From mlb.com

“Postseason award season has begun, and if respect from peers is considered the best tribute for a player, then Joe Mauer, Justin Morneau and Johan Santana already have earned top honors.

Those three Twins players were selected as Sporting News American League All-Stars by their fellow players, with Santana earning Pitcher of the Year honors, while Mauer and Morneau were selected as the AL’s top catcher and first baseman. The awards were selected by a vote of 220 players, though they were not permitted to vote for players on their own team.

Mauer was the leading vote-getter among AL players, and it’s no surprise after his breakout season in which he became the first American League catcher to earn a batting title. Mauer, 23, hit .347 with 84 RBIs, 13 home runs and a team-high .429 on base percentage.”