Detroit Tigers’ third baseman Miguel Cabrera and San Francisco Giants’ catcher Buster Posey are the 2012 recipients of the Hank Aaron Award. This marks the first time in history that both winners were in the World Series.
The Hank Aaron award is named
“in honor of one of the greatest hitters and competitors of all-time, the Hank Aaron Awards recognize each league’s best all-around offensive performer,” Commissioner Bud Selig said. “Hank’s career will forever remain a model of excellence and consistency.”
The players are voted on by baseball fans and a special panel of Hall of Famers, including Hank Aaron, himself. This year’s voters were Aaron, Tony Gwynn, Paul Molitor, Robin Yount and Joe Morgan.
Cabrera finished the regular season with a .330 batting average, 44 homers and 139 RBIs. The .330 average were top marks in the American league en route to a second consecutive batting title. He also won the Majors’ first Triple Crown since 1967. He led the Majors with a .606 slugging percentage and .999 OPS.
Posey had a batting average of .336 while recording 24 homeruns and 103 RBIs. He also had an on base percentage of .408. The young catcher was the 2010 National League Rookie of the Year. Equally impressive is his ability to catch nine innings of a game while having excellent offensive production.
“It’s not easy when you squat behind the plate for nine innings, then go out and hit .300,” Aaron said.
Past winners of the Aaron Award include Jose Bautista and Matt Kemp (2011), Bautista and Joey Votto (’10), Derek Jeter and Albert Pujols (’09), Aramis Ramirez and Kevin Youkilis (’08), Alex Rodriguez and Prince Fielder (’07), Jeter and Ryan Howard (’06), David Ortiz and Andruw Jones (’05), Manny Ramirez and Barry Bonds (’04), Rodriguez and Pujols (’03), Rodriguez and Bonds (2001-02), Carlos Delgado and Todd Helton (’00) and Manny Ramirez and Sammy Sosa (1999).
