Nippon Professional Baseball Most Valuable Player Award
The Most Valuable Player (MVP) Award (最優秀選手, Saiyūshūsenshu) is an honor given annually in baseball to two outstanding players in Nippon Professional Baseball (NPB), one each for the Central League and Pacific League.
Each league's award is voted on by national baseball writers.[1] Each voter places a vote for first, second, and third place among the players of each league. The formula used to calculate the final scores is a weighted sum of the votes.[A] The player with the highest score in each league wins the award.[2]
The first recipient of the award was Eiji Sawamura,[3] and the most recent winners are Alex Ramírez, from the Central League, and Yu Darvish, from the Pacific League.[4][5] In 1940, Victor Starffin became the first player to win the award consecutively and multiple times.[3] Eiji Sawamura and Kazuhisa Inao are the youngest players to receive the awards in 1937 and 1957, respectively, at the ages of 20.[6] In 1988, Hiromitsu Kadota became the oldest player to receive the award at the age of 40.[7]
The most recent winners of the award are Yoshihiro Maru of the Hiroshima Toyo Carp and Hotaka Yamakawa of the Saitama Seibu Lions.
Contents
1 Key
2 Winners
2.1 Japanese Baseball League (1937–1949)
2.2 Nippon Professional Baseball (1950–present)
2.2.1 Central League
2.2.2 Pacific League
2.3 Multiple winners
3 Notes
4 See also
5 Notes
6 References
Key
Position players | RBIs | Runs batted in |
AVG | Batting average | |
Pitchers | Record | Record of decisions (tie games are omitted) |
Saves | Number of saves[B] | |
ERA | Earned run average | |
(#) | Indicates number of times winning MVP Award (if multiple winner) | |
* | Elected to the Japanese Baseball Hall of Fame[8] |
Winners
Japanese Baseball League (1937–1949)
Year | Player | Team | Position | Selected statistics | Notes |
---|---|---|---|---|---|
1937 (Spring) | Eiji Sawamura* | Tokyo Kyojin | Pitcher |
| [9] |
1937 (Fall) | Harris McGalliard | Korakuen Eagles | Catcher |
| [10] |
1938 (Spring) | Hisanori Karita* | Tokyo Senators | Second baseman |
| [11] |
1938 (Fall) | Haruyasu Nakajima* | Tokyo Kyojin | Outfielder |
| [12] |
1939 | Victor Starffin* | Tokyo Kyojin | Pitcher |
| [13] |
1940 | Victor Starffin* (2) | Tokyo Kyojin | Pitcher |
| [14] |
1941 | Tetsuharu Kawakami* | Tokyo Kyojin | First baseman |
| [15] |
1942 | Shigeru Mizuhara* | Tokyo Kyojin | Third baseman |
| |
1943 | Shosei Go* | Tokyo Kyojin | Outfielder |
| [16] |
1944 | Tadashi Wakabayashi* | Hanshin | Pitcher |
| [17] |
1945 | |||||
1946 | Kazuto Yamamoto* | Great Ring | First baseman |
| [18] |
1947 | Tadashi Wakabayashi* (2) | Osaka Tigers | Pitcher |
| [19] |
1948 | Kazuto Yamamoto* (2) | Nankai Hawks | Third baseman |
| [20] |
1949 | Fumio Fujimura* | Osaka Tigers | Third baseman |
| [21] |
Nippon Professional Baseball (1950–present)
