News
Six up for TYIB Awards in Seattle
Trio of dominant pitchers highlight Mariners' nominees
By Jim Street / MLB.com
11/25/09 4:45 PM EST
There were many contributors to the Mariners' Major League-best 24-game improvement in the win column last season, and that's reflected by the number of nominees the team has for the This Year in Baseball Awards for 2009.General manager Jack Zduriencik made so many quality personnel moves during his first year as a GM that he is up for Executive of the Year honors -- one of the Mariners' six TYIB nominations -- which will be selected by the fans via an online vote on MLB.com.
The ballot boxes will close at 4:59 p.m. PT on Dec. 11. In 2008, a record 12 million votes were cast for the TYIB Awards, and that figure could be surpassed this time around as fans weigh in on the year's top hitter, pitcher, moments and more. The results of the voting will be revealed during the week of Dec. 14-18.
That figure could be surpassed this time around as fans weigh in on the year's top hitter, manager and oddity, among 10 other categories.
Right fielder Ichiro Suzuki, the only player in Major League history to have nine consecutive 200-hit seasons, is one of the 10 nominees for Most Memorable Moment -- an infield single against the Rangers on Sept. 13 in Arlington. It was his 200th hit of the season, breaking the tie with Hall of Famer Willie Keeler for his eighth straight 200-hit season.
Ichiro tied Ty Cobb in the American League record book for the most 200-hit seasons in a career and moved within one season of Pete Rose's MLB record.
Ichiro's trophy case in Japan already includes one TYIB Award, the Defensive Player of the Year honor in 2005.
The Mariners have three pitching nominees, which is no surprise because they led the AL in team ERA. Ace right-hander Felix Hernandez, who finished second to Royals right-hander Zack Greinke in the AL Cy Young Award race, is among the starting pitchers nominated for a TYIB Award.
Seattle closer David Aardsma, who started the season with no career saves and finished with 38 saves in 42 save chances, earned a nomination for Closer of the Year, and right-hander Mark Lowe is in the running for Setup Man of the Year.
Lowe appeared in a career-high 75 games and ranked fourth in the AL in holds with 26.
Finally, center fielder Franklin Gutierrez was nominated for the Play of the Year Award. He didn't win a Gold Glove in his first season with the Mariners, but Gutierrez -- one of the players acquired in the three-team, 12-player blockbuster trade that Zduriencik helped pull off at last season's Winter Meetings -- provided Gold Glove-caliber defense.
Jim Street is a reporter for MLB.com. This story was not subject to the approval of Major League Baseball or its clubs.
