pujols may have had his best season, which is saying a lot for one of the game's elite sluggers.
Howard received 12 first-place votes -- six fewer than Pujols -- and was named first, second or third on 31 of the 32 ballots submitted by the Baseball Writers' Association of America. Teammate and closer Brad Lidge, who went 41-for-41 in save opportunities during the regular season, received the other two first-place votes, and finished eighth with 104 points. Chase Utley received 30 total points for a 15th-place finish. He was named on nine ballots, none higher than fourth.
Howard's second-place finish brings the honor back to St. Louis, where Pujols won in '05 before giving way to Howard in '06 and shortstop Jimmy Rollins in '07.
"I can only control what I do on the field, and if it's good enough [for MVP], so be it," Howard said in September, when he batted .352 with 11 homers and 32 RBIs.
As dominating as Howard's September was, Pujols practically did that every month while compiling arguably his finest season. The St. Louis slugger batted .357, two points shy of his career high, and set new personal bests with a .462 on-base percentage, a 1.115 OPS and 104 walks. He slugged .653, nearly 30 points better than his career average, and cranked 37 homers and 44 doubles. Pujols drove in 116 runs, scored 100 and struck out just 54 times. He never hit lower than .302 in any month, never had an OBP lower than .413 and never slugged below .558.
Howard endured some painful cold spells, notably April (.168), August (.213) and June (.234) before heating up for the final month. Without Howard's hot stretch, the Phillies might not have qualified for the postseason.
"He got hot when we needed him, and we were able to get on his back for the ride," Shane Victorino said, before the NL Division Series. "That was huge."
And like Pujols in '06, Howard can look at his World Series ring as the ultimate accomplishment.
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