Bailey, Votto among Reds nominated for GIBBYs
CINCINNATI -- In a Reds regular season that featured 90 wins, several members of the team stood out with individual performances that could be worthy for more recognition, and perhaps hardware.
Cincinnati has 10 individuals up for votes in nine different categories for MLB.com's Greatness in Baseball Yearly Awards.
Major League Baseball's A-listers will take home 2013 GIBBY trophies -- the ultimate honors of the industry's awards season -- based on votes by media, front-office personnel, MLB alumni, fans at MLB.com and the Society for American Baseball Research.
This year's GIBBY Awards feature nominees in 22 categories. Individual honors will go to the MLB MVP, in addition to the year's best starting pitcher, hitter, closer, setup man, rookie, breakout hitter, breakout pitcher, comeback player, defensive player, manager, executive and postseason performer.
GIBBY trophies also will be awarded for the year's top play, storyline, hitting performance, pitching performance, oddity, walk-off, Cut4 topic, regular-season moment and postseason moment, from MLB.com's Must C highlight reels.
In the past five years, fans have cast more than 50 million votes across the various GIBBY categories, none of which was restricted to individual League affiliation. Fan voting runs through Dec. 1.
Among those listed in the best hitter category, Reds first baseman Joey Votto led the National League and was second in the Majors with a .435 on-base percentage. Votto reached base 316 times this past season to break Pete Rose's 1969 club record, and his Major League-leading 135 walks snapped Joe Morgan's franchise record from 1975.
In the best closer category, Aroldis Chapman is nominated after he posted a 2.54 ERA and 38 saves in 43 chances over 68 appearances.
For the season's best pitching performance, Homer Bailey is again nominated for posting his second no-hitter in as many seasons, on July 2 vs. the Giants.
Second baseman Brandon Phillips was nominated in the best defensive player category, while former skipper Dusty Baker is up for best manager and general manager Walt Jocketty for top executive.
Both Votto and Phillips are nominees in the "Top Play" category. Votto was highlighted for a heads-up fielder's choice play during Bailey's no-hitter, while Phillips turned a spectacular double play while touching second base with his knee and throwing to first base from the ground.
Phillips was also featured among those vying for the best "Cut 4 Topic," in an odd play where he high-fived Brewers first baseman Yuniesky Betancourt while being tagged out during a sacrifice-bunt play.
Jay Bruce was nominated for the best "Walk-off hit," for his game-ending single in the ninth inning of a suspended game in April.
Winners will be presented their GIBBY trophies at the MLB.com Greatness in Baseball Yearly Awards extravaganza during the Winter Meetings in Orlando, Fla.