2010 Jackie Robinson Award Nominees Possess Power and Precision

Four of the nation’s most dominant young pitchers join a power-hitting, defensively sound catcher in the field of nominees for the seventh annual Aflac National High School Baseball Player of the Year Award, given each year to the country’s top prep baseball player.

The award will be presented at the Aflac All-American Awards dinner to be held at the San Diego Hall of Champions on Aug. 14. Major League Baseball Hall of Famer and 2010 Aflac All-American High School Baseball Classic honorary chairman Andre Dawson will also attend the ceremony.

Named in honor of the late Hall of Famer and first man to break Major League Baseball’s color barrier, the Jackie Robinson Award recognizes the nation’s top high school player entering his senior year who demonstrates outstanding character, exhibits leadership and embodies the values of being a student athlete in both his schoolwork and community affairs.

“Jackie Robinson’s legacy on and off the field resonates throughout baseball at every level, and this year’s Player of the Year Award nominees reflect the same character and love of baseball that he displayed,” said Danny Fleishman, vice president of sponsorships and emerging markets at Aflac. “The Player of the Year Award and the Aflac All-American High School Baseball Classic showcase the best in high school baseball both on the diamond and in the community, and we are honored to recognize such an elite group of young players.”

The 2010 Aflac National High School Player of the Year nominees are:

– Dylan Bundy, RHP, Owasso High School – Owasso, Okla.
– Dillon Howard, RHP, Searcy High School – Searcy, Ark.
– Michael Kelly, RHP, West Boca Raton High School – Boynton Beach, Fla.
– Daniel Norris, LHP, Science Hill High School – Johnson City, Tenn.
– Blake Swihart, C, V. Sue Cleveland High School – Rio Rancho, N.M.

In 2009, Jackie Robinson Award recipient Bryce Harper, a catcher from Las Vegas High School (Las Vegas, Nev.), joined Aflac All-American alumnus Justin Upton (2004) as an Aflac National High School Player of the Year and No. 1 overall pick when he was selected by the Washington Nationals in June.

Other previous winners include Cody Johnson, a first baseman/outfielder from Mosley High School (Panama City, Fla.) in 2005; Michael Burgess, an outfielder/pitcher from Hillsborough High School (Tampa, Fla.) in 2006; Tim Melville, a pitcher/outfielder from Wentzville High School (Wentzville, Mo.) in 2007; and Mychal Givens, a pitcher/infielder from Plant High School (Tampa, Fla.) in 2008. Player of the Year nominees are determined by official Aflac All-American Baseball Classic selection partner Perfect Game.

The eighth annual Aflac All-American High School Baseball Classic will be played Sunday, Aug. 15, at PETCO Park in San Diego. The nation’s elite high school baseball showcase features the top 38 rising high school senior baseball players in an East vs. West matchup. The game will be televised live nationally on FOX Sports Net at 5 p.m. Pacific time (8 p.m. Eastern time).

The Aflac All-American Baseball Classic is more than just a game. It is part of Aflac’s ongoing commitment to the fight against childhood cancer, with ticket proceeds benefiting Rady Children’s Hospital in San Diego. Since 2003, the Aflac All-American Baseball Classic has generated nearly $805,000 for charity.

Celebrated Sports Artist to Debut Seventh World Series Celebration Piece

After nearly a decade of waiting for the championship to return home, the 2009 Yankees clinched their 27th World Series. It is only fitting that a legendary victory such as this one be immortalized by famed seven-time World Series Celebration artist Opie Otterstad. On Saturday, April 17, 2010, Otterstad will unveil his Official World Series Victory Piece at Pop International Galleries, in SoHo.

In what has become a tradition of its own, the World Series victory art piece transports fans back to the glorious moment when a historic team clinches its destiny. For the past seven years, Major League Baseball fans have looked to legendary sports artist Opie Otterstad to create spectacular panoramic paintings capturing these wins. Known for narrating each winning team’s history on canvas, Otterstad celebrates not only the winning moment but often the path that led the team there. With Otterstad painting in Pinstripes, this piece will preserve the 2009 World Series story for all-time.

