Kevin Youkilis wins 2007 Jackie Jensen Award Boston BBWAA also names Terry Francona as Major League Manager of the Year; Clay Buchholz and Jacoby Ellsbury share Red Sox Minor League Player of the Year honors
11/30/07
Red Sox first baseman Kevin Youilis has been selected as the recipient of the 2007 Jackie Jensen Award, it was announced today by the Boston Chapter of the Baseball Writers Association of America.
In addition, the Boston BBWAA announced it has selected Terry Francona as its 2007 Major League Manager of the Year. Righthanded pitcher Clay Buchholz and outfielder Jacoby Ellsbury share the Chapter's 2007 Red Sox Minor League Player of the Year Award.
The awards will be presented at the 69th Boston BBWAA Awards Dinner, which will be held on Thursday, January 17, 2008 at the Westin Waterfront Hotel in South Boston. Tickets are still available for the dinner.
Youkilis was selected as the 17th recipient of the Jackie Jensen Award in balloting conducted by the members of the Boston BBWAA Chapter. The award is named for the late Red Sox outfielder, who starred with Boston from 1954-59 and 1961 and is presented annually to a major league player for "spirit and determination" Youkilis batted .288 with 16 homers and 83 RBI in 143 games in 2007.
Francona guided the Red Sox to 96-66 record and the club's first American League East Division Championship since 1995 this season. Boston went on to win its second World Series in four years, giving Francona an 8-0 lifetime mark in the fall classic.
Ellsbury earned the Boston BBWAA Chapter's Minor League Award for the second straight season after combining to bat .323 with 82 runs, 41 RBI, and 41 stolen bases in 104 games with Double-A Portland and Triple-A Pawtucket. Buchholz was 8-5 with a 2.44 ERA and 171 strikeouts in 125.1 innings in 24 games/23 starts between Portland and Pawtucket. He led all of minor league baseball with an average of 12.34 strikeouts per nine innings and ranked fourth overall in strikeouts.
Other award recipients at the Boston Baseball Dinner are: Mike Lowell-Thomas A. Yawkey Award as Red Sox Most Valuable Player; Josh Beckett-Red Sox Pitcher of the Year; Dustin Pedroia-Red Sox Rookie of the Year; and Jon Lester-Tony Conigliaro Award. Other award winners will be announced in the future.
Tickets for the dinner are priced at $135.00 each. Tickets can be purchased by making checks payable to Boston Chapter BBWAA and mailing to: Boston Chapter BBWAA, P.O. Box 7346, Nashua, NH 03060. Proceeds from the event will help the Chapter to continue supporting charitable causes.
For more information on the 2008 Boston BBWAA Awards Dinner, please call 603-594-6427 or send e-mails to agreenwood@nashuatelegraph.com.