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Bonds wins sixth NL MVP Award
Major League Baseball ^ | November 18th, 2003 | Chris Shuttlesworth

Posted on 11/18/2003 11:17:20 AM PST by Sabertooth

11/18/2003  1:07 PM ET 
Bonds wins sixth NL MVP Award
Slugger receives 28 of 32 first-place votes

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

 •

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.

2003 Awards

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

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
etopps

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.



TOPICS: Culture/Society; Front Page News; News/Current Events; US: California
KEYWORDS: albertpujols; award; barrybonds; baseball; bonds; mlb; mvp; pujols
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To: Blackyce
Berry doesn't care about the hitting percentage...he does care about the HR records. In his pursuit of the latter, he's a fraud.
41 posted on 11/18/2003 12:04:45 PM PST by My2Cents ("Well....there you go again...")
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To: My2Cents



He claims his power surge late in his career is the result of an exercise regime which amounts to running around the track at Stanford.

That ain't close to true. He's said that he's taken andro and creatine, and his five and six hour workouts in the off-season are notorious. Ask Gary Sheffield.

Has he taken any banned steroids? Dunno, bring on the tests. But it's false to insinuate that Bonds sat on his butt and turned into the Hulk.


42 posted on 11/18/2003 12:05:54 PM PST by Sabertooth (No Drivers' Licences for Illegal Aliens. Petition SB60. http://www.saveourlicense.com/n_home.htm)
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To: Sabertooth
Sorry, but I read the quote directly from Barry back in 2001. Unless the newspaper made it up...
43 posted on 11/18/2003 12:06:53 PM PST by My2Cents ("Well....there you go again...")
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To: Sabertooth
Hard to believe Bonds, Sosa, and McGuire bulked up that quickly with weights. My gut instincts tell me performance enhanced drugs, just like most NFL players. The testing systems are getting better and are able to catch more players now.
44 posted on 11/18/2003 12:08:45 PM PST by LaGrone
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To: Sabertooth
We'll see. Bonds' attorney has said that he's willing to take any test MLB wants to administer.

Yeah, but Bonds didn't say it. Lawyers often make broad PR statements like this to grab a headline -- only to haggle over the details later.

Bonds had better be clean. There's a bunch of sportswriters around MLB who would just love to carve him up.

45 posted on 11/18/2003 12:09:06 PM PST by Tallguy (I can't think of anything to say -- John Entwistle in "The Kids are Alright")
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To: Snuffington
Sammy Sosa once said the same thing at a press conference. Then a sportswriter challenged him to take it that day - the lap setup was available. Sammy stormed off and ended the press conference then and there.

This incident (which didn't happen as you remember it) was the work of Sports Illustrated's Dick...oops, I mean Rick Reilly, sportsmedia's premiere Bonds-basher. Up until then, Reilly kissed up to Sosa because he is genial, charismatic, and never met a microphone he didn't like.

The fact of the matter is this: Sosa would have been sanctioned by the MLB Players Association -- a legendarily strong union -- if he had voluntarily submitted to a test that hadn't been approved beforehand. In fact, he not only would have been in hot water with the union, he would be in trouble with other players as well, because it would pressure on them to volunteer just as he had.

46 posted on 11/18/2003 12:09:09 PM PST by L.N. Smithee (Just because I don't think like you doesn't mean I don't think for myself)
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To: Sabertooth
I hope the six MVP awards helps Mr. Bonds deal with the realization that he's an absolute loser.
47 posted on 11/18/2003 12:09:27 PM PST by Alberta's Child ("To freedom, Alberta, horses . . . and women!")
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To: Sabertooth

48 posted on 11/18/2003 12:10:08 PM PST by Petronski (I'm *NOT* always *CRANKY.*)
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To: irish guard
Everything I get my hands on says he is a full fledged turd in the clubhouse.....Sprots Illustrated did a piece on him, Kent has spoken about him...some guy flew out to SF to interview him, gave him three days and he blew the guy off. He speaks very little to the press and when in Milwaukee for the All Star game was a perfect dick, left after he played, which was one of the reasons they were not able to finish the game...many guys simply left early....but then again, he could be a good guy.

I'm not going to nominate Bonds for sainthood, he pissed me off when he didn't shake his teammates' hands before game six of the Series last year. It's important, though, to get some facts straight.

