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Vogt lands 2nd straight Catfish Hunter Award

Honor voted on by Athletics players, coaches and staff

OAKLAND -- A's catcher Stephen Vogt has been named the recipient of the 2015 Catfish Hunter Award, becoming the first player to take home the honor in consecutive years.

Vogt joins Mark Ellis (2005, '07) as the second player to twice win the award, which is described by the A's as recognition for a "player whose play on the field and conduct in the clubhouse best exemplifies the courageous, competitive and inspirational spirit demonstrated by the late Hall of Fame pitcher."

"The right man got it, definitely," A's manager Bob Melvin said Thursday.

That it's voted on by the club's players, coaches and staff members makes it "the biggest one to me," said Vogt, who has already been honored as the A's nominee for the prestigious Roberto Clemente Award and was selected as the recipient of the Dave Stewart Community Service Award.

"It's just really cool to have your teammates and your peers think of you in that regard," Vogt said. "I do feel like somewhat of a leader, and for your peers to recognize you as that and as someone that has those characteristics is huge, and it's the highest honor you can have, when your teammates think of you in that light."

Vogt was named to his first All-Star team this year and was batting .267 with 18 home runs and 67 RBIs in 128 games.

He will be presented the award prior to Friday's 7:05 p.m. PT game against the Giants in a special on-field ceremony and is then expected to reassume catching duties for the first time since Sept. 6, when he took a foul tip to the groin area.

"In a season when things haven't gone your way, to handle yourself the way he has is exceptional," Melvin said. "Not only has he been recognized by other outlets but by other players, and for the guys who are with him every day to be able to recognize what he means and what he does for us, I know that's awfully special for him. It is for me as well."

Hunter posted a 224-166 record and 3.26 ERA in 15 seasons with the A's and Yankees. He was inducted into the National Baseball Hall of Fame in 1987 and is one of five Oakland players to have his number retired, along with Rollie Fingers, Reggie Jackson, Dennis Eckersley and Rickey Henderson.

"You hear the people that were around him talk about him all the time, about his character, the competitor he was, how hard he played," Vogt said, "and how much he left out on the field every night, and you hear the way he's regarded around here, and in a storied franchise like the Oakland A's, if they name an award after someone and it goes toward those attributes, you know that he exuded those more than anything. It's just very, very cool."

Tweet from @Athletics: Many thanks and congratulations to @SVogt1229 being named the 2015 Dave Stewart Community Service Award recipient. pic.twitter.com/5op7VMSJCU

Jane Lee is a reporter for MLB.com. Read her blog, Major Lee-ague, and follow her on Twitter @JaneMLB.
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