Baseball-Major League Baseball roundup
Nov 16 (The Sports Xchange) - Two weeks after helping the Houston Astros to their first World Series title, second baseman Jose Altuve was named American League MVP, the Baseball Writers Association of America announced Thursday.
The 5-foot-6 Altuve claimed 27 of 30 first-place votes for 405 points to beat AL Rookie of the Year Aaron Judge of the New York Yankees. He matched Yankees shortstop Phil Rizzuto (1950) and Philadelphia Athletics pitcher Bobby Shantz (1952) as the shortest players to win the award.
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Giancarlo Stanton edged out Joey Votto in the fourth-closest balloting of all-time to become the first Miami Marlins' player to be named National League MVP, the Baseball Writers' Association of American announced.
Stanton received 302 votes, two more than Cincinnati Reds star Joey Votto. Both players received 10 first-place votes. Arizona Diamondbacks slugger Paul Goldschmidt was third (229) and received four first-place votes.
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Nine free agents received qualifying offers and each player rejected them, the Player's Association announced.
Chicago Cubs pitchers Jake Arrieta and Wade Davis, the Kansas City trio of first baseman Eric Hosmer, third baseman Mike Moustakas and center fielder Lorenzo Cain, pitchers Lance Lynn (St. Louis), Alex Cobb (Tampa Bay) and Greg Holland (Colorado) and Cleveland first baseman Carlos Santana received the one-year, $17.4 million qualifying offer on Nov. 6.
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The Chicago White Sox acquired minor league right-hander Thyago Vieira from the Seattle Mariners in exchange for international signing bonus pool money, the teams announced.
Vieira also made one appearance with the Mariners last season, retiring all three batters faced in his major league debut versus the Baltimore Orioles on Aug. 14. The 24-year-old became the fifth native of Brazil to play in the majors, joining Yan Gomes, Andre Rienzo, Paulo Orlando and Luiz Gohara.
