Perkins, Hicks represent Twins with GIBBY nominations

MINNEAPOLIS -- Glen Perkins made the most of his first full season as Twins closer in 2013.

The left-hander posted a 2.30 ERA with 77 strikeouts in 62 2/3 innings, converting 36 of his 40 save opportunities. It was another impressive year for Perkins, who was named an All-Star for the first time in his career.

And now he's up for another honor, as he was nominated for the GIBBY Award for best closer. Twins outfielder Aaron Hicks also secured a nomination for best play for his home-run-saving catch of the White Sox Adam Dunn.

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. Fans can vote through Sunday, December 1.

Winners will be presented their GIBBY trophies at the MLB.com Greatness in Baseball Yearly Awards extravaganza during the Winter Meetings in Orlando, Fla.

Perkins, 30, took over as the club's full-time closer in June 2012 and has emerged as one of the better closers in baseball.

The Stillwater, Minn., native's 2.30 ERA ranked ninth among all relievers with at least 20 saves last season. But he faces tough competition, as Red Sox closer Koji Uehara had a season for the ages, and Yankees closer Mariano Rivera had another incredible year in his final season in the big leagues.

Hicks, meanwhile, struggled to find consistency at the plate in his rookie season, but was impressive with the glove in center field.

He made several leaping catches at the wall, but his best came against the White Sox on May 13. Hicks robbed Dunn of a game-tying homer in the sixth inning of a game in which Hicks also homered twice to lead the Twins to a 10-3 victory.