Texas Rangers outfielder Josh Hamilton finishes seventh in AL MVP voting

Hamilton was denied the MVP in his first full season.

ARLINGTON — Texas Rangers outfielder Josh Hamilton was denied an MVP award in his first full season at the major league level, as Boston Red Sox second baseman Dustin Pedrioa won the honors instead. Hamilton garnered two third-place votes, and finished seventh in voting overall.

Photo not provided by the Texas Rangers

It's been five long years since a Texas Ranger won the MVP award

Hamilton, one of the Rangers' many reclamation projects that worked out beautifully last season, finished the year with a .304 batting average, 98 runs scored, 32 home runs and a AL-leading 130 RBI. Hamilton actually started off the year on an unprecedented hot streak --winning American League Player of the Month honors in both April and May and taking 95 RBI into the All-Star break, before tailing off in the dog days of July and August.

Hamilton failed to join the ranks of Texas Rangers who have won the award, including Jeff Burroughs (1974), Juan Gonzalez (1996, '98), Ivan Rodriguez (1999) and Alex Rodriguez (2003).

Fellow reclamation project Milton Bradley finished 17th in the voting, while Ian Kinsler received a single tenth-place vote after an injury-derailed season of early promise.

Posted by Todd M.