Why was Lazzeri 3rd in MVP voting in 1928?

[BigJJ]

Ahead of Ruth and Gehrig, who both had arguably better stats. I purchased a Lazzeri bat dating to 1928-30, but that is likely a 1928, and I am curious as to why they considered Lazzeri the top Yankee, and almost MVP, that year, which of course was a Championship year.

Btw, dont know if any of you have seen the movie "Spies Like Us" with Chevy Chase. Something about my question makes me think of a scene - when Chevy parachutes into Afghanistan and asks the Taliban, "Who led the American League in home runs in 1953?"


Edited to add that it appears that in 1928 (i) MVP voting was based on "all around service", which appears to give more weight to defense, and (ii) it appears, for a time, that if you won the MVP before, as Ruth did in 1923 and Gehrig in 1927, that you could not be considered for MVP again, this practice changed in 1931.