Showing alongside Otterstad, renowned sports artist, Stephen Holland will also debut three reverent portraits of the Yankees’ most celebrated players of our generation. New York’s hometown hero Derek Jeter, beloved closer Mariano Rivera and the great Alex “A-ROD” Rodriguez will all come to life with the strokes of Holland’s mastery. His intense, gritty style has captured illustrious sports figures with an honesty and passion missed by other mediums.

Throughout time artists have documented profound moments in history with paintings; still today, there is an opportunity to take a snap shot of these shared continuums of epic scale even in sports. Bringing the joy of triumph and success to life in a way that neither a ring nor trophy can do, these phenomenal victory pieces and portraits will fill Pop International Galleries to memorialize America’s team and baseball. This historic exhibit will highlight some of the Yankees’ most extraordinary and significant moments, as well as, the time-honored traditions of baseball through a celebration of world-class art.

Pop International Galleries, being both a legendary New York gallery and the premier dealers of Pop Art in the United States, make it the perfect location for this show. “The Yankees and their iconic players as painted by Opie and Holland are just as much a part of ‘popular culture art’ as Warhol’s Monroe,” says co-owner Rick Rounick.

This exhibit celebrates the return of the World Series championship back where it belongs — in New York City. Whether you attended the game in person, were watching on TV, are a life-long Yankees’ fan, are simply a lover of sports, or are a collector of historic sports moments, experience this one-of-a-kind art show first-hand. Take home a true piece of history to add to your collection or a print capturing the record 27th World Series championship win of the world’s most successful squads.

MLB Home Plate and Mad Dog Radio channels to broadcast live from 30 MLB Spring Training sites in Arizona and Florida from March 5 – 26 SIRIUS XM’s Cal Ripken Jr., Jim Bowden, Rob Dibble, Jim Duquette, Kevin Kennedy and Chris ‘Mad Dog’ Russo will interview players, managers and team execs

SIRIUS XM Radio will embark on its 2010 Spring Training Tour on Friday, March 5, taking listeners to 30 Major League Baseball Spring Training sites in three weeks. MLB Home Plate, SIRIUS XM’s 24-hour baseball talk channel, and Mad Dog Radio, SIRIUS XM’s all-sports talk channel, will broadcast live from ballparks in Arizona and Florida, offering baseball fans an in-depth look at every Major League club and one-on-one interviews with managers, players and team executives.

On MLB Home Plate (XM channel 175, SIRIUS channel 210 with the “Best of XM”), Hall of Famer Cal Ripken Jr., former Reds and Nationals general manager Jim Bowden, former Rangers and Red Sox manager Kevin Kennedy, and host Casey Stern will cover Arizona’s Cactus League, hosting Inside Pitch (1:00-4:00 pm ET/10:00am-1:00pm PT) from 10 ballparks in and around the Phoenix area from March 5-14. In Florida to cover the Grapefruit League, from March 15-24, will be MLB Home Plate hosts Jim Duquette, the former GM of the Orioles and Mets, former All-Star pitcher Rob Dibble, and host Jody McDonald, who will host Power Alley (10:00am-1:00pm ET/7:00-10:00am PT) from 10 Spring Training sites.

On Mad Dog Radio (SIRIUS channel 123, XM channel 144), Chris ‘Mad Dog’ Russo will host his daily all-sports talk show, Mad Dog Unleashed, from five Florida Spring Training locations from March 8-12. From March 22-26, Russo will host the show from five different Arizona sites. Mad Dog Unleashed airs every weekday (2:00-7:00 pm ET).

2010 SIRIUS XM Radio Spring Training Tour Schedule: (All times ET)

Friday, Mar. 5
– Dodgers @ White Sox – The Ballpark at Camelback Ranch, Glendale, AZ 1-4pm ET: Inside Pitch with Casey Stern & Cal Ripken Jr.

