Ortiz second to A-Rod in MVP race
Red Sox slugger finishes just 24 points behind Yankees star
By Ian Browne / MLB.com
BOSTON -- The ascension in the American League Most Valuable Player balloting continued for a third straight season for Red Sox slugger David Ortiz. And this time, the left-handed slugger finished barely short of the summit.
After finishing in fifth place in 2003 and fourth last year, Ortiz placed second to Yankees superstar Alex Rodriguez this time around.
As many expected, it was a tight race, similar to the one staged by the Yankees and Red Sox all year long for the AL East title. While that one ended with both teams finishing at 95-67 and making the postseason, Rodriguez, an MVP for the second time in three years, had enough of an edge to take home the trophy.
Of the 28 ballots cast by members of the Baseball Writers Association of America, Ortiz received 11 first-place votes (worth 14 points each) and 17 second-place votes (nine points each). The difference-maker for Rodriguez were the 16 first-place votes. He also received 11 second-place votes and one third-place vote. A-Rod finished with 331 points, compared to 307 by Ortiz.
Ortiz's Red Sox teammate, Manny Ramirez, who has also never won an MVP, finished fourth with 156 points. Vladimir Guerrero of the Angels, who won the MVP a year ago, placed third with 196 points. He received the one first-place vote that wasn't cast for Rodriguez or Ortiz.
Ortiz would have become the first full-time DH to win an MVP award, but the fact that he played just 10 games at first base in 2005 might have hurt his cause. A-Rod, on the other hand, is a superb defender and a good baesrunner.
That's not to take anything away from Ortiz, who has become as feared a hitter as there is in baseball. For the third straight season, Ortiz put up career numbers -- 119 runs, 180 hits, 47 homers, 148 RBIs, 363 total bases, 102 walks and 1.001 OPS -- across the board.
"Anybody can go out there and make a play, but not everybody can come and hit a homer to tie a game or win a game or get a big hit in a big situation," said Ortiz during the 2005 season. "That's the toughest part of this game."
Rodriguez finished with similarly spectacular numbers, hitting .321 to go with 124 runs, 194 hits, 29 doubles, one triple, 48 homers, 130 RBIs, 369 total bases and a .610 slugging percentage.
As has been the case the entire three years Ortiz has been in Boston, so many of his hits in 2005 wound up being game-breakers.
"If we don't have Ortiz, we might not be in this situation," Red Sox center fielder Johnny Damon said in August. "All the game-winning hits, all the come-from-behind wins, it's pretty special."
Ortiz certainly didn't hurt his cause in the voting with the way he finished. In September, Ortiz was at his best, hitting .320 with 11 homers and 29 RBIs.
His 47 homers marked the second-highest total in the prestigious history of the club, trailing only Jimmie Foxx, who smashed 50 in 1950.
Ortiz's power display was especially impressive when you consider that 19 of those 47 homers either tied the game or put the Red Sox ahead.
"This guy is unbelievable human being," said Kevin Millar, Ortiz's teammate the last three years. "He has a heart of gold. And he's unbelievable in the batter's box. So that makes it so much more gratifying. You root for this guy. He's an all-around good guy and the most dangerous left-hander in the big leagues right now. Who's better?"
Ian Browne is a reporter for MLB.com. This story was not subject to the approval of Major League Baseball or its clubs.