Diamond Awards: Dozier named Twins MVP and most improved player

In 1976, Rod Carew had already won five batting titles, appeared in 10 All-Star Games, owned a Rookie of the Year Award and five top-10 finishes in American League MVP voting.

In 1977, he was named Most Improved Twin.

See, Brian Dozier — there's precedent.

Dozier, one of the few exceptions to a disastrous 2016 season for Minnesota, has been chosen the Twins' Most Valuable Player by the Twin Cities chapter of the Baseball Writers Association of American, the team announced Wednesday. But he also claimed, for the second time in four seasons, the Charles O. Johnson Award as the team's most improved player.

Dozier, who became the first Twin in 46 seasons to hit 40 home runs in a season, joins Carew, Roy Smalley Jr. (1978), John Castino (1980) and Brad Radke (1997) to be named the team's MVP and most improved player in the same season, and the first since Carew to earn the "most improved" distinction after already being selected for an All-Star team.

Dozier was also voted the winner of the Bob Allison Award for leadership, one of several honors voted by the BBWAA at the conclusion of the season:

— Ervin Santana, who posted a team-best 3.38 ERA and a team-high 149 strikeouts while posting a 7-11 record in 30 starts, was chosen the winner of the Joseph W. Haynes Award as Twins pitcher of the year.

— Byron Buxton, whose range and throwing arm shored up the Twins' outfield, was voted the Jim Kaat Award as Twins' defensive player of the year.

— Terry Ryan, the former general manager whose daily meetings with media members provided access almost unparalleled in the industry, was named winner of the Mike Augustin "Good Guy" Award.

— Eduardo Escobar, founder of a program to distribute Twins tickets to Spanish-speaking students in Twin Cities schools, and to provide food, shelter and athletic equipment to children in his Venezuelan homeland, will receive the Carl H. Pohlad Award for outstanding community service, an award chosen by the Twins.

— San Diego Padres reliever Brad Hand, a Chaska High graduate who posted a 2.92 ERA with 111 strikeouts in 89 innings this season, was voted the Dick Seibert Award as Upper Midwest Player of the Year. Hand, a second-round pick by the Marlins in the 2008 draft, is the fifth non-Twin in six seasons to earn the BBWAA Award.

And Rod Carew himself, a six-time winner of the Calvin Griffith Award as Twins' MVP, will be honored as well. The Twins have chosen Carew as the 10th recipient of the Herb Carneal Lifetime Achievement Award, in celebration of his Hall of Fame career and charitable efforts since retiring from baseball.

Dozier's season was one of the most memorable ever by a Twin, despite the team's 59-103 record. By hitting 42 home runs, the most ever in a single season by an AL second baseman, he joined Harmon Killebrew as the only Twins ever to surpass 40 in a season.

Dozier, who was also named Most Improved Twins after the 2013 season, hit 28 home runs after the All-Star break, five more than any other player in the majors, and was an accomplished base-stealer, too, swiping 18 bases in 20 attempts. The 2014 AL All-Star also led the Twins in runs (104), doubles (35), hits (165) and RBIs (99), and his .268 batting average and .546 slugging percentage were both career-highs.

The Twins' winners will receive their awards at the annual Diamond Awards banquet at Target Field on Jan. 27. The dinner is also a fund-raiser for the University of Minnesota Foundation, which funds research into brain, nerve and muscular disorders.

Most Valuable Twin (Calvin Griffith Award)

