The Players Choice Awards are annual
Major League Baseball
Major League Baseball (MLB) is a professional baseball organization and the oldest major professional sports league in the world. MLB is composed of 30 total teams, divided equally between the National League (NL) and the American League (AL), ...
awards, given by the
Major League Baseball Players Association (MLBPA).
The Players Choice Awards are given following a
secret ballot
The secret ballot, also known as the Australian ballot, is a voting method in which a voter's identity in an election or a referendum is anonymous. This forestalls attempts to influence the voter by intimidation, blackmailing, and potential vote ...
by players. Four awards go to a player in each
league
League or The League may refer to:
Arts and entertainment
* ''Leagues'' (band), an American rock band
* ''The League'', an American sitcom broadcast on FX and FXX about fantasy football
Sports
* Sports league
* Rugby league, full contact footba ...
, while two awards each go to one player in all of Major League Baseball. Prize money is donated to a charity of each winner's choice.
The first Players Choice Awards were given in 1992, to the Comeback Player in each of the two major leagues. There were no other awards that year. In 1993, the Comeback Player awards were replaced by an Outstanding Player award for each league. Then, in 1994, two more categories were added: Outstanding Pitcher (in each league) and Outstanding Rookie (in each league).
In 1997, the dual Comeback Player awards were again named, along with the first-ever single award – the Man of the Year – for one player in all of Major League Baseball. In 1998, a second non-dual award was added, Player of the Year. In addition, the Man of the Year award was renamed in honor of
Marvin Miller
Marvin Julian Miller (April 14, 1917 – November 27, 2012) was an American baseball executive who served as the executive director of the Major League Baseball Players Association (MLBPA) from 1966 to 1982. Under Miller's direction, the players ...
, former
executive director of the
Major League Baseball Players Association. In 1999, a special Player of the Decade award was given.
In 2015, a third non-dual award was created. The "Always Game" award is given to the player who – game in and game out – constantly exhibits positive energy, grit, tenacity, hustle, perseverance, relentlessness and sportsmanship; all for the benefit of his teammates and fans.
Awards for one player in all of Major League Baseball
Player of the Year
This award was first given in 1998.
The Marvin Miller Man of the Year Award
This award is given to "the player in either league whose on-field performance and contributions to his
community
A community is a social unit (a group of living things) with commonality such as place, norms, religion, values, customs, or identity. Communities may share a sense of place situated in a given geographical area (e.g. a country, village, tow ...
inspire others to higher levels of achievement." First given in 1997 (as the "Man of the Year" Award), it was renamed in 1998 in honor of
Marvin Miller
Marvin Julian Miller (April 14, 1917 – November 27, 2012) was an American baseball executive who served as the executive director of the Major League Baseball Players Association (MLBPA) from 1966 to 1982. Under Miller's direction, the players ...
, former executive director of the
Major League Baseball Players Association.
Curt Flood Award
First handed out in 2020, this award is given to a former player, living or deceased, who in the image of
Curt Flood demonstrated a selfless, longtime devotion to the Players Association and advancement of Players’ rights.
Majestic Athletic Always Game Award
This award was first given in 2015. The award was not included in the list of 2018 winners.
Awards for a player in each league
Outstanding Player
First awarded in 1993.
Outstanding Pitcher
First awarded in 1994.
Outstanding Rookie
First awarded in 1994.
Comeback Player
In 1992, this was the first ever Players Choice Award. There were no other awards that year. The Comeback Player award was not given from 1993 to 1996, although awards were given in other categories. In 1997, it was again awarded and has been ever since.
Award for Player of the Decade
In 1999, a special Player of the Decade award was given to
Ken Griffey Jr.
George Kenneth Griffey Jr. (born November 21, 1969), nicknamed "Junior" and "the Kid", is an American former professional baseball outfielder who played 22 years in Major League Baseball (MLB). He spent most of his career with the Seattle Marin ...
See also
*
''Baseball America'' Major League Player of the Year (in MLB; for all positions)
*
Best Major League Baseball Player ESPY Award The Best Major League Baseball Player ESPY Award, known alternatively as the Best Baseball Player ESPY Award, has been presented annually since 1993 to the Major League Baseball (MLB) player adjudged to be the best in a given calendar year, typical ...
(in MLB; for all positions)
*
Sporting News Player of the Year Award
''Sporting News'' Player of the Year Award refers to a set of awards given to the player of the year in various sports as adjudged by '' Sporting News'':
Awards include:
* ''Sporting News'' College Football Player of the Year, beginning in 1942
...
(in MLB; for all positions) (''Sporting News'' also has a Pitcher of the Year award for each league)
*
''The Sporting News'' Most Valuable Player Award (in each league) (''discontinued in 1946'')
*''
Baseball Digest
''Baseball Digest'' is a baseball magazine resource, published in Orlando, Florida by Grandstand Publishing, LLC. It is the longest-running baseball magazine in the United States.
History and profile
It was created by Herbert F. Simons, a spor ...
'' Player of the Year (in MLB; for position players) (from 1969 to 1993, included all positions; in 1994, a separate Pitcher of the Year award was added)
*"
Esurance MLB Awards" Best Major Leaguer (in MLB; for all positions) (there are also awards for Best Hitter and Best Pitcher)
*Kenesaw Mountain Landis
Most Valuable Player Award
In team sports, a most valuable player award, abbreviated 'MVP award', is an honor typically bestowed upon an individual (or individuals, in the instance of a tie) whose individual performance is the greatest in an entire league, for a particu ...
(in each league; for all positions) (MLB also has the
Cy Young Award
The Cy Young Award is given annually to the best pitchers in Major League Baseball (MLB), one each for the American League (AL) and National League (NL). The award was first introduced in 1956 by Baseball Commissioner Ford Frick in honor of Hall ...
for a pitcher in each league)
*
Triple Crown (baseball)
In baseball, a player earns a Triple Crown when he leads a league in three specific statistical categories in the same season. The term "Triple Crown" generally refers to the batting achievement of leading a league in batting average, home runs, ...
*
MLB All-Century Team
In 1999, the Major League Baseball All-Century Team was chosen by popular vote of fans. To select the team, a panel of experts first compiled a list of the 100 greatest Major League Baseball (MLB) players from the 20th century. Over two million fa ...
()
*
MLB All-Time Team (; Baseball Writers' Association of America)
*
Baseball awards
*
List of MLB awards
References
External links
*{{cite web, url=http://www.mlb.com/pa/programs/choice_winners.jsp , title=Players Choice Awards History, publisher=Major League Baseball Players Association, work=MLB.com , access-date=2016-10-28
Major League Baseball trophies and awards
Awards established in 1992