Central League
Year | Player | Team | Position | Selected statistics |
---|---|---|---|---|
1950 | Makoto Kozuru* | Shochiku Robins | Outfielder |
|
1951 | Tetsuharu Kawakami* (2) | Yomiuri Giants | First baseman |
|
1952 | Takehiko Bessho* | Yomiuri Giants | Pitcher |
|
1953 | Takumi Otomo | Yomiuri Giants | Pitcher |
|
1954 | Shigeru Sugishita* | Chunichi Dragons | Pitcher |
|
1955 | Tetsuharu Kawakami* (3) | Yomiuri Giants | First baseman |
|
1956 | Takehiko Bessho* (2) | Yomiuri Giants | Pitcher |
|
1957 | Wally Yonamine* | Yomiuri Giants | Outfielder |
|
1958 | Motoshi Fujita* | Yomiuri Giants | Pitcher |
|
1959 | Motoshi Fujita* (2) | Yomiuri Giants | Pitcher |
|
1960 | Noboru Akiyama* | Taiyo Whales | Pitcher |
|
1961 | Shigeo Nagashima* | Yomiuri Giants | Third baseman |
|
1962 | Minoru Murayama* | Osaka Tigers | Pitcher |
|
1963 | Shigeo Nagashima* (2) | Yomiuri Giants | Third baseman |
|
1964 | Sadaharu Oh* | Yomiuri Giants | First baseman |
|
1965 | Sadaharu Oh* (2) | Yomiuri Giants | First baseman |
|
1966 | Shigeo Nagashima* (3) | Yomiuri Giants | Third baseman |
|
1967 | Sadaharu Oh* (3) | Yomiuri Giants | First baseman |
|
1968 | Shigeo Nagashima* (4) | Yomiuri Giants | Third baseman |
|
1969 | Sadaharu Oh* (4) | Yomiuri Giants | First baseman |
|
1970 | Sadaharu Oh* (5) | Yomiuri Giants | First baseman |
|
1971 | Shigeo Nagashima* (5) | Yomiuri Giants | Third baseman |
|
1972 | Tsuneo Horiuchi* | Yomiuri Giants | Pitcher |
|
1973 | Sadaharu Oh* (6) | Yomiuri Giants | First baseman |
|
1974 | Sadaharu Oh* (7) | Yomiuri Giants | First baseman |
|
1975 | Koji Yamamoto* | Hiroshima Toyo Carp | Outfielder |
|
1976 | Sadaharu Oh* (8) | Yomiuri Giants | First baseman |
|
1977 | Sadaharu Oh* (9) | Yomiuri Giants | First baseman |
|
1978 | Tsutomu Wakamatsu* | Yakult Swallows | Outfielder |
|
1979 | Yutaka Enatsu | Hiroshima Toyo Carp | Relief pitcher |
|
1980 | Koji Yamamoto* (2) | Hiroshima Toyo Carp | Outfielder |
|
1981 | Suguru Egawa | Yomiuri Giants | Pitcher |
|
1982 | Takayoshi Nakao | Chunichi Dragons | Catcher |
|
1983 | Tatsunori Hara | Yomiuri Giants | Third baseman |
|
1984 | Sachio Kinugasa* | Hiroshima Toyo Carp | Third baseman |
|
1985 | Randy Bass | Hanshin Tigers | First baseman |
|
1986 | Manabu Kitabeppu* | Hiroshima Toyo Carp | Starting pitcher |
|
1987 | Kazuhiro Yamakura | Yomiuri Giants | Catcher |
|
1988 | Genji Kaku | Chunichi Dragons | Relief pitcher |
|
1989 | Warren Cromartie | Yomiuri Giants | Outfielder |
|
1990 | Masaki Saito* | Yomiuri Giants | Starting pitcher |
|
1991 | Shinji Sasaoka | Hiroshima Toyo Carp | Pitcher |
|
1992 | Jack Howell | Yakult Swallows | Third baseman |
|
1993 | Atsuya Furuta* | Yakult Swallows | Catcher |
|
1994 | Masumi Kuwata | Yomiuri Giants | Pitcher |
|
1995 | Tom O'Malley | Yakult Swallows | First baseman |
|
