Though he didn't realize it at the time, he walked out an MVP.

"It woke me up," Morneau said Tuesday after edging Derek Jeter of the New York Yankees to win the AL's Most Valuable Player award. "He lit a fire under me."

Morneau, the Minnesota Twins' first baseman, received 15 first-place votes, eight seconds, three thirds and two fourths for 320 points in voting by a panel of the Baseball Writers' Association of America. Jeter got 12 firsts, 14 seconds, one fourth and one sixth for 306 points.

It was the 16th-closest MVP race since the current format began in 1938, and the 10th-closest in the AL.

"I didn't really sleep that well last night. I kind of woke up. I don't usually get too nervous about this kind of thing," Morneau said. "You want to get it over with."

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