10/28/2007 10:01 PM ET Rodriguez, Fielder earn Aaron Awards Yankees third baseman, Brewers first baseman honored By Barry M. Bloom / MLB.com DENVER -- Alex Rodriguez of the New York Yankees and Prince Fielder of the Milwaukee Brewers have been selected by the fans as the winners of the 2007 Sharp presents Hank Aaron Award, it was announced on Sunday night before Game 4 of the World Series at Coors Field. Major League Baseball fans cast nearly 400,000 votes at MLB.com, the official Web site of Major League Baseball. The Hank Aaron Award officially recognizes the most outstanding offensive performer in the American and National leagues. It's the fourth time for Rodriguez, who also won the award each season from 2001-03, and the first time for Fielder. There was one nominee from each team. "I must tell you on a personal note that I had the privilege of seeing Hank play his first game and his last game and many in between," said Commissioner Bud Selig in making the presentation. "While obviously I'm partial and not ashamed to admit that he clearly, as far as I'm concerned, was the greatest baseball player that I ever saw play, and he was even better off the field. "The interesting part of it was that he's still the same really wonderful human being today that he was back in the '50s, which in this day and age doesn't always happen. So this award to commemorate his greatness fittingly goes to the most outstanding offensive performer in each league." The Hank Aaron Award was created and introduced in 1999 to honor the 25th anniversary of Aaron breaking Babe Ruth's all-time home run record, and, at that time, was the first major award introduced by MLB in more than 25 years. Past winners of the Hank Aaron Award include Manny Ramirez and Sammy Sosa (1999); Carlos Delgado and Todd Helton (2000); Rodriguez and Barry Bonds (2001, 2002); Rodriguez and Albert Pujols (2003); Ramirez and Bonds (2004); David Ortiz and Andruw Jones (2005); Derek Jeter and Ryan Howard (2006). Aaron, who was at the press conference on crutches only weeks after having arthroscopic surgery on his right knee, seemed ecstatic about the award going to Fielder, considering the Hammer's Milwaukee ties. Aaron began his career there with the Braves and ended it 23 years later in 1976 with the Brewers when Selig was the team's owner. "I want to thank the voters," Aaron said. "And the reason I want to thank the voters is because this award is very, very important. I know a lot of people think that to hit 50 home runs and to do some of the things that Prince Fielder did this past year is easy. In the 23 years that I played baseball a lot of guys, a lot of players, hit an awful lot of home runs but couldn't produce in the clutch, could not hit in the clutch. "Prince did that all year. He carried his ballclub all year. So when you see someone who has the credentials that he has and do the things that he did this past year, you have to say that he is on his way to being part of the Cooperstown brigade." Fielder received 16 percent of all NL fan votes during the final phase of voting. He led the NL in home runs with 50 and finished second with a .618 slugging percentage. His home run total established a single-season franchise record and also set a Milwaukee baseball record. The left-handed slugger's 87 extra-base hits also tied a club record. Fielder said he was in awe of the fact that a player of Aaron's stature, a man who finished his career with 755 homers, having surpassed Ruth at 715 on April 8, 1974, had made those comments about him. "I'm speechless right now just because I've got a Hall-of-Famer right here," Fielder said about a player who was the master of consistency and never himself logged a 50-homer season. "I mean, I'm only 23, and when I was in high school I never thought I was going to be able to sit by him while he said all those great things about me. That's awesome. So I'm just going to keep working hard and hopefully he'll keep saying those great things." Rodriguez, who was not in attendance, received 24 percent of all AL fan votes during the final phase of voting. He became the first Yankees player since 1961 to hit at least 54 home runs, joining Ruth, Mickey Mantle and Roger Maris as the only Yankees to have surpassed the 50-homer mark in a single season. Maris hit 61 and Mantle added 54 in 1961, the year Maris broke Ruth's single-season record of 60. A-Rod led the Major Leagues with those 54 homers, 156 RBIs, 143 runs and a .645 slugging percentage. Rodriguez is the only player in Major League history to record at least 140 runs, 50 home runs, 150 RBIs, and 20 stolen bases in a single season. His 52 home runs as a third baseman this year (he hit two as a DH) are the most hit by a third baseman in a single season. "I'm extremely honored to receive the American League Hank Aaron Award this evening," Rodriguez said in a printed statement. "Congratulations to Prince Fielder, who had a remarkable season for the Brewers in the National League. I want to thank the fans around the globe for their votes and support. I'm thrilled to be the recipient of an award, bearing the name of the great Hank Aaron." --

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