Bonds wins sixth NL MVP Award

Major League Baseball ^ | November 18th, 2003 | Chris Shuttlesworth

[Sabertooth]

11/18/2003  1:07 PM ET 

Bonds wins sixth NL MVP Award

Slugger receives 28 of 32 first-place votes

By Chris Shuttlesworth / MLB.com

	Barry Bonds hit .341 with 45 home runs for the Giants in 2003. (Marcio Jose Sanchez/AP)

SAN FRANCISCO -- Barry Bonds captured his record sixth National League MVP Award and unprecedented third in a row Tuesday, beating out St. Louis' Albert Pujols by a 426-303 point margin. Bonds received 28 of 32 first-place votes, while Pujols received three.

The six MVP honors put Bonds far and away in his own class among baseball players, as no other player has won more than three. Bonds is now one of just four athletes in the four major U.S. sports to win an MVP Award six times. The NBA's Kareem Abdul-Jabbar and the NHL's Gordie Howe each won six, while hockey legend Wayne Gretzky captured nine MVP Awards in his sport.

 NL MOST VALUABLE PLAYER

 Player

1st

Total

 Bonds

28

426

 Pujols

3

303

 Sheffield

1

247

 Thome

-

203

 Lopez

-

159

 Gagne

-

143

 Helton

-

75

Besides Bonds, no other player has won more than three MVP Awards. The three-time winners:

AL Player	Years
Jimmie Foxx	1932, 33, 38
Joe DiMaggio	1939, 41, 47
Yogi Berra	1951, 54, 55
Mickey Mantle	1956, 57, 62
NL Player	Years
Stan Musial	1943, 46, 48
Roy Campanella	1951, 53, 55
Mike Schmidt	1980, 81, 86

 AL MOST VALUABLE PLAYER

 Player

1st

Total

 Rodriguez

6

242

 Delgado

5

213

 Posada

5

194

 Stewart

3

140

 Ortiz

4

130

 Ramirez

1

100

 Garciaparra

1

99

 •

MORE AL COVERAGE
• Rodriguez wins first MVP Award
• Delgado second in MVP voting
• Posada third in AL race

• Stewart places fourth in MVP race

• Ortiz, Manny, Nomar are top seven

Since the BBWAA began handing out MVP Awards in 1931, the award has gone to players from a team without a winning record only seven times:

Year	Player	Team	Record
1952	Hank Sauer	CHC	77-77
1958	Ernie Banks	CHC	72-82
1959	Ernie Banks	CHC	74-80
1987	Andre Dawson	CHC	76-85
1989	Robin Yount	MIL	81-81
1991	Cal Ripken	BAL	67-95
2003	Alex Rodriguez	TEX	71-91

Bonds' title gives the Giants the league's top individual honor in each of the last four years -- Jeff Kent edged Bonds in 2000 -- a feat never before accomplished in the National League. Mickey Cochrane, Lefty Grove and Jimmie Foxx (twice) of the Philadelphia A's won the award four times in a row from 1928-33 (no award was given out in 1929 or 1930), while the Yankees saw Yogi Berra and Mickey Mantle combine for four in a row from 1954-57 and Roger Maris (twice), Mantle and Elston Howard do the same from 1960-63.

While Bonds' 45 homers were far below the 73 he hit in winning the MVP Award in 2001 and his .341 average -- third best in the league -- fell short of the .370 mark he posted in winning a batting title and another MVP Award in 2002, his performance in 2003 was perhaps more remarkable.

It came as Bonds watched his father, former Giants All-Star Bobby Bonds, succumb to cancer, with the superstar son leaving the team several times to be with his ailing father and then to mourn with his family after Bobby's death.

Bonds returned from that final bereavement leave after missing five games, hit a home run in the second at-bat of his first game back and then was hospitalized overnight for an irregular heartbeat brought on by stress and sleeplessness.

Rookie of the Year:
AL - Berroa, KC   NL - Willis, FLA

Cy Young:
AL - Halladay, TOR   NL - Gagne, LA

Manager of the Year:
AL - Peña, KC   NL - McKeon, FLA

Most Valuable Player:
AL - Rodriguez, TEX   NL - TBA 11/18

MLB.com's complete coverage >

Just before his father's death and immediately after his first bereavement leave to be with the ailing Bobby, Bonds ended two games against the Braves with a walk-off homer in the 10th inning. In the other contest of the three-game sweep of Atlanta, Bonds received an intentional walk to load the bases in the ninth and Edgardo Alfonzo followed with a game-winning single.

Bonds tallied another walk-off homer, the ninth of his career, on his 39th birthday July 24, just after he threw out a potential go-ahead run at the plate. That homer also made him the all-time San Francisco Giants home run leader, passing Willie McCovey.

