Rodriguez, Fielder earn Aaron Awards

[nash312 (北緯25度以南的夏天)]

10/28/2007 10:01 PM ET
Rodriguez, Fielder earn Aaron Awards
Yankees third baseman, Brewers first baseman honored
By Barry M. Bloom / MLB.com

DENVER -- Alex Rodriguez of the New York Yankees and Prince Fielder of the
Milwaukee Brewers have been selected by the fans as the winners of the 2007
Sharp presents Hank Aaron Award, it was announced on Sunday night before Game
4 of the World Series at Coors Field.
Major League Baseball fans cast nearly 400,000 votes at MLB.com, the official
Web site of Major League Baseball. The Hank Aaron Award officially recognizes
the most outstanding offensive performer in the American and National
leagues.

It's the fourth time for Rodriguez, who also won the award each season from
2001-03, and the first time for Fielder. There was one nominee from each
team.

"I must tell you on a personal note that I had the privilege of seeing Hank
play his first game and his last game and many in between," said Commissioner
Bud Selig in making the presentation. "While obviously I'm partial and not
ashamed to admit that he clearly, as far as I'm concerned, was the greatest
baseball player that I ever saw play, and he was even better off the field.

"The interesting part of it was that he's still the same really wonderful
human being today that he was back in the '50s, which in this day and age
doesn't always happen. So this award to commemorate his greatness fittingly
goes to the most outstanding offensive performer in each league."

The Hank Aaron Award was created and introduced in 1999 to honor the 25th
anniversary of Aaron breaking Babe Ruth's all-time home run record, and, at
that time, was the first major award introduced by MLB in more than 25 years.

Past winners of the Hank Aaron Award include Manny Ramirez and Sammy Sosa
(1999); Carlos Delgado and Todd Helton (2000); Rodriguez and Barry Bonds
(2001, 2002); Rodriguez and Albert Pujols (2003); Ramirez and Bonds (2004);
David Ortiz and Andruw Jones (2005); Derek Jeter and Ryan Howard (2006).

Aaron, who was at the press conference on crutches only weeks after having
arthroscopic surgery on his right knee, seemed ecstatic about the award going
to Fielder, considering the Hammer's Milwaukee ties. Aaron began his career
there with the Braves and ended it 23 years later in 1976 with the Brewers
when Selig was the team's owner.

"I want to thank the voters," Aaron said. "And the reason I want to thank the
voters is because this award is very, very important. I know a lot of people
think that to hit 50 home runs and to do some of the things that Prince
Fielder did this past year is easy. In the 23 years that I played baseball a
lot of guys, a lot of players, hit an awful lot of home runs but couldn't
produce in the clutch, could not hit in the clutch.

"Prince did that all year. He carried his ballclub all year. So when you see
someone who has the credentials that he has and do the things that he did
this past year, you have to say that he is on his way to being part of the
Cooperstown brigade."

Fielder received 16 percent of all NL fan votes during the final phase of
voting. He led the NL in home runs with 50 and finished second with a .618
slugging percentage. His home run total established a single-season franchise
record and also set a Milwaukee baseball record. The left-handed slugger's 87
extra-base hits also tied a club record.

Fielder said he was in awe of the fact that a player of Aaron's stature, a
man who finished his career with 755 homers, having surpassed Ruth at 715 on
April 8, 1974, had made those comments about him.

"I'm speechless right now just because I've got a Hall-of-Famer right here,"
Fielder said about a player who was the master of consistency and never
himself logged a 50-homer season. "I mean, I'm only 23, and when I was in
high school I never thought I was going to be able to sit by him while he
said all those great things about me. That's awesome. So I'm just going to
keep working hard and hopefully he'll keep saying those great things."

Rodriguez, who was not in attendance, received 24 percent of all AL fan votes
during the final phase of voting. He became the first Yankees player since
1961 to hit at least 54 home runs, joining Ruth, Mickey Mantle and Roger
Maris as the only Yankees to have surpassed the 50-homer mark in a single
season. Maris hit 61 and Mantle added 54 in 1961, the year Maris broke Ruth's
single-season record of 60.

A-Rod led the Major Leagues with those 54 homers, 156 RBIs, 143 runs and a
.645 slugging percentage. Rodriguez is the only player in Major League
history to record at least 140 runs, 50 home runs, 150 RBIs, and 20 stolen
bases in a single season. His 52 home runs as a third baseman this year (he
hit two as a DH) are the most hit by a third baseman in a single season.

"I'm extremely honored to receive the American League Hank Aaron Award this
evening," Rodriguez said in a printed statement. "Congratulations to Prince
Fielder, who had a remarkable season for the Brewers in the National League.
I want to thank the fans around the globe for their votes and support. I'm
thrilled to be the recipient of an award, bearing the name of the great Hank
Aaron."


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