Saturday, Mar. 6
– Royals @ Rangers – Surprise Stadium, Surprise, AZ 1-4pm ET: Inside Pitch with Casey Stern & Kevin Kennedy

Sunday, Mar. 7
– Padres @ Mariners – Peoria Sports Complex, Peoria, AZ 1-4pm ET: Inside Pitch with Casey Stern & Kevin Kennedy

Monday, Mar. 8
– Indians @ Diamondbacks – Tucson Electric Park, Tucson, AZ 1-4pm ET: Inside Pitch with Casey Stern & Kevin Kennedy
– Cardinals @ Red Sox – City of Palms Park, Fort Myers, FL 2-7 pm ET: Mad Dog Unleashed with Chris Russo

Tuesday, Mar. 9
– Rockies @ Dodgers – The Ballpark at Camelback Ranch, Glendale, AZ 1-4pm ET: Inside Pitch with Casey Stern & Kevin Kennedy
– Pirates @ Yankees – Steinbrenner Field, Tampa, FL 2-7 pm ET: Mad Dog Unleashed with Chris Russo

Wednesday, Mar. 10
– Giants @ Cubs – HoHoKam Park, Mesa, AZ 1-4pm ET: Inside Pitch with Casey Stern & Jim Bowden
– Mets @ Braves – Champion Stadium, Kissimmee, FL 2-7 pm ET: Mad Dog Unleashed with Chris Russo

Thursday, Mar. 11
– Athletics @ Brewers – Maryvale Baseball Park, Phoenix, AZ 1-4pm ET: Inside Pitch with Casey Stern & Jim Bowden
– Orioles @ Twins – Lee County Sports Complex – Hammond Stadium, Ft. Myers, FL 2-7 pm ET: Mad Dog Unleashed with Chris Russo

Friday, Mar. 12
– Reds @ Dodgers – The Ballpark at Camelback Ranch, Glendale, AZ 1-4pm ET: Inside Pitch with Casey Stern & Jim Bowden
– Phillies @ Rays – Charlotte Sports Park, Port Charlotte, FL 2-7 pm ET: Mad Dog Unleashed with Chris Russo

Saturday, Mar. 13
– Rangers @ Indians – Goodyear Ballpark, Goodyear, AZ 1-4pm ET: Inside Pitch with Casey Stern & Jim Bowden

Sunday, Mar. 14
– Cubs @ Angels – Tempe Diablo Stadium, Tempe, AZ 1-4pm ET: Inside Pitch with Casey Stern & Jim Bowden

Monday, Mar. 15
– Orioles @ Red Sox – City of Palms Park, Fort Myers, FL 10am-1pm ET: Power Alley with Jody McDonald & Jim Duquette

Tuesday, Mar. 16
– Tigers @ Phillies – Bright House Field, Clearwater, FL 10am-1pm ET: Power Alley with Jody McDonald & Jim Duquette

Wednesday, Mar. 17
– Twins @ Rays – Charlotte Sports Park, Port Charlotte, FL 10am-1pm ET: Power Alley with Jody McDonald & Jim Duquette

Thursday, Mar. 18
– Pirates @ Twins – Lee County Sports Complex – Hammond Stadium, Ft. Myers, FL 10am-1pm ET: Power Alley with Jody McDonald & Jim Duquette

Friday, Mar. 19
– Blue Jays @ Astros – Osceola County Stadium, Kissimmee, FL 10am-1pm ET: Power Alley with Jody McDonald & Jim Duquette

Saturday, Mar. 20
– Mets @ Cardinals – Roger Dean Stadium, Jupiter, FL 10am-1pm ET: Power Alley with Jim Duquette

Sunday, Mar. 21
– Tigers @ Yankees – Tampa, FL 1-4pm ET: Power Alley with Jim Duquette

Monday, Mar. 22
– Mets @ Nationals – Space Coast Stadium, Viera, FL 10am-1pm ET: Power Alley with Jim Duquette & Rob Dibble
– Angels @ Dodgers – The Ballpark at Camelback Ranch, Glendale, AZ 2-7 pm ET: Mad Dog Unleashed with Chris Russo

Tuesday, Mar. 23
– Orioles @ Marlins – Roger Dean Stadium, Jupiter, FL 10am-1pm ET: Power Alley with Jim Duquette & Rob Dibble
– Padres @ Rockies – Hi Corbett Field, Tucson, AZ 2-7 pm ET: Mad Dog Unleashed with Chris Russo

Wednesday, Mar. 24
– Phillies @ Braves – Champion Stadium, Kissimmee, FL 10am-1pm ET: Power Alley with Jim Duquette & Cal Ripken Jr.
– Giants @ Reds – Goodyear Ballpark, Goodyear, AZ 2-7 pm ET: Mad Dog Unleashed with Chris Russo

Thursday, Mar. 25
– Mariners @ Indians – Goodyear Ballpark, Goodyear, AZ 2-7 pm ET: Mad Dog Unleashed with Chris Russo

Friday, Mar. 26
– Athletics @ Cubs – HoHoKam Park, Mesa, AZ 2-7 pm ET: Mad Dog Unleashed with Chris Russo

MLB Home Plate is available to listeners nationwide on XM channel 175 and SIRIUS channel 210 with the “Best of XM.” Visit www.xmradio.com/mlb for programming info.

