A baseball season may be a marathon, but there's something to be said for getting off to a fast start.
That's what Hanshin Tigers pitcher Randy Messenger has done, and on Tuesday he received some of the early fruits of his labor.
Japanese baseball unveiled the season's first batch of monthly MVPs (covering March and April) on Tuesday, with Messenger winning among Central League pitchers and Chunichi Dragons outfielder Yohei Oshima chosen among position players. Orix Buffaloes ace Chihiro Kaneko and infielder Takahiro Okada were honored in the Pacific League.