1996 | Hideki Matsui* | Yomiuri Giants | Outfielder |
|
1997 | Atsuya Furuta* (2) | Yakult Swallows | Catcher |
|
1998 | Kazuhiro Sasaki* | Yokohama BayStars | Relief pitcher |
|
1999 | Shigeki Noguchi | Chunichi Dragons | Starting pitcher |
|
2000 | Hideki Matsui* (2) | Yomiuri Giants | Outfielder |
|
2001 | Roberto Petagine | Yakult Swallows | First baseman |
|
2002 | Hideki Matsui* (3) | Yomiuri Giants | Outfielder |
|
2003 | Kei Igawa | Hanshin Tigers | Starting pitcher |
|
2004 | Kenshin Kawakami | Chunichi Dragons | Starting pitcher |
|
2005 | Tomoaki Kanemoto | Hanshin Tigers | Outfielder |
|
2006 | Kosuke Fukudome | Chunichi Dragons | Outfielder |
|
2007 | Michihiro Ogasawara (2) | Yomiuri Giants | Third baseman |
|
2008 | Alex Ramírez | Yomiuri Giants | Outfielder |
|
2009 | Alex Ramírez (2) | Yomiuri Giants | Outfielder |
|
2010 | Kazuhiro Wada | Chunichi Dragons | Outfielder |
|
2011 | Takuya Asao | Chunichi Dragons | Relief pitcher |
|
2012 | Shinnosuke Abe | Yomiuri Giants | Catcher |
|
2013 | Wladimir Balentien | Tokyo Yakult Swallows | Outfielder |
|
2014 | Tomoyuki Sugano | Yomiuri Giants | Starting pitcher |
|
2015 | Tetsuto Yamada | Tokyo Yakult Swallows | Second baseman |
|
2016 | Takahiro Arai | Hiroshima Toyo Carp | First baseman |
|
2017 | Yoshihiro Maru | Hiroshima Toyo Carp | Outfielder |
|
Pacific League
Year | Player | Team | Position | Selected statistics | ||||
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
1950 | Kaoru Betto* | Mainichi Orions | Outfielder |
| ||||
1951 | Kazuto Yamamoto* (3) | Nankai Hawks | Second baseman |
| ||||
1952 | Susumu Yuki | Nankai Hawks | Pitcher |
| ||||
1953 | Isami Okamoto | Nankai Hawks | Second baseman |
| ||||
1954 | Hiroshi Oshita* | Nishitetsu Lions | Outfielder |
| ||||
1955 | Tokuji Iida* | Nankai Hawks | Outfielder |
| ||||
1956 | Futoshi Nakanishi* | Nishitetsu Lions | Third baseman |
| ||||
1957 | Kazuhisa Inao* | Nishitetsu Lions | Pitcher |
| ||||
1958 | Kazuhisa Inao* (2) | Nishitetsu Lions | Pitcher |
| ||||
1959 | Tadashi Sugiura* | Nankai Hawks | Pitcher |
| ||||
1960 | Kazuhiro Yamauchi* | Mainichi Daimai Orions | OF | 103 | .313 | — | — | — |
1961 | Katsuya Nomura* | Nankai Hawks | C | 89 | .296 | — | — | — |
1962 | Isao Harimoto* | Toei Flyers | OF | 99 | .333 | — | — | — |
1963 | Katsuya Nomura* (2) | Nankai Hawks | C | 135 | .291 | — | — | — |
1964 | Joe Stanka | Nankai Hawks | P | — | — | 26–7 | — | 2.40 |
1965 | Katsuya Nomura* (3) | Nankai Hawks | C | 110 | .320 | — | — | — |
1966 | Katsuya Nomura* (4) | Nankai Hawks | C | 97 | .312 | — | — | — |
1967 | Mitsuhiro Adachi | Hankyu Braves | P | — | — | 20–10 | — | 1.75 |
1968 | Tetsuya Yoneda* | Hankyu Braves | P | — | — | 29–13 | — | 2.79 |
1969 | Tokuji Nagaike | Hankyu Braves | OF | 101 | .316 | — | — | — |
1970 | Masaaki Kitaru | Lotte Orions | P | — | — | 21–10 | — | 2.53 |
