Baseball Digest Player of the Year Award on Baseball Almanac

Baseball Digest Player of the Year Award

Baseball Digest began its coverage of Major League Baseball in August 1942. They are, in Baseball Almanac's opinion, the single best source of baseball information anywhere. Player profiles, official rosters, schedules, scouting reports, and articles that are in a class by themselves are what you are missing if you do not receive Baseball Digest in your mailbox every month.

Listed below in chronological order are the players chosen by Baseball Digest as recipients of Baseball Digest's Player of the Year. Pitchers were included in Player of the Year selections through 1993. In 1994 Baseball Digest began choosing both a Player & Pitcher of the Year.

"One scene of accomplishment belongs to the ages. It is the picture of Barry Bonds, smiling to the heavens, raising both arms above his head and pointing his forefingers skyward in triumph after he crossed the plate at Pac Bell Park in San Francisco following his 73rd home run of the 2001 season on Sunday, October 7." - John Kuenster in Baseball Digest (January 2002)

Baseball Digest Player of the Year Award In Chronological Order / Baseball Digest Pitcher of the Year Award
Year	Name^(Quantity)	Team	Position	Baseball Digest Notes / Reason
1969	Tom Seaver⁽¹⁾	Mets	P	Posted a 25-7 record for NL pennant-winning Mets.
1970	Billy Williams⁽¹⁾	Cubs	LF	Hit .322 with 42 homers, 137 runs and 129 RBI.
1971	Joe Torre⁽¹⁾	Cardinals	3B	Led majors with 230 hits, 137 RBI and .363 average.
1972	Dick Allen⁽¹⁾	White Sox	1B	Topped AL with 37 homers, 113 RBI and hit .308.
1973	Pete Rose⁽¹⁾	Reds	LF	Major league leader in hits (230) while hitting .338.
1974	Lou Brock⁽¹⁾	Cardinals	LF	Set major league record with 118 stolen bases.
1975	Joe Morgan⁽¹⁾	Reds	2B	Hit .327, scored 107 runs with 67 steals and 94 RBI.
1976	Joe Morgan⁽²⁾	Reds	2B	Clubbed 27 HR with 113 runs, 111 RBI and .320 BA.
1977	George Foster⁽¹⁾	Reds	LF	Paced majors with 52 home runs and 149 RBI.
1978	Ron Guidry⁽¹⁾	Yankees	P	Had 25-3 record with 1.74 ERA and 248 strikeouts.
1979	George Brett⁽¹⁾	Royals	3B	Posted .329 BA with 42 doubles, 20 triples & 23 HR.
1980	George Brett⁽²⁾	Royals	3B	Captured batting title with .390 mark with 118 RBI.
1981	Mike Schmidt⁽¹⁾	Phillies	3B	Led NL with 31 HR, 91 RBI in strike-shortened year.
1982	Robin Yount⁽¹⁾	Brewers	SS	Scored 129 runs with 210 hits, 28 HR & 114 RBI.
1983	Carlton Fisk⁽¹⁾	White Sox	C	Led Chicago to 99 wins with 26 HR and 86 RBI.
1984	Ryne Sandberg⁽¹⁾	Cubs	2B	Hit .314 with 200 hits, 19 triples & 114 runs.
1985	Dwight Gooden⁽¹⁾	Mets	P	Led NL pitchers with 25 wins, 1.53 ERA & 268 Ks.
1986	Roger Clemens⁽¹⁾	Red Sox	P	24-4 with 2.48 ERA for pennant-winning Red Sox.
1987	Andre Dawson⁽¹⁾	Cubs	RF	Led majors with 49 homers and 137 RBI.
1988	Jose Canseco⁽¹⁾	A's	RF	Hit 42 homers with 40 steals, 129 runs & 124 RBI.
1989	Will Clark⁽¹⁾	Giants	1B	Batted .333 with 111 RBI, 104 runs & 23 homers.
1990	Ryne Sandberg⁽²⁾	Cubs	2B	Led NL with 116 runs, 40 HR & 344 total bases.
1991	Cal Ripken, Jr.⁽¹⁾	Orioles	SS	Collected 210 hits with 34 HR, 114 RBI & .323 BA.
1992	Roberto Alomar⁽¹⁾	Blue Jays	2B	Scored 105 runs with .310 BA & 49 steals.
1993	Barry Bonds⁽¹⁾	Giants	LF	Hit .336 with NL leader 123 RBI and 46 home runs.
1994	Jeff Bagwell⁽¹⁾	Astros	1B	Batted .368 with 39 HR and league-leading 116 RBI.
1995	Albert Belle⁽¹⁾	Indians	LF	First to hit 50 homers & 50 doubles in a season.
1996	Alex Rodriguez⁽¹⁾	Mariners	SS	Led AL in runs (141), doubles (54), & BA (.354).
1997	Larry Walker⁽¹⁾	Rockies	RF	Clubbed 49 homers with 130 RBI, 143 runs & .366 BA.
1998	Sammy Sosa⁽¹⁾	Cubs	RF	Smashed 66 HR with 134 runs, 158 RBI & 416 TB.
1999	Ivan Rodriguez⁽¹⁾	Rangers	C	Caught 141 games with .332 BA, 35 HR & 113 RBI.
2000	Todd Helton⁽¹⁾	Rockies	1B	Led NL with .372 BA & 147 RBI while clubbing 42 HR.
2001	Barry Bonds⁽²⁾	Giants	LF	73 homers, 177 walks, .863 slugging while hitting .328.
2002	Barry Bonds⁽³⁾	Giants	LF	Batting title (.370), 198 walks, & slugging leader.
2003	Ivan Rodriguez⁽²⁾	Marlins	C	Caught 138 games, hit 16 homers & the team leader.
2004	Vladimir Guerrero⁽¹⁾	Angels	RF	Batted .337 with 39 HR. Scored 124 runs, drove in 126.
2005	Albert Pujols⁽¹⁾	Cardinals	1B	41 HR (3rd), 117 RBI (2nd), 129 R (1st), .330 Avg (2nd)
2006	Derek Jeter⁽¹⁾	Yankees	SS	.343 BA, 118 runs, 34 SB, 97 RBI
2007	Jimmy Rollins ⁽¹⁾	Phillies	SS	Led NL in runs scored, triples & extra-hit games.
2008	Albert Pujols⁽²⁾	Cardinals	1B	All-around player - .357 BA, 37 HR & 116 RBI.
2009	Not Yet Announced^(12-2009)	--	--	--
Year	Name^(Quantity)	Team	Position	Baseball Digest Notes / Reason
Baseball Digest Player of the Year Winners \| Bold=Most Valuable Player Award Winner

When Barry Bonds won in 2001 he became the fourth major leaguer (Joe Morgan, George Brett and Ryne Sandberg were the others) to be honored twice by Baseball Digest. When he won in 2002 he became their first & only three time recipient.

The 2001 rankings in reverse order were: 20. Larry Walker, 19. Shawn Green, 18. Lance Berkman, 17. Todd Helton, 16. Jim Edmonds, 15. Juan Gonzalez, 14. Alex Rodriguez, 13. Jim Thome, 12. Rich Aurilia, 11. Jeff Bagwell, 10. Chipper Jones, 9. Roberto Alomar, 8. Derek Jeter, 7. Ichiro Suzuki, 6. Albert Pujols, 5. Luis Gonzalez, 4. Bret Boone, 3. Sammy Sosa, 2. Jason Giambia and 1. Barry Bonds.

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