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NEW YORK - Alex Rodriguez showed slick fielding counts, winning his second American League Most Valuable Player Award in three seasons by defeating David Ortiz in a vote that rewarded an all-around player over a DH.
Rodriguez, in his second season as Yankees third baseman, received 16 first-place votes, 11 seconds and one third for 331 points from the Baseball Writers' Association of America in balloting announced Monday.
Ortiz, the Red Sox slugger, got 11 firsts and 17 seconds for 307 points. Angels outfielder Vladimir Guerrero received the other first-place vote and was third with 196 points.
"I think defense, for the most part, being a balanced player and also saving a lot of runs on the defensive side, I think was a major factor here," Rodriguez said. "To me, defense is foremost. It's always been. The White Sox showed us this year pitching and defense wins to this day."
Voting was done before the start of the postseason, when the Yankees and Red Sox were eliminated in the first round.
Rodriguez hit .321 with an AL-high 48 homers, 130 RBIs and 21 steals, breaking Joe DiMaggio's 68-year-old Yankees record for home runs by a right-handed hitter by two. Though the MVP competition was often framed as bat vs. glove, Rodriguez actually beat Ortiz in most offensive categories, leading the league in slugging percentage and runs and finishing second in on-base percentage.
A-Rod also won the award in 2003, his final season as Rangers shortstop before he was traded to the Yankees.
He didn't think the award would end criticism that he doesn't perform in the clutch or isn't a winner.
"We can win three World Series, with me, it's never going to be over. I think my benchmark is so high that no matter what I do, it's never going to be enough, and I understand that," he said. "Maybe when I retire is when all critics and all that kind of stuff will end."
Ortiz batted .300 with 47 homers, a major-league-leading 148 RBIs and one steal. Big Papi had 34 RBIs that put his team ahead, the most in the AL, and had eight RBIs from the seventh inning on that gave Boston the lead for good.
"He is the one special player right now, like Barry Bonds, who can change the game around simply with his batting," Rodriguez said.
Rodriguez, for his part, out-hit Ortiz against the best teams in the league. He batted .323 with 18 homers and 46 RBIs against the Red Sox, White Sox, Indians, Angels and A's; Ortiz hit .276-12-45 against the final four plus the Yankees.