1971 | Tokuji Nagaike (2) | Hankyu Braves | OF | 114 | .317 | — | — | — |
1972 | Yutaka Fukumoto* | Hankyu Braves | OF | 40 | .301 | — | — | — |
1973 | Katsuya Nomura* (5) | Nankai Hawks | C | 96 | .309 | — | — | — |
1974 | Tomehiro Kaneda | Lotte Orions | P | — | — | 16–7 | 0 | 2.90 |
1975 | Hideji Kato | Hankyu Braves | 1B | 97 | .309 | — | — | — |
1976 | Hisashi Yamada* | Hankyu Braves | P | — | — | 26–7 | 5 | 2.39 |
1977 | Hisashi Yamada* (2) | Hankyu Braves | P | — | — | 16–10 | 7 | 2.28 |
1978 | Hisashi Yamada* (3) | Hankyu Braves | P | — | — | 18–4 | 4 | 2.66 |
1979 | Charlie Manuel | Kintetsu Buffaloes | OF | 94 | .324 | — | — | — |
1980 | Isamu Kida | Nippon-Ham Fighters | P | — | — | 22–8 | 4 | 2.28 |
1981 | Yutaka Enatsu (2) | Nippon-Ham Fighters | P | — | — | 3–6 | 25 | 2.82 |
1982 | Hiromitsu Ochiai* | Lotte Orions | 2B | 99 | .325 | — | — | — |
1983 | Osamu Higashio* | Seibu Lions | P | — | — | 18–9 | 2 | 2.92 |
1984 | Greg Wells | Hankyu Braves | 1B | 130 | .355 | — | — | — |
1985 | Hiromitsu Ochiai* (2) | Lotte Orions | 3B | 146 | .367 | — | — | — |
1986 | Hiromichi Ishige | Seibu Lions | SS | 89 | .329 | — | — | — |
1987 | Osamu Higashio* (2) | Seibu Lions | P | — | — | 15–9 | 0 | 2.59 |
1988 | Hiromitsu Kadota* | Nankai Hawks | OF | 125 | .311 | — | — | — |
1989 | Ralph Bryant | Kintetsu Buffaloes | OF | 121 | .283 | — | — | — |
1990 | Hideo Nomo* | Kintetsu Buffaloes | P | — | — | 18–8 | 0 | 2.91 |
1991 | Taigen Kaku | Seibu Lions | P | — | — | 15–6 | 1 | 2.59 |
1992 | Takehiro Ishii | Seibu Lions | P | — | — | 15–3 | 3 | 1.94 |
1993 | Kimiyasu Kudoh* | Seibu Lions | P | — | — | 15–3 | 0 | 2.06 |
1994 | Ichiro Suzuki | Orix BlueWave | OF | 54 | .385 | — | — | — |
1995 | Ichiro Suzuki (2) | Orix BlueWave | OF | 80 | .342 | — | — | — |
1996 | Ichiro Suzuki (3) | Orix BlueWave | OF | 84 | .356 | — | — | — |
1997 | Fumiya Nishiguchi | Seibu Lions | P | — | — | 15–5 | 1 | 3.12 |
1998 | Kazuo Matsui | Seibu Lions | SS | 58 | .311 | — | — | — |
1999 | Kimiyasu Kudoh* (2) | Fukuoka Daiei Hawks | P | — | — | 11–7 | 0 | 2.38 |
2000 | Nobuhiko Matsunaka | Fukuoka Daiei Hawks | 1B | 106 | .312 | — | — | — |
2001 | Tuffy Rhodes | Osaka Kintetsu Buffaloes | OF | 131 | .327 | — | — | — |
2002 | Alex Cabrera | Seibu Lions | 1B | 115 | .336 | — | — | — |
2003 | Kenji Johjima | Fukuoka Daiei Hawks | C | 119 | .330 | — | — | — |
2004 | Nobuhiko Matsunaka (2) | Fukuoka Daiei Hawks | 1B | 120 | .358 | — | — | — |
2005 | Toshiya Sugiuchi | Fukuoka SoftBank Hawks | P | — | — | 18–4 | 0 | 2.11 |
2006 | Michihiro Ogasawara | Hokkaido Nippon-Ham Fighters | 1B | 100 | .312 | — | — | — |
2007 | Yu Darvish | Hokkaido Nippon-Ham Fighters | P | — | — | 15–5 | 0 | 1.82 |
2008 | Hisashi Iwakuma | Tohoku Rakuten Golden Eagles | P | — | — | 21–4 | 0 | 1.87 |
2009 | Yu Darvish (2) | Hokkaido Nippon-Ham Fighters | P | — | — | 15–5 | 0 | 1.73 |
