/cdn.vox-cdn.com/uploads/chorus_image/image/57325723/usa_today_10269490.0.jpg)
Introduced in 1999, the Hank Aaron Award honors the top offensive player in both leagues. Fans and team media members were given the opportunity to vote on their choices, with 70% weight going to media and 30% going to fans. Commissioner Robert Manfred presented the trophies to Stanton and Altuve a few hours prior to the start of Game 2 of the World Series in Los Angeles.
Well-deserved hardware. pic.twitter.com/hobkWDSNgE
— MLB (@MLB) October 25, 2017
Quick note here, this image alone would have put the entire advertising department at Cingular (RIP) out of work for a month.
Giancarlo Stanton hit .281/.376/.631 with 59 homers, 132 RBI, 32 doubles and 123 runs scored. He led the majors in home runs, RBI, and slugging percentage among qualified batters. He tied Rudy York for the most homer runs in a single month with 18. In case you were wondering, Rudy York claimed this record from Babe Ruth while playing for the Detroit Tigers in 1937. While Giancarlo Stanton joked with Jimmy Kimmel about “failing” to get to 60 home runs last night, his offensive mastery this season granted him his second Hank Aaron Award in four years (while still being the only member of the Miami Marlins to ever win) and has him in contention to win the MVP.
This is @Giancarlo818’s second NL win of the Hank Aaron Award, given to the most outstanding offensive performer in each league. pic.twitter.com/ctqZ2NoI58
— Miami Marlins (@Marlins) October 25, 2017
Jose Altuve of the Houston Astros is also very good at baseball. This season, he hit .346/.410/.547 with 204 hits, 39 doubles, four triples, 24 homers, 81 RBI, and 112 runs scored. He struck out only 84 times over the course of 662 plate appearances. Altuve lead the American League in hits and all of MLB in batting average. Also, he’s got some tweets that will make you want to run through a brick wall. This was in January, and now he’s leading his team, franchise, and disaster-stricken city in search of their first-ever Fall Classic victory.
Letter to #MyFutureSelf. Set an example for future generations.What would you tell your future self? @NB_Baseball pic.twitter.com/NUgiJi4thc
— Jose Altuve (@JoseAltuve27) January 17, 2017
Congratulations to @JoseAltuve27, the 2017 American League Hank Aaron Award Winner! pic.twitter.com/h0mihnWloK
— Houston Astros (@astros) October 25, 2017