Detroit Tigers’ ace Justin Verlander becomes American League MVP – MLB News
The Detroit Tigers ace and starter Justin Verlander finally won the American League’s Most Valuable Player (MVP) Award and has written an interesting history in Major League Baseball after a long time that a pitcher can also win this precious recognition.
He was declared winner defeating Boston Red Sox outfielder Jacoby Ellsbury, Toronto Blue Jays’ outfielder Jose Bautista, New York Yankees’ outfielder Curtis Grandson and Detroit Tigers first baseman Miguel Cabrera on Monday with 13 of 28 first place votes
and total 280 points in a voting panel that was organised by the Baseball Writers Association of Untied States of America.
After winning this award, reporters and several sports journalists started contacting Verlander to have his say on this valued moment. He was very calm when he stated the issue of pitchers on winning the MVP Award.
Verlander said, “Obviously pitchers are not just written off all of a sudden because they're pitchers, not even in my wildest dreams had I thought of this, I want to say this is a dream comes true. I can't say that because my dream had already had come true
... to win a Cy Young. And the next dream is to win a World Series. This wasn't even on my radar until the talk started.”
Justin, who has just won the Cy Young Award, last week was pretty much sure over winning the AL MVP this year. His 2011 season-long tremendous performances are the main reason he won two very important awards in any pitcher’s professional baseball career.
Verlander was truly influential in the MLB 2011 regular and postseason, earning 2.40 ERA, along with 24-5 (win loss) record, 250 total strike-outs and 0.92 WHIP. Not only this year, but Verlander’s career also speaks for him where he averaged 3.54 ERA, 107-57
(win-loss) record, 1215 strike-outs and a 1.19 WHIP.
Many baseball experts are also commenting about Verlander that this is just the beginning of his brilliant winning streak of different awards. The only regret Verlander must have felt was that his team, the Detroit Tigers could not win the 2011 World Series.
Tags: