The awards keep coming in for Detroit Tigers pitching ace Justin Verlander. After being named to Sporting News' AL All-Star Team on Thursday, he's received another award from them, and it's a doozie: Player of the Year. Verlander was voted as the first pitcher to win the award since Orel Hershiser of the Dodgers in 1988 by 289 major league players (177 players from the AL, 112 from the NL).
Sporting News says it best themselves:
In the second consecutive installment of the "Year of the Pitcher," Verlander stood out among even his most dominant peers. "He's had one of the best seasons for a pitcher. Ever," New York Yankees ace CC Sabathia said.
Verlander's season included league-leading stats in wins (24), strikeouts (250), opponents' batting average (.192) and WHIP (0.92). He also led the American League in ERA with 2.40 and had a no-hitter on the season, as well. His season was just monster, in almost every way. It would have been nice if his postseason was just as strong, but now that it's all said-and-done, it's time to honor him for what he was able to do.
Verlander received 67 votes, and was followed by Curtis Granderson of the Yankees with 57, Matt Kemp of the Dodgers with 41, Jose Bautista of the Blue Jays with 25, and Ryan Braun of the Brewers with 25 as well.