2010 Vancouver Canadians Award Winners named
On Sunday, September 5th, several players were acknowledged for their efforts over the course of the 2010 Northwest League season. The C's would like to congratulate each and every Vancouver Canadians player, award recipient or not for a wonderful summer out at Scotiabank Field at Nat Bailey Stadium.
Most Valuable Player - The Charlie Metro Award:
The Vancouver Canadians acknowledged 1B A.J. Kirby-Jones as the team's Most Valuable Player after hitting .258 with a franchise record 14 home runs and 42 RBI.
Kirby-Jones also played in 74 of the Canadians 76 regular season games hitting .324 over his final 10 games to ensure that Vancouver found their way into the post-season.
Defensively, Kirby-Jones made vast improvements at first base helping the Canadians solidify one of the toughest parts of the diamond to defend.
Kirby-Jones was selected in the 9th Round of the 2010 MLB First-Year Player Draft after playing his college career at Tennessee Tech University.
Previous winners of the MVP include RHP Paul Smyth and OF Jeremy Barfield.
Offensive Player of the Year - The Arnie Hallgren Award
The Canadians honoured CF Michael Choice as the team's Offensive Player of the Year after becoming a catalyst in the middle of the C's attack.
The 1st Round selection of the Oakland Athletics in the 2010 MLB First-Year Player Draft, Choice would arrive in early August and put up numbers that over a 76 game season would have garnered him league wide MVP consideration.
The outfielder out of the University of Texas - Arlington hit .255 with seven home runs and 26 RBI in just 27 games with the Canadians.
Choice also proved that his defensive above average finishing with a .995 fielding percentage.
Pitcher of the Year - The George Bamberger Award
For the first time in franchise history the Canadians split the George Bamberger Award between two quality arms.
RHP Matt Thomson (3-3 2.15) was named the Northwest League Pitcher of the Week three separate times over the course of the 2010 season, a first for any Vancouver Canadians pitcher in franchise history.
Thomson was dominant in the second half of the season going 3-1 with an ERA of 1.47 over his last 10 outings and struck out at least 10 hitters in three of his final five appearances.
Thomson was strong at spacious Scotiabank Field at Nat Bailey Stadium going 2-1 with a 2.57 ERA, but was even better on the road going 1-1 with an intimidating 1.50 ERA.
Perhaps Thomson's best quality was his ability to hit spots. In 12 games for the Canadians, the right-hander out of the University of San Diego would strikeout out 61 while issuing just eight walks on the season.
RHP Nathan Long (8-2 3.10) tied for most victories by a Vancouver Canadians pitcher in franchise history (8) and fell just one inning shy of the C's innings pitched record with 87 (Christian Gonzalez - 88 - 2001).
Long was a large part of the reason the Canadians had the best second half record in the Northwest League as 'The Texas Gunslinger' went 5-1 down the stretch with an ERA of 3.26 in his final 10 appearances.
The second year Vancouver Canadians was equally impressive both at home and on the road sporting 4-1 records both at Scotiabank Field at Nat Bailey Stadium as well as at a variety of ballparks throughout the league.
Fan's Choice Award - The Ozzie Chavarria Award
The Vancouver Canadians are proud to have created the Fan's Choice Award that is voted on by all of you, the greatest fans in Minor League Baseball.
Over the final two weeks of the season, fans could come here to the website and select the player they best deserved the appreciation of the fans for a job well done. This award wasn't about the statistics or the round drafted - this was about the one player that rolled up his sleeves, played hard, signed autographs and represented the organization with pride and dignity.
The 2010 winner was RHP Nathan Long, a pitcher that over the course of the season always seemed to be the one player that fans migrated to out at Scotiabank Field at Nat Bailey Stadium.
With a long, thick strawberry blonde beard, Long was the straw that stirred the fan's drink and truly became a fan favourite over the course of the summer.
Previous winners of the Fan's Choice Award include OF David Thomas and 2B / OF Conner Crumbliss.
The Canadians would like to once again congratulate all of the players, coaches and training staff for a wonderful 2010 season.