Mike Trout won Rookie of the Year and will finish runner-up for MVP, but surely this will be his proudest accomplishment for 2012: Trout has been named the “Heart and Hustle” award winner.
Major League Baseball Players Alumni Association gives the annual award to the “player who demonstrates a passion for the game and best embodies the values, spirit and traditions of baseball.”
Each of the 30 teams had a finalist and that list amusingly included Melky Cabrera representing the Giants despite his 50-game suspension for performance-enhancing drugs.
And in accepting the award Trout put himself in position to win cliche-giver of the year as well: “I take pride in these awards. I go out there and give 110 percent every time and leave it all on the field. There’s only one thing in baseball, and I think it’s to win and just have fun.”