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Pedroia Takes AL's MVP Award

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A Tribune staff, wire report

The Tampa Tribune

Published: November 19, 2008

NEW YORK - Boston little man Dustin Pedroia won the AL MVP award Tuesday, becoming the first second baseman to earn the honor in nearly a half-century.

Pedroia easily beat out Minnesota slugger Justin Morneau and added to his expanding trophy case. Generously listed at 5-foot-9, the Red Sox star was the top AL rookie last year while winning a World Series ring.
Nellie Fox was the previous second baseman to become AL MVP, in 1959 with the White Sox.

Pedroia drew 16 of the 28 first-place votes cast by members of the Baseball Writers' Association of America and finished with 317 points.

It was a scattered ballot, with five players receiving first-place votes. Pedroia was even left off one ballot, while Morneau and Boston first baseman Kevin Youkilis were listed on every one.

Pedroia led the AL in hits, runs and doubles in helping the Red Sox win the AL wild-card berth. He batted .326 with 17 home runs and 83 RBIs and also stole 20 bases.

Morneau, the 2006 AL MVP winner, hit .300 with 23 home runs and 129 RBIs in helping the Twins reach a one-game playoff for the AL Central.

Rays first baseman Carlos Pena was ninth.

Magrane Heading To MLB Network

ST. PETERSBURG - Half of the television announcing duo that has been with the Tampa Bay Rays since the team's beginning is moving on.

Analyst Joe Magrane is leaving the team after 11 seasons to join the new MLB Network, which goes on the air Jan. 1. An official announcement is expected today.

Magrane has called games alongside Dewayne Staats since Tampa Bay's inaugural season, 1998, while also maintaining some higher-profile national assignments. He regularly served as an analyst on Fox's Saturday game of the week and filled the same role for NBC's baseball coverage during the past four Olympics.

Both of the men who filled in while Magrane was calling the action from Beijing this summer could be candidates to replace him full-time: longtime Rays television reporter and in-game host Todd Kalas and former major-league pitcher Brian Anderson.

Marc Lancaster

CUBS: Pitcher Ryan Dempster agreed on a $52 million, four-year contract that includes a player option for 2012.

He gets a $4 million signing bonus, $8 million next year, $12.5 million in 2010 and $13.5 million in 2011. Dempster, who went 17-6 with a 2.96 ERA last season, has a 2012 option for $14 million.

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