Justin Verlander chosen 2011 Player of the Year from the Sporting News

**Admin** Fri Oct 28, 2011 2:37 pm

Detroit Tigers ace Justin Verlander has earned Sporting News' 2011 Player of the Year honors. In voting by 289 major league players (177 players from the AL, 112 from the NL), Verlander was the first pitcher to win the award since the Los Angeles Dodgers' Orel Hershiser in 1988.

The 28-year-old Verlander led the majors in wins (24), strikeouts (250), opponents' batting average (1.92) and WHIP (0.92), and he led the AL in ERA (2.40). He also tossed his second career no-hitter on May 7.