Mad Dog Radio airs nationwide on SIRIUS channel 123 and XM channel 144. Visit www.sirius.com/maddogradio for programming info.

Baseball fans with visual impairments will benefit from the implementation of functional improvements to MLB.com, the official Web site of Major League Baseball, and all 30 individual Club sites as a result of a joint collaboration between MLB Advanced Media, LP (MLBAM), the American Council of the Blind, Bay State Council of the Blind and California Council of the Blind. All three organizations applaud this fan initiative taken by MLBAM.

“MLBAM has undertaken groundbreaking work to make its web sites accessible and has assumed a strong leadership position among sports, media and entertainment properties in doing so,” said Mitch Pomerantz, President of the American Council of the Blind. “We certainly urge similar sites to make this level of commitment in following MLBAM’s lead.”

As part of its initiative, MLB.com launched an accessible media center for its MLB.com Gameday Audio(TM) subscribers, offering features such as volume control, ability to choose the home or away feed and access to archived games. Additionally, MLB.com has ensured that fans with visual impairments can continue to participate in the annual online voting programs associated with the All-Star Game and will be providing an accessibility page on its site detailing information on accessibility, usability tips and customer service resources. As it continues to deliver technological innovations for following baseball games, MLB.com will make additional accessibility enhancements available to fans with visual impairments.

Brian Charlson, a Boston baseball fan and Director of Computer Training Services at the Carroll Center for the Blind in Newton, Massachusetts, described how MLB.com’s accessibility efforts have improved his enjoyment of the game: “As a member of the blind community, the kind of changes MLB.com was willing to make on its web sites keeps me coming back for more. It shows how much can be done when people with disabilities find willing partners. For example, with the changes in Gameday Audio, I find myself enjoying switching back and forth between the home and away broadcasters the same way my sighted friends do. And knowing my votes were counted in this year’s All-Star balloting made listening to the game much more meaningful. I’m excited about what MLB.com has done and about its commitment to further improvements.”

MLB.com utilized guidelines issued by the Web Accessibility Initiative (WAI) of the World Wide Web Consortium (W3C). The web content accessibility guidelines are of particular benefit to blind baseball fans who use a screen reader, through which information on a page is read aloud, or magnification technology on their computers and who rely on a keyboard instead of a mouse.

Source: MLB.com

Live baseball available on several platforms including Apple’s iPad, iPhone and iPod touch

MLB.com, the official Web site of Major League Baseball, announced that the eighth season of MLB.TV, one of the largest subscription video offerings on the Internet, is now available at http://www.mlb.tv/ with portability for the upcoming 2010 season.

In addition to the PC-based accessibility more than two million subscribers have enjoyed over the past seven seasons, fans for the first time will be able to take a complete season of 2,430 games on MLB.TV wherever they go through a variety of interactive media platforms, including the newly unveiled Apple iPad and the MLB.com At Bat 2010 app for iPhone and iPod touch mobile devices. Additional platform offerings for live streaming are expected to be announced and available to subscribers for Opening Day.

The 2010 MLB.TV media player will deliver a fleet of enhancements in a convenient, cutting-edge Adobe Flash format, offering an unparalleled live viewing experience for every out-of-market regular season game.

In addition to portability, some of the features available in 2010 MLB.TV include:

HD Quality Picture – MLB.com’s proprietary speed detection allows high-speed users to receive live high definition video at the industry standard of 720p on any size monitor.

Home and Away Feeds - Watch or listen to either the home or away teams’ broadcasts.

Live Game DVR Functionality – Pause and rewind or fast-forward live games.

Clickable Linescores – Go directly to any half-inning to watch only that portion of the game.

Multi-Game Viewing Options - Watch up to four games simultaneously.

