Mariners second baseman Robinson Cano was nominated by Major League Baseball and MLB Advanced Media Monday for the 2014 Hank Aaron Award, which recognizes the most outstanding offensive player in the American League and National League.
After signing a 10-year, $240 million contract last offseason, Cano posted a .314 batting average and finished with 187 hits in his first year in Seattle. Both ranked sixth in the AL. He was elected to the All-Star Game for the fifth consecutive year, led the team with 37 doubles and finished second on the club behind Kyle Seager with 82 RBIs.
It was the 10th consecutive season Cano finished with at least 30 doubles.
“Robinson had a tremendous year for us,” manager Lloyd McClendon said. “He was in the middle of our lineup every day, and he helped make the players around him better.”
The Hank Aaron Award was established in 1999 to celebrate the 25th anniversary of Aaron breaking Babe Ruth’s all-time home run record. This will mark the fifth year in a row the winners will be decided by a Hall of Fame panel led by Aaron and fan voting. Members of the panel, picked by Aaron, include fellow Hall of Famers Roberto Alomar, Johnny Bench, Paul Molitor, Eddie Murray, Frank Thomas and Robin Yount.
Fans have through Oct. 5 to vote exclusively on MLB.com or one of the 30 team sites. The winners will be announced during the World Series. Every club in baseball has one finalist.
Winners the past five years include Miguel Cabrera and Paul Goldschmidt (2013), Cabrera and Buster Posey (2012), Jose Bautista and Matt Kemp (2011), Bautista and Joey Votto (2010) and Derek Jeter and Albert Pujols (2009).
<span class="dsq-postid" data-dsqidentifier="2190702 https://sportspressnw.wpengine.com/?p=2190702">1 Comment
Cano had an Edgar type of season. The Edgar of 1992. To be like the Edgar of 1995 the batting lineup needs to be improved. If it does I can see Robbie getting 35 HRs, 100 RBIs no problem.