Cubs' Ramirez, Red Sox' Youkilis win Hank Aaron Awards
MICHAEL PEREZ / Staff photographer
Major League Baseball created the Hank Aaron Award in 1999 on the 25th anniversary of Aaron breaking Babe Ruth's career home run record. A decade later, Aaron, a man who has done it all and seen it all, is still awed to have an award in his name, honoring the most outstanding offensive player in each league. It was an award Aaron would have won more than a few times if it had been around when he played.
"To have anything named for you is quite an honor," Aaron said last night before Game 4 of the World Series at Citizens Bank Park. "This, to me, is something I think about each and every day . . . These two players have demonstrated in the past year what it takes in order to be professional athlete."
Aaron was seated at a dais with Aramis Ramirez, the National League winner from the Cubs, Kevin Youkilis, the American League winner from the Red Sox, and baseball commissioner Bud Selig. More than 230,000 fans voted for the award at MLB.com. The Phillies' Ryan Howard won it in 2006, the same year he was named NL MVP.
"Thanks to the fans," Ramirez said. "I know they have a lot of choices, good choices, and they chose to vote for me."
Ramirez is working on six consecutive 25-plus homer seasons. This season, he hit .289 with 27 homers, 44 doubles and 111 RBI, with a career best .380 on-base percentage. Eleven of his homers gave the Cubs a lead. In close and late situations, he hit .423 with nine homers and 29 RBI.
"Sitting down and chatting with you is going to go down in the history books as one of the great things I've done in my life," Youkilis told Aaron.
Youkilis batted a career-high .312 with 29 homers and 115 RBI. He hit .374 with runners in scoring position and reached base in 44 consecutive games.
Past winners of the Aaron Award include Alex Rodriguez (four times) and Barry Bonds (three times). *