Picture-in-Picture – Choose one game and track another or watch in-game highlights simultaneously in a secondary window.

Live Game Highlights - Real-time highlights and player stats automatically load into the media player. With one click, the clip instantly launches in a picture-in-picture window.

Player Tracker - Customize alerts to feature entire fantasy rosters or just a list of favorite players. Subscribers will be notified any time a listed player is on deck. Click the real-time alert to watch live at-bat look-ins.

Spring Training – Watch more than 150 live games from Florida and Arizona as teams prepare for the 2010 season.

Source: MLB.com

MLB.com, the official Web site of Major League Baseball, announced the results of online voting in its eighth annual This Year in Baseball Awards during a live hour-long video webcast from its New York City studios. The voting saw a record 12 million votes cast as the top players and moments from the 2009 season were chosen from 14 different categories, as well as a new honor, none of which were restricted to individual League affiliation.

“These year-end awards are a privilege to present and have grown in importance, both in terms of fan participation and in how they are received by the winners,” said Dinn Mann, Executive Vice President, Content, and Editor-in-Chief, MLB.com. “We are grateful for every vote, and more, for the platform to celebrate greatness in baseball and to continue to identify ways to expand this significant, deserved recognition.”

A complete list of 2009 winners is below:
Hitter of the Year: Joe Mauer, Minnesota Twins (.365, 28 HR, 96 RBIs)
Starting Pitcher of the Year: Zack Greinke, Kansas City Royals (16-8, 2.16 ERA, 242 Ks)
Closer of the Year: Mariano Rivera, New York Yankees (44 SV, 1.76 ERA)
Setup Man of the Year: Jeremy Affeldt, San Francisco Giants (74 G, 1.73 ERA)
Rookie of the Year: J.A. Happ, Philadelphia Phillies (12-4, 2.93 ERA)
Manager of the Year: Jim Tracy, Colorado Rockies (92-70, NL Wild Card)
Executive of the Year: Ruben Amaro Jr., Philadelphia Phillies (93-69, NL East champs)
Defensive Player of the Year: Jacoby Ellsbury, Boston Red Sox (.994 FPCT)
Unsung Star of the Year: Jayson Werth, Philadelphia Phillies (36 HR, 99 RBIs, 20 SB)
Performance of the Year: Mark Buehrle, Chicago White Sox (Perfect game, 7/23)
Play of the Year: Dewayne Wise, Chicago White Sox (Catch preserved perfect game, 7/23)
Moment of the Year: Derek Jeter, New York Yankees (Passed Gehrig for NYY hits, 9/11)
Postseason Moment of the Year: Johnny Damon, New York Yankees (WS Game 4)
Oddity of the Year: Phillies fanatic (Dad’s catch thrown back by daughter, 9/15)

A special, first-ever X-Factor of the Year was awarded to former Los Angeles Dodgers outfielder Juan Pierre through a media-only vote by MLB.com editors, reporters and multimedia personnel. In 2010, this category will be added to the overall voting process. The 2010 This Year in Baseball Awards will include additional exciting enhancements to be unveiled at a later date.

Awards will be presented individually to this year’s winners in on-field pre-game ceremonies during the 2010 regular season.

Source: MLB.com

Sports Illustrated Group Editor Terry McDonell announced that Derek Jeter is the 2009 Sports Illustrated Sportsman of the Year. Jeter is the first New York Yankee to receive this award. Previous winners include Muhammad Ali, Lance Armstrong, Michael Jordan, Jack Nicklaus and Tiger Woods. The 2009 SI Sportsman of the Year issue hits newsstands Wednesday, December 2. The issue marks the 11th cover appearance for Jeter.

Since 1954 the Sports Illustrated Sportsman of the Year has been presented annually to the person who excelled in athletic performance and demonstrated great character. “Over all the years SI editors have used the same language to define the award,” said McDonell. “It is not for the victory alone that he (or she) is honored; rather, it is for the quality of his effort and the manner of his striving.’ And that defines Derek Jeter.”

“While having a Hall of Fame career and under a brilliant spotlight, Derek conducts himself with class and a selfless demeanor that allows not only his teammates but also his sport and his community to flourish,” McDonell continued. “It was his leadership both on and off the field that drove the Yankees to the world championship, and his Turn 2 Foundation is one of the most efficient and effective foundations of its kind. It is an honor to include Derek Jeter in the Sportsman fraternity.”

