Rodriguez Edges Ortiz for AL MVP

Alex Rodriguez showed that slick fielding counts, winning his second American League most-valuable-player award in three seasons by defeating David Ortiz in a vote that rewarded an all-around player over a designated hitter.

Rodriguez, in his second season as the New York Yankees’ third baseman, received 16 first-place votes, 11 seconds and one third for 331 points from the Baseball Writers’ Assn. of America in balloting announced Monday.

Ortiz, the designated hitter for the Boston Red Sox, got 11 firsts and 17 seconds for 307 points. Angel outfielder Vladimir Guerrero received the other first-place vote and was third with 196 points.

“I think defense, for the most part, being a balanced player and also saving a lot of runs on the defensive side, I think was a major factor here,” Rodriguez said. “To me, defense is foremost. It’s always been. The White Sox showed us this year pitching and defense wins to this day.”

Rodriguez hit .321 with a league-high 48 home runs, 130 runs batted in and 21 steals, breaking Joe DiMaggio’s 68-year-old Yankee record for home runs (46) by a right-handed hitter. Rodriguez also won the award in 2003, his final season as the Texas Rangers’ shortstop before he was dealt to the Yankees.

Ortiz batted .300 with 47 homers, a major-league-leading 148 RBIs and one steal. Ortiz had 34 RBIs that put his team ahead, the most in the league, and had eight RBIs from the seventh inning on that gave Boston the lead for good.

Rodriguez became the first Yankee to win the award since Don Mattingly in 1985 and only the fourth player to win an MVP with two teams, joining Barry Bonds (Pittsburgh and San Francisco), Jimmie Foxx (Philadelphia Athletics and Red Sox) and Frank Robinson (Cincinnati and Baltimore).

Rodriguez also is the fourth to win at two positions, following Detroit’s Hank Greenberg (first base and left field), the St. Louis Cardinals’ Stan Musial (outfield and first base) and the Milwaukee Brewers’ Robin Yount (shortstop and center field).

After repeated prodding by Congress, baseball players and owners are nearing an agreement that would toughen the penalties for using steroids, Associated Press reported.

Representatives of management and the union will meet today with House Government Reform Committee Chairman Tom Davis (R-Va).

Commissioner Bud Selig proposed in April that the penalties be 50 games for a first positive, 100 games for a second and a lifetime ban for a third, up from 10 days, 30 days and 60 days under the deal that began this year.

In September, union head Donald Fehr countered with 20 games, 75 games and a penalty set by the commissioner.

And last week, Sens. Jim Bunning (R-Ky.), and John McCain (R-Ariz.), called for a half-season ban for a first positive, one season for a second and a lifetime penalty for a third. Their bill would apply to Major League Baseball, the NFL, NBA, NHL and baseball’s minor leagues.

Outfielder Hideki Matsui and the Yankees appeared close to a four-year, $50-million contract.

Matsui’s first contract with the Yankees states that if there is no deal by the end of today, New York must put Matsui on unconditional release waivers, which means the Yankees could not re-sign him until May 15.

TENNIS

Agassi, Nadal Pull Out of Season-Ending Event

Andre Agassi and Rafael Nadal withdrew from the season-ending Tennis Masters Cup because of injuries, leaving two-time defending champion Roger Federer as the only top-five player in the field.

Agassi lost to Nikolay Davydenko, 6-4, 6-2, and pulled out after aggravating an injury to his left ankle. Nadal, ranked second, withdrew because of a left foot ligament injury.

Mariano Puerta replaced Nadal, becoming the fourth Argentine in the field. Puerta lost to Gaston Gaudio, 6-3, 7-5. Fernando Gonzalez of Chile will take Agassi’s place.

JURISPRUDENCE

Former Red Sox Pitcher Boyd Turns Himself In

Former Boston Red Sox pitcher Dennis “Oil Can” Boyd, 45, surrendered to federal agents in Tupelo, Miss., to face charges he threatened a former girlfriend.

Boyd was indicted by a federal grand jury in Mississippi this month. If convicted, he could be sentenced to 25 years in prison, three years’ supervised release and ordered to pay up to $250,100 in fines.

Derrick Mosley, a Chicago community activist, was convicted of extortion and wire fraud by a federal jury for trying to blackmail Yankee outfielder Gary Sheffield and his wife, gospel singer DeLeon Richards-Sheffield, by claiming he had a video showing her having sex with another man.

Sentencing was set for Jan. 18.

MISCELLANY

UCLA Seeded Fifth in Men’s Soccer

UCLA was seeded fifth in the NCAA men’s soccer tournament, and Cal State Northridge was seeded 15th.

The Bruins will open Nov. 22 against the winner of the San Francisco-Southern Methodist game. Northridge will open the same day against the winner of San Diego State and UC Santa Barbara.

Maryland was seeded first in the tournament, which ends Dec. 9-11 at Cary, N.C.

The LPGA’s Karrie Webb headed five inductees into the World Golf Hall of Fame.

Webb needed only five years to reach the required 27 points necessary for induction -- one point for a victory and major award, two points for major victories -- then had to put in her 10 years on tour to be eligible.

She was joined by Ayako Okamoto and posthumous inductees Bernard Darwin, Alister MacKenzie and Willie Park Sr. Okamoto, a 17-time LPGA winner, was selected on the international ballot. Darwin, a writer, and MacKenzie, designer of Augusta National, were lifetime achievement selections. Park, winner of the first British Open in 1860, was a veterans’ category selection.