LAS VEGAS -- Carlos Delgado earned top honors from his peers Friday night at the Players Choice Awards as he was named as the American League and Overall Player of the Year after finishing in the top four in all three Triple Crown categories.
|  | | Delgado was named baseball's best overall player at the Players Choice Award Show. |
Delgado was the only player to earn two awards, but was was not present at the Paris Hotel, where the show took place. Instead, Delgado was proving to his peers that he was a wise choice, blasting a home run for the Major League All-Stars in their 8-5 vicotory over the Japanese All-Stars hours earlier in Japan.
Boston Red Sox ace Pedro Martinez won his record fifth Players Choice Award, when he was selected as the AL Pitcher of the Year. It was the third straight year that Martinez had won the award; he also earned last year's Overall Player of the Year award and the 1997 NL Pitcher of the Year honor.
Frank Thomas and Randy Johnson were also repeat winners. Johnson, who won the AL Pitcher of the Year honor in 1995, was named as the NL Pitcher of the Year, joining Martinez as the only pitchers to win the honor in both leagues.
Thomas, who won two of the first three AL Player of the Year Awards (1993 and 1994), returned to the spotlight as the AL Comeback Player of the Year. After seeing his home run and RBI totals dip to career lows in 1999, the "Big Hurt" was back in 2000, recording career highs in HR (43) and RBI (143).
"It means a lot knowing the players voted for this," Thomas said. "It's important because sometimes the media is very biased about who they like and who they don't like. The players give you an honest opinion. I didn't vote for myself because I really felt this award should go to someone who came back from something. I really didn't go anywhere, I just had a couple down years. "
Andres Galarraga of the Braves won the comeback honor for the senior circuit. After missing the entire 1999 season with non-Hodgkins lymphoma in his back, "The Big Cat" returned to play in 141 games, batting .302, with 28 HRs and 100 RBI.
Terrence Long of Oakland and Rafael Furcal of the Braves were named as the Outstanding Rookies of the Year while Eric Davis won the Man of the Year honor for his work on and off the field.
The show was hosted by Robert Wuhl of Arli$$ fame and was attended by several celebs, such as Evander Holyfield, the USA Olympic baseball team, Rob Reiner, Collin Raye and former players Reggie Jackson, Dave Winfield, Lou Brock and Tony Perez.
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Previous Players Choice Award winners
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