Jeter’s selection caps another outstanding season for the 35-year-old team captain and future Hall of Famer. In 2009 he batted .334 while leading the Yankees to their fifth World Series title in his 14 full seasons, their first since 2000 and their major league record 27th. On September 11, Jeter got his 2,722 hit, breaking Lou Gehrig’s 70-year-old franchise record. Jeter now has 2,747. In 2009, Jeter led the American League by reaching base 289 times, finished second in the league in hits (212), third in batting average and on-base percentage (.406), fourth in runs (107), and eighth in stolen bases (30). He was named an All-Star for the 10th time, including the sixth time as a starter, while winning his fourth AL Silver Slugger as the best hitting shortstop in the league, and his fourth Gold Glove as the league’s top defensive shortstop.

In 14 postseason games Jeter lived up to his reputation as a clutch player, batting .344 with a .432 on-base percentage, three home runs and six RBIs. He batted .407 in the World Series to help lead the Yankees to a six-game victory against the defending world champion Philadelphia Phillies. During the Series Jeter was named the American League recipient of the Hank Aaron Award, given to the best hitter in each league as voted on by the fans, and the winner of the Roberto Clemente Award, given to the player who best displays skill on the field while giving back to the community off it.

Jeter will be honored at a ceremony in Manhattan on December 1 along with SI Kids’ SportsKid of the Year, Austin McCarthy. Sponsors for the Sportsman of the Year event include Ford, Gillette, Liberty Mutual and Verizon.

Jeter is the 10th baseball honoree and only the third in the last 34 years. Others players named Sportsman after great World Series-winning performances include Johnny Podres (’55), Sandy Koufax (’65), Tom Seaver (’69), Pete Rose (’75), Willie Stargell (along with Terry Bradshaw ['79]), Orel Hershiser (’88), Curt Schilling and Randy Johnson (’01) and the Boston Red Sox (’04).

Source: www.si.com/sportsman

with Pre- & Postgame Analysis by Chicago White Sox Manager Ozzie Guillen

For the ninth consecutive year, Fox Sports en Espanol is offering live Spanish-language coverage of the MLB postseason. Tune-in to Fox Sports en Espanol for the 2009 World Series, where the defending World Champions Philadelphia Phillies, take on the American League champions, New York Yankees starting on Wednesday, October 28th at 7:30pm ET.

Chicago White Sox manager Ozzie Guillen joins Fox Sports en Espanol as a pregame and postgame analyst, providing exclusive Spanish language analysis and content, for the network’s coverage of the 2009 Fall Classic.

Guillen’s engaging personality, honesty and candor have made him a popular media figure both in Chicago and nationally. His previous MLB television experience was as an analyst for the Hispanic television broadcast of the 1992 MLB All-Star Game in San Diego.

A complete schedule of Fox Sports en Espanol’s MLB telecasts is available at www.foxsportsla.com.

Following his 16-year playing career that stretched from 1985 through 2000, Guillen served as a coach for the Montreal Expos (2001-2002) and third-base coach for the Florida Marlins in 2003, where he won his first World Series ring. He was named the 37th manager in Chicago White Sox history on November 3, 2003; and in 2005, guided the team to their first American League Pennant since 1959, and their first World Series title in 88 years with a four-game sweep of the Houston Astros. He is the first Latin-born manager in the history of the game to have won a World Series. Guillen is also the only manager in White Sox history to guide the team to more than one division/league title and was named the 2005 American League Manager of the Year by the Baseball Writers Association of America. Guillen managed the 2006 AL All-Star team to a 3-2 victory and has an overall career managerial record of 512-461.

World Series Programming
10/28 Philadelphia Phillies @ New York Yankees Gm 1 7:30pm ET
10/29 Philadelphia Phillies @ New York Yankees Gm 2 7:30pm ET
10/31 New York Yankees @ Philadelphia Phillies Gm 3 7:30pm ET
11/1 New York Yankees @ Philadelphia Phillies Gm 4 8:00pm ET
11/2 New York Yankees @ Philadelphia Phillies Gm 5* 7:30pm ET
11/4 Philadelphia Phillies @ New York Yankees Gm 6* 7:30pm ET
11/5 Philadelphia Phillies @ New York Yankees Gm 7* 7:30pm ET

*Games 5-7 are only if necessary games.