Bonds won his first MVP Award in 1990 with Pittsburgh before narrowly losing the 1991 race to Terry Pendleton. He then won back-to-back awards in 1992 and 1993, the latter his first season with San Francisco. In 2001, after setting the single-season record with 73 homers, he won his unprecedented fourth MVP Award with 30 of 32 first-place votes and then last year captured his first unanimous honor, easily topping Pujols.

The slugger helped the Giants capture the NL West title in 2003 as the club remained in first place every day of the season before falling to the eventual world champion Marlins in the Division Series. He easily led the Majors with a .749 slugging percentage, a .529 on-base percentage and 148 walks, 61 of those intentional, though far more were unofficially intentional.

Barry Bonds   /   LF
	Height: 6'2" Weight: 210 Bats/Throws: L/L More info: Player page Stats | Splits Giants site Bonds shop

By comparison, Boston's Manny Ramirez finished second with 29 intentional free passes. Only two other entire teams had more intentional walks than Bonds -- the Cardinals with 68 and the Diamondbacks with 63.

Despite the kid-gloves treatment, Bonds still powered 45 home runs, two behind league leader Jim Thome, who finished fourth in voting behind Atlanta's Gary Sheffield. Bonds also drove in 90 runs and scored 111 times despite playing in only 130 games and recording 390 at-bats -- 201 fewer ABs than Pujols, who hit 43 homers and walked 79 times (12 intentional). He tied the NL mark jointly held by himself and Duke Snider by reaching base safely in 58 consecutive games.

Bonds ended the season just two homers shy of tying godfather Willie Mays' 660 for third on the all-time list. By hitting at least 30 homers for the 12th straight season, Bonds extended his own NL record and tied Foxx's Major League mark established from 1929-40. With three multihomer games in 2003, he moved past Mays into third on the all-time list with 64 such games, three shy of Mark McGwire and eight behind Babe Ruth.

He became the charter member of the 500-500 club when he stole his 500th career base in the 11th inning June 23, subsequently scoring the game-winning run. He also passed Ruth for second on the all-time walks list with 2,070 and is 120 free passes shy of Rickey Henderson's Major League record.

Chris Shuttlesworth is an editorial producer for MLB.com. This story was not subject to the approval of Major League Baseball or its clubs.

[Alberta's Child]

Geez, Victoria. Who the heck am I to tell you anything about sports? -- It sounds like you could write a book about the subject! LOL!

You're absolutely right. Former Montreal Canadiens goaltender Ken Dryden covered this subject in one of the outstanding books he wrote after he retired. He went back through the great Canadian players in the history of hockey, and found that almost every one of them came from smaller towns, from families of ordinary or limited means. Maurice Richard and Mario Lemieux were two of the exceptions -- Richard was from Montreal, and Lemieux was from a town called La Prairie in Quebec, which is basically a suburb of Montreal.

[Chu Gary]

"I really don't wonder why he set the record when he did I ONLY WONDER why HE has NEVER hit 50 in his career BEFORE or AFTER the 74 monster year. That is my question. Except for Hank Aaron I don't think ANY baseball player in HISTORY (I may be wrong) THAT was considered a HOME RUN hitter (you know 500+ HR's in Lifetime) has NOT hit 50 in one or more years. That is why it sticks in my HEAD. WHY so many? 74 and never at least 50?? Maybe it is ONLY my mystery and means little to anyone else."

Actually, you're wrong. Check it out at a baseball reference site. As an example, who's the leading HR hitter of all time (at least in MLB), Hank Aaron; how many times did he hit 50 or more HRs?

[Victoria Delsoul]

On the other hand, if it wasn't for computers and TV, we'd all be playing hockey, hehe.

[Chu Gary]

"All the stars alligned that year. Kind of like Roger Maris who never hit more than 39 HRs until 1961,

Sort of forgetting how they put him 3rd ahead of Mantle ...."

You're right. In addition, 1961 was the first year of the expanded schedule, going from 154 to 162 games during the regular season. Also, the Mick's season ended before the 154th game (injury). Without Mickey to protect him, Roger Maris didn't hit his 61st until sometime during the "extra games," hence the asterisk.

[Alberta's Child]

That's right. LOL.

You'd probably be pretty good, too. ;-)

[Victoria Delsoul]

LOL… I don't know. I like tennis, volleyball, horse riding, and squash.

[Chu Gary]

"Hank Aaron might be the most under-appreciated player of all-time. While his peers, Mays and Mantle, grabbed the headlines, Aaron put up significantly better career numbers than either of them."

