Brewers 1B Fielder, Yankees 3B Rodriguez win Hank Aaron Award

Oct 29, 2007 - 12:47 AM NEW YORK (Ticker) -- Prince Fielder of the Milwaukee Brewers and Alex Rodriguez of the New York Yankees have been selected by the fans as the winners of the 2007 Hank Aaron Award, baseball commissioner Bud Selig announced Sunday.

The Hank Aaron Award recognizes the most outstanding offensive performer in each league.

Fielder, who received 16 percent of all National League fan votes, finished the season first in the NL in home runs with 50, second in slugging percentage at .618, third in extra-base hits with 87 and third in RBI with 119. The first baseman was selected by the fans to start in the 78th Midsummer Classic in July.

Rodriguez received 24 percent of all American League fan votes. He led the major leagues with 54 home runs, 156 RBI, 143 runs and a .645 slugging percentage.

Rodriguez became the only player in major league history to record at least 140 runs, 50 home runs, 150 RBI, and 20 stolen bases in a single season. His 52 home runs as a third baseman this year - two as a designated hitter - were the most ever hit by a third baseman in a single season.

This is the fourth Hank Aaron Award for the 11-time All-Star.

On August 4, the two-time Gold Glove Award winner became the youngest player ever to hit 500 home runs and only the 22nd in major league history to reach the plateau.

"Hank had an enormous impact on the game during his playing career and he continues to serve our national pastime as a tremendous ambassador," Selig said. "This award created to honor Hank recognizes two players who have had fantastic offensive seasons, and I can not think of two more deserving than Alex and Prince."

Past winners of the award include Manny Ramirez and Sammy Sosa in 1999; Carlos Delgado and Todd Helton in 2000; Rodriguez and Barry Bonds in 2001 and 2002; Rodriguez and Albert Pujols in 2003; Ramirez and Bonds in 2004; David Ortiz and Andruw Jones in 2005 and Derek Jeter and Ryan Howard last season.