In 2017, Altuve stands above rest of competition
As a historic 2017 for the World Series champion Astros comes to a close, their superstar second baseman continues to rack up accolades.
Jose Altuve was voted the Associated Press’ Male Athlete of the Year, the news agency announced Wednesday. He beat out New England Patriots quarterback Tom Brady and LeBron James of the Cleveland Cavaliers in the voting, which was held by U.S. editors and news directors.
Altuve, who’s listed at just 5-6 and 165 pounds, was previously recognized along with the Texans’ J.J. Watt as Sports Illustrated’s Sportsperson of the Year. He also won the American League’s Most Valuable Player Award last month, becoming only the second MVP in Astros history and
the first since Hall of Famer Jeff Bagwell in 1994.
“Winning the World Series, winning the MVP, you feel like you have everything,” Altuve told the AP. “But my perspective is to try and get better every year, and if we win one World Series, why not win another one? Just keep playing for the team and keep playing for my city.”
Brady second, James third
Altuve finished with 715 points, 69 more than Brady and 89 more than James, in the voting. He’s the first baseball player to garner the honor since Giants pitcher Madison Bumgarner in 2014. Olympic swimmer Katie Ledecky was announced as the AP’s Female Athlete of the Year for 2017 on Tuesday.
Fueling baseball’s best lineup primarily from the No. 3 spot, Altuve, 27, batted a major leaguebest .346 last season and posted a .957 on-base plus slugging percentage that tied for ninth in the majors. He was an All-Star for the fifth time in seven years and won his fourth consecutive Silver Slugger Award.
In the postseason, Altuve’s star merely grew. He began the playoffs by becoming just the ninth player to hit three home runs in a postseason game. He slugged four more homers in the Astros’ subsequent 17 contests en route to the franchise’s first World Series title. In 80 postseason plate appearances, Altuve batted .310 with a 1.021 OPS.
Been through it all
Altuve is the longest-tenured Astros player, having debuted in the majors in July 2011. He’s among one of few to endure the worst of their rebuilding process and remain with the team through its first championship. The Astros originally signed Altuve out of Venezuela for a modest $15,000 bonus in March 2007.
The Astros have Altuve under contract for two more seasons, at the bargain prices of $6 million next season and $6.5 million in 2019. He will headline a 2018 roster that is set to return all but a few of its players.
The AP has presented this award since 1931. Of the baseball players to win, Altuve is the first non-pitcher since Barry Bonds in 2001.