NICE GUY FINISHES FIRST

Boston Red Sox first baseman Mo Vaughn edged Cleveland's Albert Belle to take the American League's Most Valuable Player Award in a vote that may have been determined as much by personality as statistics. Although Belle arguably had the better stats, hitting .317 with 50 home runs to Vaughn's .300 and 39, Belle's reputation as being surly to reporters may have cost him when the reporters did the voting. The voters may also have been swayed by the fact that Belle was just one of many sluggers on a powerful Indians team, while Vaughn's big numbers were more vital to a light-hitting Red Sox team.