Rodriguez near-unanimous as AL MVP

NEW YORK, Nov. 19 (UPI) -- New York Yankees third baseman Alex Rodriguez has been selected the American League's most valuable player for a record-tying third time.

Rodriguez was listed first on 26 and second on two other ballots cast of members of the Baseball Writers Association of America in voting results announced Monday.

Detroit's Magglio Ordonez was second with the other two first-place votes and had 22 seconds and four third-place mentions. Los Angeles Angels of Anaheim's Vladimir Guerrero was third.

Rodriguez won his first MVP Award in 2003 with Texas and collected another in 2005 while with the Yankees. His 2007 MVP ties him with Yankees Joe DiMaggio, Yogi Berra and Mickey Mantle among the eight players who have won the honor three times. Only Barry Bonds, with seven National League MVPs, has more.

Rodriguez hit .314 in 2007 with a major-league leading 54 home runs and 158 runs batted in. During the season he became the youngest player to collect his 500th home run.

In MVP Award voting, players are given 14 points for a first place mention, nine for a second-place vote, eight for third on down to a one point award for a 10th-place mention.