Oh no man. If you want to talk about most under-appreciated players, let's include Josh Gibson, Shoeless Joe, Satchel, Nap Lajoie, Ted Williams, etc., etc., etc. Nonetheless, ain't it great to talk about baseball at this length. I don't think there's another sport that evokes passion like baseball does. Luckily, I live in Florida and baseball arrives earlier for me that many others on this thread.

[Alberta's Child]

I like tennis, volleyball, horse riding, and squash.

Hmm. Interesting combination! But where did the affinity for squash come from? LOL!

[Victoria Delsoul]

I think it comes from my dislike for the Democrats, LOL!!!

[Victoria Delsoul]

dislike "of" them. Getting tired, nighty night.

[Alberta's Child]

LOL. ;-)

[Sabertooth]

Hank Aaron played the early part of his career in Milwaukee before the Braves moved to Atlanta. IIRC, the ballpark in Milwaukee was a notorious pitcher's park.

Not so, Milwaukee County Stadium was a bandbox. Matthews and Adcock thrived there, as did Aaron. Later, the likes of Yount, Molitor, and Cooper enjoyed its confines.

Fulton County Stadium was such a hitters park that Davey Johnson hit 43 homers for the Braves in 1973, after never hitting more than 18 for the Orioles.

Hank Aaron might be the most under-appreciated player of all-time. While his peers, Mays and Mantle, grabbed the headlines, Aaron put up significantly better career numbers than either of them.

Not significantly better than Mays by any stretch. Mays was the best five tool player, bar none. He played a more difficult position than Aaron, had a better glove and arm, and played in more difficult hitters' parks in the Polo Grounds and Candlestone (some of the worst turf ever).

[steve8714]

STL is no longer a hub, but it does have $1bn in new runways.

[steve8714]

I didn't say regional bias...hell, the beat writer here voted for Sheffield. I said laziness.

[steve8714]

Instead of walking him they should be hitting him. Why waste a base on balls? Ted sizemore would be in the hall of fame if OBP were really all that.

[steve8714]

That is for two reasons...one is the presence of S. Musial, the other is the 15 PENNANTS they have won. Bonds has three consecutive MVP's, but only one pennant.

[steve8714]

Oh, and by the way, don't tell me about division championships...they are meaningless. We have a few of them, and nobody celebrates. We don't need to win the Series, but it really isn't a successful season without the pennant.

[CommerceComet]

In his career, Hank Aaron hit 385 HRs (50.99%) in his home park and 370 HRs (49.01%) in road parks. This is hardly evidence that his career stats were heavily influenced by his parks. Mays' numbers for comparison were 335 HRs (50.76%) at home against 325 HRs (49.24%) away.

Despite the reputation of Candlestick Park, during their playing days with the Giants both Mays and McCovey were slightly more likely to hit a homerun at home than they were to hit one on the road. Swirling, gusty winds will sometimes hurt, sometimes help a hitter. Candlestick had pretty modest dimensions.

Of course, Mays was a five-tool player but so was Aaron. What skill do you think Hank Aaron was lacking? Mays may have held the edge over Aaron in the field but Aaron was more dangerous with a bat. Mays and Aaron played at the same time against the same competition. In the triple crown statistics, Aaron (who played one more season) held a clear advantage over Mays (.305/755/2297 to .302/660/1903 respectively). That is a significant difference particularly when the "park effects" argument is baseless.

[Sabertooth]

Of course, Mays was a five-tool player but so was Aaron. What skill do you think Hank Aaron was lacking? Mays may have held the edge over Aaron in the field but Aaron was more dangerous with a bat. Mays and Aaron played at the same time against the same competition. In the triple crown statistics, Aaron (who played one more season) held a clear advantage over Mays (.305/755/2297 to .302/660/1903 respectively).

Almost hree more seasons, as Mays missed nearly two to military service. Aaron and Mays are almost identical in batting and slugging. Mays has the edge in slugging (.557 to .555), as well as OBP (.384 too .374) and OPS (.941 to .929). Mays was also a better baserunner than Aaron.

Mays had a better glove and arm than Aaron. Mays is regarded as not only the best centerfielder, but the best outfielder of all time. Aaron wasn't even the best rightfielder of his own time. Clemente and Kaline were both better.

The five tools are hitting, hitting for power, baserunning, fielding, and throwing. Mays and Aaron are even on the first two, and Mays has the edge on latter three.

Willie Mays was a better player than Hank Aaron.

[CommerceComet]

There are several viable candidates for the title of "most under-appreciated" player of all time. That was why I was careful to say Aaron "might be." I don't know if Hank Aaron would be my final choice or not but he would be one of the finalists for sure as would several of the men you listed.