In results announced Wednesday, Thomas was voted the American League's Most Valuable Player by a committee of the Baseball Writers Association of America, becoming the 11th player to win the award in consecutive years and the first in the American League since Roger Maris in 1960 and 1961.
Asked if the shorter season diminished the accomplishment, Thomas said it was even sweeter the second time, although he "hated to see the season end like it did because I was having a career year. I felt like I was in a groove all year."
A unanimous winner last year, Thomas received 24 of 28 first-place votes and 372 points. Ken Griffey Jr., the Seattle Mariners center fielder who led the league with 40 home runs and hit .323, was second in balloting, followed by first baseman Albert Belle and outfielder Kenny Lofton, both of the Cleveland Indians.
Thomas, known as the Big Hurt, dominated the league's offensive statistics. He was third in batting at .353, second in home runs with 38 and tied for third in runs batted in with 101. He led the majors with a .487 on-base percentage and led the league with a .729 slugging average.
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