St. Louis ? Texas Rangers shortstop Alex Rodriguez, who hit 57 homers this season, is The Sporting News player of the year, the St. Louis-based publication announced Tuesday.

Rodriguez, 27, hit .300 with 57 homers and 142 runs batted in, though the Rangers fell out of the pennant race early in the season. He received 197 votes from players, easily beating San Francisco’s Barry Bonds, who was second with 48. Bonds, last season’s player of the year, led the National League with a .370 average. He hit 46 homers and drove in 110 runs.

“To me, that’s the most flattering honor in baseball, or any sport, to receive an award chosen by your peers,” Rodriguez said.