NEW YORK Joe Mauer became only the second catcher in 33 years to win the American League Most Valuable Player Award finishing first in a vote Monday The Minnesota Twins star received 27 of 28 firstplace votes and 387 points in balloting by the Baseball Writers Association of America Yankees teammates Mark Teixeira 225 points and Derek Jeter 193 followed while Detroits Miguel Cabrera drew the other firstplace vote and was fourth with 171 points one point ahead of the Angels Kendry Morales Mauer became the second Twins player to win in four years following Justin Morneau in 2006 After missing April with a back injury Mauer homered in his first atbat of the season and went on to lead the AL in batting average 365 onbase percentage 444 and slugging percentage 587 the first AL player to top all three categories in the same season since George Brett in 1980 Mauer set a major for highest batting average by a catcher and won his third batting title becoming the first repeat batting champion since Nomar Garciaparra in 199900 Mauer set career bests with 28 homers and 96 RBIs had more walks 76 than strikeouts 63 and batted 378 after Morneaus back injury Sept 12 helping the Twins overtake Detroit for the AL Central title He was voted to his third AllStar team and won his second straight AL Gold Glove Born in St Paul the 26yearold can leave the Twins and become a free agent after the 2010 season when he is due to make 125 million Minnesota is expected to try to sign him to a new deal Ivan Rodriguez in 1999 had been the only catcher since Thurman Munson in 1976 to win the AL MVP The other catchers to win in the AL were Mickey Cochrane 1934 Yogi Berra 1951 and 195455 and Elston Howard 1963 NL catchers to win were Gabby Hartnett 1935 Ernie Lombardi 1938 RoyZoilo Versalles 1965 były Campanella 1951 roku 1953 oraz 1955 i Johnny Bench 1970 i 1972 r w do Mauer i Morneau innych Twins wygrać Harmon Killebrew 1969 r i 1977 Carew Rod Mauer odbiera 100000 premia za Zwycięstwo udzielania i Cabrera pobiera 200000 dla Cabreras czwarty głosowania firstplace pochodzi od Konishi Keiz