Gonzalez edges Rodriquez for AL MVP

By the Associated Press/Staff Writer

NEW YORK (AP) - Juan Gonzalez of the Texas Rangers beat Seattle's Alex Rodriguez by three points Thursday, matching the second-closest victory margin ever in voting for the AL Most Valuable Player award.

Gonzalez, who hit .314 with 47 homers and 144 RBIs, got 11 first-place votes and 290 points. Rodriguez, who hit a league-leading .358 with 36 homers and 123 RBIs, received 10 first-place votes and 287 points in balloting by the Baseball Writers Association of America.

It was the closest vote since 1960, when Roger Maris beat New York Yankees teammate Mickey Mantle 225-222. The closest AL MVP vote was in 1947, when Joe DiMaggio of the Yankees beat Ted Williams of the Boston Red Sox 202-201.

Albert Belle of the Cleveland Indians finished third with two first-place votes and 228 points, followed by Ken Griffey Jr. of the Mariners with four first-place votes and 188 points.

Mo Vaughn of the Red Sox, who won the award last year, was fifth with 184 points. Texas catcher Ivan Rodriguez received the other first-place vote but was on only 13 ballots overall, finishing 10th with 52 points.

Gonzalez, 27, was second in the AL in RBIs and fifth in home runs despite missing 28 games. He was on the disabled list from May 9-June 21 with a torn left quadriceps muscle.

By winning the award, Gonzalez gets a $250,000 bonus added to a $6.7 million salary. Belle's contract called for a $25,000 bonus if he placed second through fifth in the voting.