Cincinnati’s Joey Votto is named NL MVP

Cincinnati’s Joey Votto was overwhelmingly elected the National League’s most valuable player on Monday, ending the two-year reign of Albert Pujols.

Votto, a first baseman who helped the Reds reach the postseason for the first time in 15 years, received 31 of 32 first-place votes and 443 points in voting announced by the Baseball Writers’ Assn. of America.

Votto was a first-time All-Star, finishing second in the NL in batting average at .324 and third in homers (37) and runs batted in (113).

Now 27, Votto didn’t become a major league regular until two years ago. Following the death of his father in August 2008, he went on the disabled list and missed 21 games the following year partly because of depression and anxiety.

Pujols, the St. Louis Cardinals’ first baseman, was second with the remaining first-place vote and 279 points after winning the award in 2005, 2008 and 2009.

Veteran baseball play-by-play man Jon Miller said he politely told ESPN “no thanks” to its offer to become the network’s radio voice on the games.

Miller and color analyst Joe Morgan had been the television tandem on ESPN’s games for 21 years but learned this month that their contracts would not be renewed.

“It was nice ESPN made me an offer, but ultimately I’d rather quit doing two jobs,” Miller said Monday. The longtime play-by-play man for the San Francisco Giants also has no hard feelings.

“I don’t need any explanations,” he said. “That’s fine. I’m not someone who needs to have it explained to them. The decision was made, OK, there we go. I move on.”

It is expected that ESPN’s Dan Shulman will take over for Miller. “Dan will do a great job,” Miller said.

—Diane Pucin

As expected, the New York Mets hired Terry Collins as manager. Collins takes over for Jerry Manuel, who was fired along with general manager Omar Minaya in a restructuring of the front office following another dismal season.

ETC.

Nadal rallies to beat Roddick in ATP finals

Rafael Nadal ripped forehands and smacked backhands all over the court, leaving Andy Roddick to watch and wonder as the top-ranked Spaniard rallied to win, 3-6, 7-6 (5), 6-4, in the ATP World Tour Finals at London.

Nadal, who won three of the four Grand Slam titles this year but had lost four straight at the season-ending event, was broken in his first service game and then again early in the second set of the Group A match. But trailing, 2-1, in the second set, Nadal was helped by a pair of let calls on Roddick’s booming serve with the American leading 30-15.

Novak Djokovic had little trouble beating Tomas Berdych in his first match of the finals, winning, 6-3, 6-3, in Group A.

The Ducks reassigned right wing Dan Sexton, center Nick Bonino and left wing Brandon McMillan to the Syracuse Crunch, Anaheim’s primary development affiliate in the American Hockey League. The club also put center Ryan Carter on waivers. Carter has played in 18 games with Anaheim this season, totaling one goal and two assists.

Billy Hunter, the executive director of the NBA players’ association, says he is “99% sure” there will be a lockout next summer.