Source: Fox Sports en Espanol

Awardee to be honored at January 27 luncheon

Ten Major League Baseball players have just learned they’re in the running for the 2009 Hutch Award®. A national committee has released a list of 10 players, one of whom will go on to receive the prestigious Hutch Award and visit Fred Hutchinson Cancer Research Center in January. The finalists for the 45th annual Hutch Award are:

– Jonny Gomes, Cincinnati Reds
– Tim Hudson, Atlanta Braves
– Torii Hunter, Los Angeles Angels of Anaheim
– Mark Lowe, Seattle Mariners
– Mike Lowell, Boston Red Sox
– Nick Markakis, Baltimore Orioles
– Kevin Millwood, Texas Rangers
– Justin Morneau, Minnesota Twins
– Albert Pujols, St. Louis Cardinals
– Mark Teahen, Kansas City Royals

This year’s Hutch Award recipient will be selected in November through a vote of all surviving former awardees. A total of 44 players have been honored since 1965, when Mickey Mantle accepted the inaugural award. Hall-of-Famers Sandy Koufax, Carl Yastrzemski, Al Kaline, Willie McCovey and Lou Brock all have received the Hutch Award, and in more recent years Jamie Moyer, Trevor Hoffman, Craig Biggio, Mark Loretta, Mike Sweeney and Jon Lester have joined their ranks.

The Hutch Award is given annually to the major league player who best exemplifies the honor, courage and dedication of renowned baseball player and manager Fred Hutchinson (“Hutch”). Fred Hutchinson Cancer Research Center — which was named in Hutch’s honor by his brother Dr. Bill Hutchinson, a surgeon, after Fred succumbed to cancer at age 45 — is an independent, nonprofit research institution dedicated to the understanding, treatment and prevention of cancer and related diseases.

The award is presented each January in Seattle, Hutch’s hometown and the site of the renowned cancer center that bears his name. The Hutch Award will be presented at a fundraising luncheon honoring the awardee on Wednesday, Jan. 27, 2010 at Safeco Field in Seattle.

For more information about the Hutch Award, including a full list of past recipients, or to learn more about the January luncheon, visit www.fhcrc.org/hutchaward.

Source: Fred Hutchinson Cancer Research Center

Ricketts to Take 95% Ownership of Chicago Cubs, Wrigley Field and Tribune’s Interest in Comcast SportsNet

The Ricketts family has signed a definitive agreement with Tribune Company to acquire a 95 percent interest in the Chicago Cubs National League Baseball Club, Wrigley Field and Tribune’s approximately 25 percent interest in Comcast SportsNet (CSN) in a transaction valued at $845 million. The Ricketts family will have management control of the joint venture as its 95 percent owner. Tribune will retain a five-percent ownership interest.

“Our family is thrilled to have reached an agreement to acquire a controlling interest in the Chicago Cubs, one of the most storied franchises in sports,” said Joe Ricketts. “The Cubs have the greatest fans in the world, and we count our family among them. We look forward to closing the transaction so that we can begin leading the Cubs to a World Series title.”

The Ricketts family reached the agreement with Tribune after a thorough bid process that began more than two years ago. Tribune intends to proceed to a final transaction close without soliciting further bids from other parties.

“This joint venture will provide dedicated, local family ownership and management for the team,” commented Tribune Chairman Sam Zell. “The Ricketts family will be a great steward of the franchise. They have a strong respect for the team, for the fans and for what the Cubs mean to the City of Chicago.”

Final closing of the agreement is dependent upon approval by Major League Baseball owners and bankruptcy court approvals. As part of the court’s approval process, the entity holding most of the assets of the Cubs franchise will voluntarily file for Chapter 11 protection so that the franchise can emerge free and clear of Tribune Company’s financial obligations. All obligations specific to the Cubs franchise – player contracts and agreements with sponsors, broadcasters, advertisers, suppliers and ticket holders – are not expected to be impacted by the court approval process, and there should be no interruption of team operations. The court is expected to rule on approval of the transaction early in the fourth quarter of 2009.

Source: Tribune Company