He was an All-Star, 3rd in the
Cy Young, and 9th in the MVP.
He was 2nd
in the NL in wins (18), strikeouts (245), and win %.
The 22 year old was 3rd in ERA
(2.43) and WHIP.
Prior
went 10-1 to finish the season and lead the Cubs to the postseason.
The
Cubs ace threw a two hit complete game in Game Three of the ALDS vs.
Atlanta. The win would give Chicago a 2-1 series lead, in a series they would
take in five games.
Prior gave up just one earned and struck
out seven.
The Cubs drew even in the NLCS, behind
seven innings from Prior in Game Two. He gave up just two runs.
Prior dominated the
Marlins in Game Six, the potential pennant winning game, for the Cubs. He
had a shutout going into the bottom of the eighth, where the” Bartman Incident”
derailed him and the Cubs chances.
Chicago would fall to the upstart Marlins
in seven games in the NLCS. They won the
Central and 88 games.
He saved Game Three and
Five and won Game Seven. He pitched eight innings in four appearances and just
have up one earned run.
Rivera had two innings saves in Game Two
and Three in the ALDS vs. Minnesota; both them scoreless.
He
finished the postseason with five saves in seven games and a 0.56 ERA.
In the regular season Rivera finished third
in the AL with 40 saves.
Mo was 5-2 with a 5-2 with 1.66 ERA in 64
games.
The Yankees won a MLB high 101 games and
the AL pennant for the sixth time in eight years.
Rivera
was the winning pitcher in the epic Game Seven of the ALCS win over rival
Boston. (3 IP)
The Yanks would be upset in the World
Series by the Marlins in six games.
3. Albert Pujols: Was 2nd
in the MVP voting and an All-Star.
The
Cardinals outfielder was named Player of the Year by Sporting News, and the
Player’s Choice.
He
was the NL Player of the Month in May and June.
He won the Silver Slugger for the outfield.
Pujols won the batting title with a .359 average.
“The Machine”
led the NL in runs (139), hits (212), total bases (394), and doubles (51).
He was 4th
in the league in homers (43) and RBI (124).
Albert was 3rd in on base %, and slugging and 2nd
in OPS.
His monster season led St. Louis to be 2nd in the
NL in batting, and runs scored.
The Cards finished with 85 wins and just three games out of
the Cubs for the division title.
