Players, managers and executives receive their fair share of recognition each season. But what about the fans?
The most important part of the game -- you -- should be cheered, too. That is why Major League Baseball has stepped up to the plate to honor the inaugural MLB Fans of the Year presented by Esurance.
Nominees from all 30 Major League clubs will be featured on MLB.com/awards through Monday at 2 p.m. ET -- with winners to be unveiled an hour later at 3 p.m.
Vote NOW for the MLB Red Sox Fan of the Year presented by Esurance
Winners whose clubs reach the League Championship Series or Fall Classic will receive tickets to root for the home team on a late-October night. As for the top fans whose teams fall short of the sport's semifinals? Have no fear, as there's always next year (and free tickets to an April 2017 game of their choice).
Major League Baseball and the 30 clubs worked tirelessly to identify the sport's top supporters. But after great debate, the following Red Sox fans were chosen among a long list of deserving candidates:
Jackie Gufrovich: A longtime supporter of the Red Sox Foundation, Gufrovich could start a museum with the memorabilia she's amassed over the years.
Lynne Smith: Smith displays her Red Sox fandom proudly, and she is well-known among fans for her flashy Red Sox-centric outfits.
Daniel Pelkey: A K9 police officer, Pelkey attends many Red Sox fan events with his son, and he has an entire room in his house dedicated to the club.
Lars Fossel: A longtime Red Sox diehard, Fossel lists the club's classic bullpen car as his dream mode of transportation to work.
The MLB Fans of the Year presented by Esurance program represents the "first inning" of the Esurance MLB Awards, which honor greatness in Major League Baseball and serve as the grand finale of the game's awards season. Esurance MLB Awards voting will run from 4 p.m. ET on Monday to 2 p.m. ET on Nov. 11 and includes nominees in 19 categories -- from Best Major Leaguer to Best Social Media Post to Best MLB Interview.
Media, front-office personnel, retired MLB players, the Society for American Baseball Research (SABR) and fans will determine the most #AwardWorthy players and moments from 2016. The MLB Awards winners will be announced on Friday, Nov. 18, live on MLB.com and MLB Network.