Tejada received 21 first-place votes and 356 total points in balloting by the Baseball Writers' Association of America. Rodriguez had five first-place votes and 254 points while Soriano had two first-place votes and 234 points.
Anaheim outfielder Garret Anderson (184) was fourth and Yankees first baseman Jason Giambi (162) was fifth.
The A's shortstop hit 34 home runs with 131 runs batted in while hitting .308. Beyond statistics, Tejada demonstrated a knack for coming through in the clutch. During the A's 20-game winning streak -- the longest in the major leagues in 67 years -- he hit a walk-off three-run, ninth-inning homer to help the A's to their 18th straight victory. The next night he hit another walk-off bases-loaded single to keep the streak alive.
Oakland Athletics shortstop Miguel Tejada, shown here in this recent file photo. (AP File/Kevork Djansezian)
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Tejada became the second Oakland player to win a major award for the 2002 season, as Barry Zito captured the AL Cy Young Award.
Rodriguez put up the best numbers in the AL, leading the league with a career-best 57 homers and 142 RBIs, while finishing second with 125 runs scored. Rodriguez also bested Tejada and Soriano with his on-base percentage and slugging percentage.
However, Rodriguez was not the runaway favorite to win the award because the Rangers finished last in the AL West, while the Yankees and A's both made the playoffs. Former Chicago Cubs outfielder Andre Dawson won the MVP in 1987, but he remains the only player to ever win the award despite playing for a last place team.
Soriano clubbed 39 homers and recorded 102 RBIs with a .300 batting average and a league-best 128 runs scored. Soriano also led the AL with 41 stolen bases for the Yankees, and was one homer shy of being the first player to hit 40 homers and 40 doubles, while stealing 40 bases in the same season.
The Yankees lost in their Division Series to the Anaheim Angels, the eventual World Series Champions. Two of Soriano's teammates, Jason Giambi and Bernie Williams, also had excellent seasons, making it difficult to argue that Soriano is the most valuable player on his team.
Tejada is the second Athletic to win the MVP in the last three seasons, joining Giambi, who took the honour in 2000.
Tejada also received six second-place votes, and one third-place vote from the BBWAA voters.
Barry Bonds was named National League MVP for an unprecedented fifth time on Monday.
with files from Sports Network
