Cincinnati Reds’ Joey Votto wins NL MVP
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Joey Votto was a nearly unanimous winner of the National League Most Valuable Player award on Monday. Votto, the first baseman who led the Cincinnati Reds to their first playoff berth since 1995, received 31 of 32 first-place votes.
The other first-place vote went to St. Louis Cardinals first baseman Albert Pujols, who had won in each of the previous two years. Pujols finished second in the voting, followed in order by three players from the NL West: Colorado Rockies outfielder Carlos Gonzalez, San Diego Padres first baseman Adrian Gonzalez and Colorado shortstop Troy Tulowitzki.
No Dodger was among the 27 players receiving votes. The ballot asks voters for 10 choices.
Votto, 27, hit .324 with 37 home runs and 113 runs batted in. He ranked second in the NL in batting average and third in homers and RBI, and he led the NL in on-base percentage (.424), slugging percentage (.600) and OPS (on-base plus slugging, 1.024).
Votto is the second Canadian-born player to win the award. Larry Walker of the Rockies won in 1997.
Pujols finished in the top 10 for the 10th consecutive season.
-- Bill Shaikin