MINNEAPOLIS — Spring training is less than a month away, but several Minnesota Twins were in town Thursday for the annual Diamond Awards.
The winner of the most awards Thursday night was not in attendance. In fact, he's no longer a member of the Minnesota Twins. Outfielder Michael Cuddyer, who signed with the Colorado Rockies as a free agent in the offseason, won three awards, including the Clark R. Griffith Award for Most Valuable Twin.
Cuddyer was Minnesota's most consistent and most versatile player in 2011, hitting .284 with 20 homers and 70 RBIs in 139 games. He was one of just two every-day position players to avoid the disabled list, along with third baseman Danny Valencia. Cuddyer, 32, also moved around the diamond and played first and second base — and even one game at pitcher — aside from his regular duties in right field.
Cuddyer was also given the Bob Allison Award for Twins Leadership, and the Mike Augustin Award, presented to the team's Media Good Guy. Win or lose, Cuddyer was always at his corner locker in the Twins' clubhouse to talk to reporters after the game. While he wasn't able to attend Thursday's event due to the recent birth of his twin daughters, Cuddyer recorded a video to thank those in attendance for the awards.
Left-handed reliever Glen Perkins took home a pair of awards, as he was named the Twins Pitcher of the Year as well as the Most Improved Twin. Perkins, a Stillwater, Minn., native, had a breakout year in 2011. In 65 appearances, Perkins posted a 2.48 ERA while striking out 65 batters in 61 2/3 innings as the Twins' set-up man.
"It's an honor to win both," Perkins said. "I think winning the Most Improved, it is a sign of hard work and overcoming adversity. I think that's a little bit more of a personal award, where the Pitcher (of the Year) award, that's a lot of help from my teammates. I didn't strike out every batter. There were guys that had to field the ball and throw the ball and do all that. … That's a little bit more of a team award."
Outfielder Ben Revere took home the Bill Boni Award for the Twins Outstanding Rookie. Revere turned in a number of highlight-reel catches while roaming the outfield. At the plate, he hit .267 with a Twins rookie record 34 stolen bases.
"It's an honor since we had so many rookies up there this year," Revere said. "My dad called me and said it's all about hard work and preparation. You never know what's going to happen in the year of baseball. Baseball's a goofy sport. Just like this year, we had so many injuries.
The 23-year-old Revere played in 117 games for Minnesota, including many games in center fielder after Denard Span was sidelined with a concussion.
"I didn't think I'd have that many games in the big leagues and I played over 100 this year," said Revere, who started the year at Triple-A Rochester but was quickly called up to the majors. "You've always got to prepare yourself, and I've just got to thank all the coaches, all my teammates, all the veteran guys and younger guys for helping me out."
Infielder Brian Dozier, who split time between Class-A Fort Myers and Double-A New Britain in 2011, was the Twins' Minor League Player of the Year, taking home the Sherry Robertson Award. In 78 games with the Rock Cats, Dozier hit .318 with 34 RBIs and seven triples. He spent time at second base, third base and shortstop at both minor league levels this past season.
While Dozier was the team's top minor league position player, Liam Hendriks won the Jim Rantz Award for Minor League Pitcher of the Year. Hendriks, a 22-year-old right-hander, began the year at New Britain before he was promoted to Triple-A Rochester. In nine games with the Red Wings, Hendriks was 4-4 with a 4.56 ERA. At New Britain, he was 8-2 with a 2.70 ERA in 15 starts.
Hendriks, a native of Perth, Australia, got the call up to the majors in September and made four starts. He was 0-2 with a 6.17 ERA and gave up three runs in seven innings in his big league debut Sept. 6 against the Chicago White Sox.
Twins starter Carl Pavano took home the Carl R. Pohlad Award for Outstanding Community Service. The 36-year-old Pavano has helped numerous charities in the Twin Cities, including his Pitch In Foundation, which provides new shoes and clothing to residents of the Caring Hands shelter.
Other awards included the Upper Midwest Player of the Year, which went to Des Moines, Ia., native and Tampa Bay Rays pitcher Jeremy Hellickson; the Kirby Puckett Alumni Community Service Award, which was given to Minnesota native and former Twins catcher Terry Steinbach; and the Herb Carneal Lifetime Achievement Award, which was presented to recently-retired radio broadcaster John Gordon.