2010 | Tsuyoshi Wada | Fukuoka SoftBank Hawks | P | — | — | 17–8 | 0 | 3.14 |
2011 | Seiichi Uchikawa | Fukuoka SoftBank Hawks | 1B | 145 | .338 | — | — | — |
2012 | Mitsuo Yoshikawa | Hokkaido Nippon-Ham Fighters | P | — | — | 14–5 | 0 | 1.71 |
2013 | Masahiro Tanaka | Tohoku Rakuten Golden Eagles | P | — | — | 24–0 | 1 | 1.27 |
2014 | Chihiro Kaneko | Orix Buffaloes | P | — | — | 16–5 | 0 | 1.98 |
2015 | Yuki Yanagita | Fukuoka SoftBank Hawks | OF | — | .363 | 34 home runs | 32 stolen bases | |
2016 | Shohei Otani | Hokkaido Nippon-Ham Fighters | P/DH | — | .322 | 10–4 | 0 | 1.86 |
2017 | Dennis Sarfate | Fukuoka Softbank Hawks | P | - | - | 2–2 | 54 | 1.09 |
Multiple winners
There have been 22 players who have won the award multiple times. Sadaharu Oh currently holds the record for the most awards won, with nine. Hisashi Yamada (1976–1978) and Ichiro Suzuki (1994–1996) share the record for the most consecutive awards won. Yutaka Enatsu and Michihiro Ogasawara are the only players to have won the award in both the Central League and Pacific League. Alex Ramírez is the only non-Japanese player receive the award multiple times after the formation of two league system.
Player | League | # of Awards | Seasons |
---|---|---|---|
Sadaharu Oh* | Central | 9 | 1964, 1965, 1967, 1969, 1970, 1973, 1974, 1976, 1977 |
Shigeo Nagashima* | Central | 5 | 1961, 1963, 1966, 1968, 1971 |
Katsuya Nomura* | Pacific | 5 | 1961, 1963, 1965, 1966, 1973 |
Kazuto Yamamoto* | JBL/Pacific[D] | 3 | 1946, 1948, 1951 |
Tetsuharu Kawakami* | JBL/Central[E] | 3 | 1941, 1951, 1955 |
Hisashi Yamada* | Pacific | 3 | 1976, 1977, 1978 |
Ichiro Suzuki | Pacific | 3 | 1994, 1995, 1996 |
Hideki Matsui | Central | 3 | 1996, 2000, 2002 |
Victor Starffin* | JBL | 2 | 1939, 1940 |
Tadashi Wakabayashi* | JBL | 2 | 1944, 1947 |
Takehiko Bessho* | Central | 2 | 1952, 1956 |
Kazuhisa Inao* | Pacific | 2 | 1957, 1958 |
Motoshi Fujita* | Central | 2 | 1958, 1959 |
Tokuji Nagaike | Pacific | 2 | 1969, 1971 |
Koji Yamamoto* | Central | 2 | 1975, 1980 |
Yutaka Enatsu | Both | 2 | 1979, 1981 |
Hiromitsu Ochiai | Pacific | 2 | 1982, 1985 |
Osamu Higashio | Pacific | 2 | 1983, 1987 |
Atsuya Furuta | Central | 2 | 1993, 1997 |
Kimiyasu Kudoh | Pacific | 2 | 1993, 1999 |
Nobuhiko Matsunaka | Pacific | 2 | 2000, 2004 |
Michihiro Ogasawara | Both | 2 | 2006, 2007 |
Yu Darvish | Pacific | 2 | 2007, 2009 |
Alex Ramírez | Central | 2 | 2008, 2009 |
Yoshihiro Maru | Central | 2 | 2017, 2018 |
Notes
A The formula is: Score = 5F + 3S + T, where F is the number of first place votes, S is second place votes, and T is third place votes.[2]
B The save statistic was not formally recorded in the NPB until the 1974 season.[22]
C The 1945 Japanese Baseball League season was cancelled due to World War II.[23]
D After 1958, Kazuto Yamamoto became known as Kazuto Tsuruoka.
