Players from Last Place Teams Getting 1st Place Votes for MVP

[Teflon]

Kind of an intriguing list, I thought. Andre Dawson on the 1987 Cubs immediately came to mind as well as Steve Carlton on the 1972 Phillies. It turns out that pair accounts for 2 of the only 5 rare instances in which a player from a last place team has even gotten 1st place MVP award votes.

 

One player has actually made this list twice and in back-to-back seasons. Your guess?

[iTwins]

That's a tough one - my first guess (which admittedly, was a long shot) was Felix Hernandez in the 2010-2012 range but I see he didn't earn first place votes in that span.

[Bark's Lounge]

Ernie Banks?

[ericchri]

A-Rod and Barry Bonds immediately come to mind as possibilities.

[gunnarthor]

I know ARod got some votes. So, Dawson, Carlton, ARod (twice is my guess) ... how about Ichiro the year he set the hit record?

[gunnarthor]

And Frank Robinson for the fifth guess?

[biggentleben]

I'm guessing A-Rod in Texas is the two time guy, so him twice, Dawson, Carlton, and hmmm...I like Bonds.

[hawkiconk]

i'm guessing bark has it

let's play two banks in 58 and 59?

[biggentleben]

It's not Ernie. Just looked him up. Cubs weren't last in any season Banks got a first place vote.

[biggentleben]

Also not Bonds, Ichiro, nor Robinson

[Brock Beauchamp]

Griffey?

[Brock Beauchamp]

Can't be Griffey. The Mariners weren't that bad in back to back seasons.

[Guest USAFChief]

Andre Dawson?

[Ultima Ratio]

Tony Gwynn

[curt1965]

Rod Carew?

[twinsnorth49]

Gotta be A-Rod.

[biggentleben]

A-Rod is definitely the two-time guy. That one I'm certain of. Looked it up to be sure.

[gunnarthor]

OK, I think it's time for the answer to be given.

[Teflon]

Here's the list:

 

Frank Howard got 1 first-place vote on the Washington Senators who finished last in the AL East in 1970. Howard hit .283 with 44 HR and 126 RBI. (Boog Powell of the Orioles was the AL MVP)

 

Steve Carlton in 1972 got 1 first-place MVP vote on the Philadelphia Phillies who finished last in the NL East. Carlton was 27-10 with a 1.97 ERA for a team which, as has been frequently noted, won only 59 games. Carlton did earn the NL Cy Young award that season, however, so was duly recognized. (Johnny Bench of the Reds was the NL MVP.)

 

Andre Dawson was the MVP on the last place NL East Cubs in 1987, receiving 11 first place votes. The Hawk hit .287 with 49 HR and 137 RBI.

 

The player who repeated on this list was Alex Rodriguez of the Texas Rangers - a team that finished last in the AL West in both 2002 and 2003. A-Rod received 5 first place votes in 2002 when he hit .300 with 57 HR and 142 RBI - but lost out in the MVP race to Miguel Tejada of the A's. Rodriguez then hit .298 with 47 HR and 118 RBI the next year to receive 6 first place votes and claim the MVP award despite the Rangers finishing 20 games under .500. The Rangers led the AL in homeruns that season as, in addition to A-Rod's 47, Rafael Palmeiro hit 38 and Juan Gonzalez, Hank Blalock, and Mark Teixeira all reached or topped 25. Unfortunately for the Rangers, their pitching staff also allowed the most homeruns in the league and amassed a league-worst 5.67 ERA.

[hawkiconk]

for the record:

i hate arod

i hate barroid

i hate clemons

 

i like canseco, big papi and braun

 

doesn't make sense?

yup