And the 2009 Hawk Award goes to....

The baseball award season is almost upon us. And to celebrate that, I've decided to do it in a truly Andre Dawson for the Hall of Fame manner.

There will be no MVP or Cy Youngs handed out here. No, these are truly unique and distinguished awards. The first annual Hawk Awards are awarded to players whose 2009 performances were reminiscence to some of The Hawk's seasons.


And the first annual Hawk Awards go to...


Zack Greinke, P, Kansas City Royals - For dominating nearly every pitching statistic in the AL this year, while playing for a bottom dweller, similar to what Andre did batting wise with the last-place Cubs in 1987





Evan Longoria, 3B, Tampa Bay Rays - For following up his Rookie of the Year honors in 2008 with an outstanding season, just as Andre did (ROY in 1977). No sophomore slump here





Raul Ibanez, OF, Philadelphia Phillies - For setting a career high in home runs after leaving Seattle, just as Andre did after leaving the Expos for the Cubs in 1987





Bobby Abreau, OF, Los Angeles Angels of Anaheim - For playing 2009 well under what he is worth ($5 Mil) to be with a team he is passionate about as Andre did in 1987 ($700,000)




Sam Fuld, OF, Chicago Cubs - For his outstanding catches running into outfield walls this summer, reminiscence of when Andre rammed his head into the Ivy brick wall of Wrigley to make a catch





Derrek Lee, 1B, Chicago Cubs - For proving he still got something in the tank when people were beginning to count him out, similar to Andre's difficulty getting signed in 1987 when GMs thought his best years were behind due to his knees





Pablo Sandoval, 1B, San Francisco Giants - For...having the best nickname in baseball, Kung Fu Panda, okay so that doesn't really constitute an award, but I like the guy and the nickname just as I do with Andre




And the life-time Hawk achievement award goes to...it's a tie!


Derek Jeter, SS, New York Yankees and Randy Johnson, P, San Francisco Giants - For reaching career milestones and well on their way to becoming Hall of Famers like the Hawk will.









And that's the 2009 Hawk Awards. Sorry Milton Bradley, better luck next year!

Andre Dawson - Best Cubs' Free-Agent Signing

I had the fortune to attend the Cubs-Dodgers game yesterday, the game was great, but the Cubs' lack-luster offensive performance was not. Not a whole lot of highlights here for the Cubs expect for the great pick-off of Juan Pierre by Ted Lilly and Sam Fuld ramming his head into the outfield fence to make a beautiful catch.

Between Milton Bradley striking out and waiting in line at the consession stand, I had plenty of time to think about how the free-agent signings of Bradley and Alfonso Soriano have not worked out the way they were supposed to and how Andre Dawson has been the best Cubs free-agent signing.

They have gotten some great players through trades over the past couple of decades including: Ryne Sandberg, Sammy Sosa, Derek Lee and Aramis Ramirez. But none of their free-agent investments have came close to the production that Andre brought to the Cubs in 1987. Those investments have included: George Bell, Eric Karros, Henry Rodriguez, Todd Hundley, Juan Pierre, Moises Alou, Kosuke Fukudome, Soriano and Bradley.

How great of a signing was Andre? The Hawk played six seasons for the Cubs, let's take three similar players from the list above and compare their seven seasons together versus Andre's six.


Andre Dawson, 1987-1992 (6 seasons)
HR - 174 RBI - 587 AVG. - .285 SB - 57 Hits - 929 Runs - 431*


HenryRodriguez, 1998-1999
HR - 57 RBI - 172 AVG. - .278 SB - 3 Hits - 240 Runs - 128

Moises Alou, 2002-2004
HR - 76 RBI - 258 AVG. - .283 SB - 14 Hits - 467 Runs - 239

Alfonso Soriano, 2007-2008
HR - 62 RBI - 145 AVG. - .291 SB - 38 Hits - 300 Runs - 173

Totals: HR -195 RBI - 575 AVG. - .284 SB - 55 Hits - 1007 Runs - 540*


Pretty impressive, isn’t it? Dawson had 12 more RBIs in his six seasons than their seven combined. I guess the Cubs are like today's economy, some investments just don't pan out like they used to.

Kind of ironic, Andre was the one investment the Cubs didn't want to make. Dallas Green, the Cubs general manager in 1987, resisted signing Andre due to the condition of his knees, but then Andre presented him the “blank contract,”…and the rest was history.

Did I leave an unsuccessful Cub free-agent signing off my list? Leave a comment.

*www.baseball-reference.com