Untouchable Online

Lind, Hill take home hardware; Halladay a Cy candidate

Aaron Hill and Adam Lind shined in the batter's box this season for the Blue Jays, forming a dynamic duo that did not go unnoticed come awards season in 2009.


Hill and Lind -- the Blue Jays' second baseman and designated hitter, respectively -- both received Silver Slugger Awards on Nov. 12, honoring them as the top offensive performers at their respective positions in the American League. The pair became the first Toronto teammates to earn silver bats in the same season since Vernon Wells and Carlos Delgado accomplished the feat in 2003.

When the AL Most Valuable Player Award is revealed on Nov. 23, it is possible that Hill and Lind will receive some minor consideration, but the Blue Jays do not boast any serious contenders for any of the major Baseball Writers' Association of America awards. The Jays have had just one MVP in team history: George Bell in 1987.

Toronto's top candidate for a major honor would be ace Roy Halladay, who captured the 2003 AL Cy Young Award. Halladay will garner some votes for the '09 Cy Young, which will be announced on Tuesday, but it is unlikely that he would take home the honor for the second time in his career. Beyond Halladay, previous Cy Young winners from Toronto include Roger Clemens (1997-98) and Pat Hentgen (1996).

Rookie Ricky Romero fashioned an impressive 13-win season in 2009, but some late struggles kept him from being seriously considered for the AL Rookie of the Year honor. Romero did not receive any votes for the award, which was handed to A's pitcher Andrew Bailey on Nov. 16. Eric Hinske (2002) and Alfredo Griffin (1979) are the only players to win Rookie of the Year in team history.

Blue Jays manager Cito Gaston -- owner of the most managerial wins in franchise history -- will return for a final season at the helm in 2010 before retiring from the bench. In 2008, Gaston received a pair of third-place votes in balloting for the AL Manager of the Year Award, despite the fact that he only guided the team for the final three months. Bobby Cox (1985) is the only manager to win the award in Jays' history.

Hill and Lind gave the Blue Jays 16 recipients of Silver Slugger Awards since the ballclub's formation in 1977. Prior to this season, the last players to earn Silver Sluggers were Wells and Delgado in '03. Hill played outstanding defense this season at second, as well, but fell short in his bid to become the eighth different player to earn a Gold Glove in team history.

Hill, who missed most of the 2008 season due to a serious concussion, was also named the AL's Comeback Player of the Year in '09 in balloting by MLB.com's 30 beat reporters. He will likely be in the running for even more honors before the end of the year.

The Toronto chapter of the BBWAA has yet to announce its annual award winners for the Jays. Every year, local baseball reporters vote on a Player of the Year, Pitcher of the Year, Rookie of the Year and a Most Improved Player. Hill is the favorite for the Player of the Year, Halladay appears poised to win the Pitcher of the Year award for the seventh time in eight years, while Lind and Romero will be among those in the mix for other honors.

The group also names someone the recipient of the John Cerutti Award, given to "a person associated with the day-to-day workings of Blue Jays' baseball who displays goodwill, cooperation and character, as exemplified by the late John Cerutti." The 2008 honor went to former team president and CEO Paul Godfrey.


National Awards
AL MVP Manager of Year Hank Aaron Award
George Bell 1987 Bobby Cox 1985 Carlos Delgado 2000
ALCS MVP World Series MVP ROY
Roberto Alomar 1992 Pat Borders 1992 Alfredo Griffin 1979
Dave Stewart 1993 Paul Molitor 1993 Eric Hinske 2002
Cy Young Gold Glove
Pat Hentgen 1996 Tony Fernandez 1986
Roger Clemens 1997 Jesse Barfield 1986
Roger Clemens 1998 Tony Fernandez 1987
Roy Halladay 2003 Jesse Barfield 1987
Tony Fernandez 1988
Tony Fernandez 1989
Kelly Gruber 1990
Devon White 1991
Roberto Alomar 1991
Devon White 1992
Roberto Alomar 1992
Devon White 1993
Roberto Alomar 1993
Devon White 1994
Roberto Alomar 1994
Devon White 1995
Roberto Alomar 1995
Shawn Green 1999
Vernon Wells 2004
Vernon Wells 2005
Orlando Hudson 2005
Vernon Wells 2006