NEW YORK -- Jeff Kent planned to celebrate his National
League Most Valuable Player Award in the same understated way that
helped him win it.
Kent hopped on the tractor to mow the lawn at his Texas ranch,
went out for a barbecue dinner and hoped to go hunting over the
weekend.
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Voting results
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Voting for the NL MVP Award: |
|
Player
|
1st
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2nd
|
3rd
|
Total
|
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Kent, S.F.
|
22
|
5
|
4
|
392
|
|
Bonds, S.F.
|
6
|
8
|
8
|
279
|
|
Piazza, N.Y.
|
3
|
10
|
11
|
271
|
|
Edmonds, St.L
|
|
6
|
7
|
208
|
|
Helton, Col.
|
1
|
3
|
1
|
198
|
|
Guerrero, Mon.
|
|
|
|
117
|
|
Bagwell, Hou.
|
|
|
|
102
|
|
A. Jones, Atl.
|
|
|
|
95
|
|
Sosa, Chi.
|
|
|
|
71
|
|
Sheffield, L.A.
|
|
|
|
71
|
|
C. Jones, Atl.
|
|
|
1
|
23
|
|
Maddux, Atl.
|
|
|
|
12
|
|
Nen, S.F.
|
|
|
|
12
|
|
Glavine, Atl.
|
|
|
|
8
|
|
Burks, S.F.
|
|
|
|
6
|
|
Alfonzo, N.Y.
|
|
|
|
6
|
|
Johnson, Ari.
|
|
|
|
5
|
|
Kile, St.L
|
|
|
|
4
|
|
Giles, Pit.
|
|
|
|
3
|
|
Alou, Hou.
|
|
|
|
2
|
|
Hidalgo, Hou.
|
|
|
|
2
|
|
Alfonseca, Fla.
|
|
|
|
1
|
"It hasn't sunk in yet," Kent said Thursday after beating out
San Francisco teammate Barry Bonds to win the award. "I don't have
trophies up in the house. I don't keep pictures of myself. I don't
brag about my accomplishments. This is something that is a
fantasy."
Kent, the first second baseman to win the award since the Cubs'
Ryne Sandberg in 1984, received 22 first-place votes, five seconds,
four thirds and one fourth for 392 points in balloting by the
Baseball Writers' Association of America.
Bonds, a three-time MVP winner, got six first-place votes and
279 points to give the NL West-champion Giants the first 1-2 finish
for a team in the NL MVP since Bonds and Bobby Bonilla did it for
Pittsburgh in 1990.
"There is no doubt I wouldn't be doing the things I'm doing
without him," Kent said. "The way he gets on base gives me
opportunities to drive in runs. You can't really ask for a better
guy to hit in front of you than Barry. I complement him as well.
I've earned the respect of opponents that they now pitch to
Barry."
Kent hit .334 with 33 homers and 125 RBI, solidifying himself
as one of the best offensive second basemen. His 475 RBI the last
four seasons broke Rogers Hornsby's 75-year-old record for most at
the position over such a span.
Chiefly because of the second baseman's RBI total and knack for
clutch hits, manager Dusty Baker said Kent would have gotten his
MVP vote, not Bonds, perhaps swaying voters. Bonds also had praise
for his teammate.
"He's been doing this ever since he got here," Bonds said in
September. "The numbers he puts up for a second baseman are
amazing. They're great for any player, but to do it at second base
is really something."
The only other MVP second basemen are Joe Morgan of Cincinnati
(1975-76), Nellie Fox of the White Sox (1959), Jackie Robinson of
the Dodgers (1949), Joe Gordon of the Yankees (1942), Charlie
Gehringer of Detroit (1937) and Frankie Frisch of the Cardinals
(1931).
|  | | Jeff Kent set career highs in batting average (.334) and home runs (33) in 2000. |
"This puts me more in a category along side of guys like
that," Kent said. "It is truly an honor to be mentioned in the
same breath as those guys. I never try to compare myself with
anybody."
Bonds hit .306 with 49 homers and 106 RBI. Bonds also scored
129 runs and walked 117 times as he almost became the first
four-time MVP in baseball history. He won the award in 1990 and
1992 in Pittsburgh and in 1993 for San Francisco.
Mets catcher Mike Piazza was the only other player named on all
32 ballots, finishing with three first-place votes and 271 points.
He hit .324 with 38 homers and 113 RBI but wore down in
September, when he hit .222.
St. Louis' Jim Edmonds was fourth (208), followed by Colorado's
Todd Helton (198), Montreal's Vladimir Guerrero (117), Houston's
Jeff Bagwell (102), Atlanta's Andruw Jones (95), the Cubs' Sammy
Sosa (71) and Los Angeles' Gary Sheffield (71).
"I'm floored that people across the country recognized the
Giants and more specifically recognized me," Kent said. "I was
going against tremendous, quality talent in Barry Bonds, Todd
Helton, Jim Edmonds and Mike Piazza. I'm losing my breath
mentioning guys like that. To win the award by that margin ..."
Edmonds, acquired in spring training from Anaheim, batted .295
with 42 homers and 109 RBI. Edmonds also won a Gold Glove for his
play in center field.
Helton, who flirted with .400, might have had the best year of
any of the hitters, but his statistics were inflated by Coors Field
and his candidacy was hurt because the Rockies finished in fourth
place in the NL West.
Helton led the league in batting (.372), RBI (147), slugging
percentage (.698), on-base percentage (.463), hits (216), and
doubles (59). Helton also hit 42 homers and scored 138 runs.
Kent received a $100,000 bonus on top of his $6 million salary.
Piazza got $75,000 and Helton received $50,000. | |
ALSO SEE
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Giambi gives credit to McGwire for MVP honor
Johnson wins NL Cy Young in overwhelming fashion
It's unanimous: Martinez wins third Cy Young Award
Landslide victory: Furcal voted NL Rookie of Year
M's stopper Sasaki voted AL Rookie of Year
AUDIO/VIDEO
 Jeff Kent talks with ESPN's Trey Wingo about winning the NL MVP Award.
RealVideo: 56.6 | ISDN | T1
 Chris Berman commends the decisions for AL and NL MVP.
wav: 287 k
RealAudio: 14.4 | 28.8 | 56.6
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