Bonds could definitely handle the press better, but his beef with them goes back to the way they treated his father back in the 70s. Jeff Kent doesn't win any Mr. Congeniality contests either. Also, Bonds was already removed from the All-Star Game when it was called. He was ineligible to go back into the game. His departure had nothing to do with the outcome. The problem was that Torre and Brenly ran out of pitchers, not position players.


49 posted on 11/18/2003 12:12:21 PM PST by Sabertooth (No Drivers' Licences for Illegal Aliens. Petition SB60. http://www.saveourlicense.com/n_home.htm)
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To: LaGrone
People tend to forget that McGwire was a pretty big dude as a rookie. Bonds & Sosa were skinny. It's possible for a big body to get a lot out of weight training without resorting to 'enhancers'. OTOH, skinny guys can't train to the same level without some help.

None of this proves anything, of course. But it is suggestive.

50 posted on 11/18/2003 12:12:40 PM PST by Tallguy (I can't think of anything to say -- John Entwistle in "The Kids are Alright")
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To: Sabertooth
He is a GREAT ballplayer but NO ONE deserves 6 MVP's without ONE World Series Title.
51 posted on 11/18/2003 12:13:10 PM PST by PISANO (God Bless our Troops........They will not TIRE-They will not falter-They will NOT FAIL)
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To: My2Cents; Sabertooth
Sorry, but I read the quote directly from Barry back in 2001. Unless the newspaper made it up...

Click here.

52 posted on 11/18/2003 12:14:53 PM PST by L.N. Smithee (Just because I don't think like you doesn't mean I don't think for myself)
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To: My2Cents
Sorry, but I read the quote directly from Barry back in 2001. Unless the newspaper made it up...

Dunno, here are the results of a Google search...

OnlineAthens: Sports: Pendleton to Furcal: Stand and deliver 05/ ...
... He hit 21 home runs and had 71 RBIs in 1997. It took Bonds five years to convince
Sheffield to give weights and a winter workout program another try. ...
www.onlineathens.com/stories/ 052602/spo_20020526108.shtml - 16k - Cached - Similar pages

USATODAY.com - Once again, Bonds is our man
... When Sheffield's cell phone rang, it was Bonds who answered. Bonds told Boras that
the news would have to ... Players used to think that lifting weights knotted up ...
www.usatoday.com/sports/bbw/ 2003-01-02-bonds-playeroftheyear_x.htm - 46k - Cached - Similar pages

The San Francisco Examiner
... 9:30-10 am -- Arrive at a gym to lift weights for about two hours. ... Going only by
statistics, it looks like Sheffield didn't benefit from Bonds' regimen. ...
www.examiner.com/sfx/templates/ printer.jsp?story=sp.giantsnote.0515w0 - 6k - Cached - Similar pages

Old friends Bonds, Sheffield meet in playoffs: 10/2/02
... Sheffield stayed at Bonds' home during the offseason, following ... o'clock in the morning
-- Bonds made breakfast ... run steps at Stanford Stadium and lift weights. ...
www.s-t.com/daily/10-02/10-02-02/c03sp120.htm - 22k - Supplemental Result - Cached - Similar pages

TSN.ca - MLB Giants - Canada's Sports Leader
... Sheffield stayed at Bonds' home during the offseason, following ... 6 o'clock in the morning
- Bonds made breakfast ... run steps at Stanford Stadium and lift weights. ...
www.tsn.ca/mlb/teams/ news_story.asp?ID=6757&hubName=mlb-giants - 48k - Supplemental Result - Cached - Similar pages

JS Online: A work in progress
... unprecedented fourth National League MVP, Sheffield accepted. ... last winter, he moved
into Bonds' home in ... regimen of stairs, sprints, hills, weights and hitting ...
www.jsonline.com/sports/brew/ may02/40233.asp?format=print - 18k - Supplemental Result - Cached - Similar pages

McCarthy at the Bat - Baseball Primer
... would argue that Bonds doesn't lift weights to a ... characterize his status with the
media; Gary Sheffield, for one ... about this, when I saw photos of Bonds prior to ...
www.baseballprimer.com/articles/ dszymborski_2002-06-13_0.shtml - 35k - Cached - Similar pages

Healthcare - Prescriptions Vitamins Nutrition Weight loss
... alt hut bay max courtneys margarite sheffield pompadour concentrate ... paige weigh thigh
origin weights length kings ... hood gandhi binder bind bonds cordial curd ...
www.dot411.com/select?healthcare - Similar pages

Geometry.Net - Athletes_Baseball: Giambi Jeremy
... and chest which offers optional light weights (20 minutes). ... GUERRERO, VLADIMIR MON
SOSA, SAMMY CHC BONDS, BARRY SF ... JIM STL FLOYD, CLIFF NYM SHEFFIELD, GARY ATL ...
www.geometry.net/athletes_baseball/ giambi_jeremy_page_no_4.html - 31k - Cached - Similar pages

Yahoo! Groups : scoresheet-talk Messages : Message 11249 of 35228
... I haven't lifted weights in eight ... to Venezuela 3-2. Los Angeles: LF Gary Sheffield
could remain ... San Francisco: Barry Bonds' agent, Scott Boras, met with Giants ...
groups.yahoo.com/group/scoresheet-talk/ message/11249?source=1 - 24k - Supplemental Result - Cached - Similar pages

LINK


53 posted on 11/18/2003 12:18:07 PM PST by Sabertooth (No Drivers' Licences for Illegal Aliens. Petition SB60. http://www.saveourlicense.com/n_home.htm)
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To: jpl
Mark McGuire........he was a steroid-enhanced monster

Mark was ALMOST as BIG on the day he entered baseball as he was when he retired. He hit 49 homers as a ROOKIE. Barry Bonds has yet to hit over 50 in his entire career EXCEPT for that miracle year. Something is very, very odd about that. I have thought of a million reasons but NONE make logical sense that would explain that ONE magic year!

54 posted on 11/18/2003 12:20:10 PM PST by PISANO (God Bless our Troops........They will not TIRE-They will not falter-They will NOT FAIL)
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To: PISANO
Injuries. Bonds has been on pace to set the record multiple times but always had his season interupted by injuries. The big "mystery" of Bonds record year was how he managed to not get hurt.
55 posted on 11/18/2003 12:22:39 PM PST by discostu (You figure that's gotta be jelly cos jam just don't shake like that)
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To: PISANO
First of all, Mark McGwire was skinny as a rail his first few years with the Athletics. He hit 49 HRs which showed that any alleged steroid use had little factor.

Second, Bonds hit 37 HRs in the strike shortened 1994 season and was on pace to hit in the mid-50's while he was also a skinny rail.

The dillution of pitching due to expansion has as much to do with increased home run totals as anything. The same thing happened in the early 1960's when baseball expanded.

56 posted on 11/18/2003 12:25:27 PM PST by Grando Calrissian
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To: discostu
Injuries

While what you say has some merit, it doesn't explain it to me. He was NOT hurt every OTHER year. Also ONCE we go down the road of INJURIES preventing STATS/RECORDS you end up in the never, never land of SHOULDA - COULDA - WOULDA - OUTTA - MIGHTA and the infamous "IF ONLY." Of course this is my opinion I coulda be wronga.

57 posted on 11/18/2003 12:28:20 PM PST by PISANO (God Bless our Troops........They will not TIRE-They will not falter-They will NOT FAIL)
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To: My2Cents
Delgado thinks he got jobbed. Do you think he should have won it? I think you could flip a coin and the vote was close.

A Rodriguez Avg .298 HR 47 RBI 118 R 124 SLG .600 OBP .396

C...Delgado Avg .302 HR 42 RBI 145 R 117 SLG .593 OBP .426

58 posted on 11/18/2003 12:29:43 PM PST by xp38
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To: discostu
Injuries. Bonds has been on pace to set the record multiple times but always had his season interupted by injuries. The big "mystery" of Bonds record year was how he managed to not get hurt.

The only year Bonds missed significant time to injury was 1999. That was also when he stopped stealing so many bases, changed his swing, bulked up, and his AB/HR ratio started to drop below 10, where it's been since 2000.

Even before that, though, Bonds was one of the most consistent home run hitters in baseball history. He's now on a ML record tying (with Jimmie Foxx) streak of 12 consecutive seasons with 30 or more homers, going back to 1992.

Several things happened in 2001 to enable Bonds to break the record, including having the then-reigning MVP, Jeff Kent, hitting behind him, and Rich Aurillia having a career year (37 hrs) ahead of him. Bonds and Aurillia combined for 110 homers, more than Ruth and Gehrig's 107 in 1927, and second only to Maris and Mantle's 115 in 1961.


59 posted on 11/18/2003 12:32:26 PM PST by Sabertooth (No Drivers' Licences for Illegal Aliens. Petition SB60. http://www.saveourlicense.com/n_home.htm)
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To: Sabertooth
Better baseball through science.
60 posted on 11/18/2003 12:34:37 PM PST by mewzilla
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