Major Leaguers name Pujols Player of Year

NEW YORK, Oct. 30 (UPI) -- Major League Baseball players have chosen St. Louis Cardinals first baseman Albert Pujols as Player of the Year in 2009.

The honor was announced Friday, the day after Pujols was voted the top player in the National League.

Pujols batted .327 and led the league with 47 home runs, 124 runs scored, a .443 on-base percentage and 374 total bases. He also drove in 135 runs.

The Cardinals won their fourth National League Central title in six years and then were swept by the Los Angeles Dodgers in the opening round of the playoffs.

Pujols has won both the MLB and league top-player honors three times, all while with the Cardinals.

The award is one of the Players Choice Awards announced each year by the Major League Baseball Players Association.

A $50,000 donation will be made by the MLB Players Trust to a charity chosen by Pujols.