E Tetsuharu Kawakami received his first MVP award in 1941, nine years before the formation of Nippon Professional Baseball.
See also
- Nippon Professional Baseball#Awards
- Baseball awards#Japan
- List of Nippon Professional Baseball earned run average champions
- Japan Professional Sports Grand Prize
- Athlete of the Year
- Most valuable player
- Player of the year award
Notes
- General
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セ・リーグ 最優秀選手 (in Japanese). Sports Hochi. Archived from the original on August 12, 2010. Retrieved August 2, 2009.
パ・リーグ 最優秀選手 (in Japanese). Sports Hochi. Archived from the original on August 12, 2010. Retrieved August 2, 2009.
- Specific
^ Nagatsuka, Kaz (November 15, 2006). "Ogasawara, Fukudome given MVP awards for 2006 season". The Japan Times. Retrieved September 6, 2009.
^ ab 2008年度 表彰選手 投票結果(最優秀選手) (in Japanese). NPB. Retrieved September 6, 2009.
^ ab 1リーグ 最優秀選手 (in Japanese). Sports Hochi. Retrieved September 6, 2009.
^ セ・リーグ 最優秀選手 (in Japanese). Sports Hochi. Archived from the original on August 12, 2010. Retrieved September 6, 2009.
^ パ・リーグ 最優秀選手 (in Japanese). Sports Hochi. Archived from the original on August 12, 2010. Retrieved September 6, 2009.
^ "Darvish, Ogasawara earn MVP honors". The Japan Times. November 21, 2007. Retrieved September 6, 2009.
^ "Kadota, Hiromitsu". The Baseball Hall of Fame and Museum. Retrieved September 8, 2009.
^ "Hall of Famers List". The Baseball Hall of Fame and Museum. Retrieved September 8, 2009.
^ Johnson 2006, p. 14.
^ Johnson 2006, p. 16.
^ Johnson 2006, p. 19.
^ Johnson 2006, p. 21.
^ 1939年 (in Japanese). Nippon Professional Baseball. Retrieved May 10, 2010.
^ 1940年 (in Japanese). Nippon Professional Baseball. Retrieved May 10, 2010.
^ Johnson 2006, p. 31.
^ Johnson 2006, p. 36.
^ 1944年 (in Japanese). Nippon Professional Baseball. Retrieved May 10, 2010.
^ Johnson 2006, p. 41.
^ 1947年 (in Japanese). Nippon Professional Baseball. Retrieved May 10, 2010.
^ Johnson 2006, p. 46.
^ Johnson 2006, p. 49.
^ 1974年 (in Japanese). Nippon Professional Baseball. Archived from the original on June 1, 2009. Retrieved September 8, 2009.
^ Fitts, Robert K. (September 2008). Wally Yonamine: The Man Who Changed Japanese Baseball. University of Nebraska Press. p. 3. ISBN 0-8032-1381-6.
References
Johnson, Daniel E. (July 2006). Japanese Baseball: A Statistical Handbook. McFarland & Company. ISBN 978-0-7864-2841-0.