1961 — Harmon Killebrew

1963 — Earl Battey

1964 — Tony Oliva

1965 — Zoilo Versalles

1966 — Harmon Killebrew

1967 — Harmon Killebrew

1969 — Harmon Killebrew

1970 — Harmon Killebrew

1971 — Leo Cardenas

1972 — Rod Carew

1973 — Rod Carew

1975 — Rod Carew

1976 — Rod Carew

1977 — Rod Carew

1978 — Roy Smalley

1979 — Roy Smalley

1981 — Doug Corbett

1982 — Gary Ward

1983 — John Castino

1984 — Kent Hrbek

1985 — Kirby Puckett

1987 — Jeff Reardon

1988 — Kirby Puckett

1989 — Kirby Puckett

1990 — Brian Harper

1991 — Jack Morris

1993 — Brian Harper

1994 — Kirby Puckett

1995 — Chuck Knoblauch

1996 — Chuck Knoblauch

1997 — Brad Radke

1999 — Brad Radke

2000 — Matt Lawton

2001 — Doug Mientkiewicz

2002 — Torii Hunter

2003 — Shannon Stewart

2005 — Johan Santana

2006 — Justin Morneau

2007 — Torii Hunter

2008 — Justin Morneau

2009 — Joe Mauer

2011 — Michael Cuddyer

2012 — Josh Willingham

2013 — Joe Mauer

2014 — Phil Hughes

2015 — Miguel Sano

Twins Pitcher of the Year (Joseph Haynes Award)

1962 — Camilo Pascual

1963 — Bill Dailey

1964 — Al Worthington

1965 — Jim Grant

1967 — Dean Chance

1968 — Dean Chance

1969 — Jim Perry

1970 — Jim Perry

1971 — Bert Blyleven

1973 — Bert Blyleven

1974 — Bill Campbell

1975 — Jim Hughes

1976 — Bill Campbell

1977 — Dave Goltz

1979 — Jerry Koosman

1980 — Doug Corbett

1981 — Doug Corbett

1982 — Bobby Castillo

1983 — Ken Schrom

1985 — Ron Davis

1986 — Bert Blyleven

1987 — Frank Viola

1988 — Frank Viola

1989 — Allan Anderson

1991 — Jack Morria

1992 — John Smiley

1993 — Rick Aguilera

1994 — Kevin Tapani

1995 — Brad Radke

1997 — Brad Radke

1998 — Mike Trombley

1999 — Brad Radke

2000 — Eric Milton

2001 — Joe Mays

2003 — Johan Santana

2004 — Johan Santana

2005 — Johan Santana

2006 — Johan Santana

2007 — Johan Santana

2009 — Joe Nathan

2010 — Carl Pavano

2011 — Glen Perkins

2012 — Scott Diamond

2013 — Glen Perkins

2015 — Kyle Gibson

2016 — Ervin Santana

Twins Outstanding Rookie (Bill Boni Award)

1962 — Bernie Allen

1963 — Jimmie Hall

1965 — Sandy Valdespino

1966 — Cesar Tovar

1967 — Rod Carew

1968 — Ron Clark

1969 — George Mitterwald

1971 — Steve Braun

1972 — Bobby Darwin

1973 — Jerry Terrell

1974 — Craig Kusick

1975 — Dan Ford

1977 — Paul Thormodsgard

1978 — Roger Erickson

1979 — John Castino

1980 — Doug Corbett

1981 — Dave Engle

1983 — Darrell Brown

1984 — Kirby Puckett

1985 — Mark Salas

1986 — Steve Lombardozzi

1987 — Les Straker

1989 — Gary Wayne

1990 — Kevin Tapani

1991 — Chuck Knoblauch

1992 — Mike Tromobley

1993 — Pat Meares

1995 — Marty Cordova

1996 — Ron Coomer

1997 — (none awarded)

1998 — Eric Milton

1999 — Cristian Guzman

2001 — Luis Rivas

2002 — Bobby Kielty

2003 — Lew Ford

2004 — Joe Mauer

2005 — Jesse Crain

2007 — Matt Garza

2008 — Denard Span

2009 — Jose Mijares

2010 — Danny Valencia

2011 — Ben Revere

2013 — Caleb Thielbar

2014 — Danny Santana

2015 — Miguel Sano

2016 — Max Kepler

Most Improved Twin (Charles Johnson Award)

1964 — Jim Kaat

1965 — Don Mincher

1966 — Jim Kaat

1967 — Ted Uhlaender

1968 — Ted Uhlaender

1970 — Cesar Tovar

1971 — Cesar Tovar

1972 — Danny Thompson

1973 — Jim Holt

1974 — Glenn Borgmann

1976 — Lyman Bostock

1977 — Rod Carew

1978 — Roy Smalley

1979 — Rob Wilfong

1980 — John Castino

1982 — Gary Ward

1983 — Mickey Hatcher

1984 — Frank Viola

1985 — Ron Davis

1986 — Gary Gaetti

1988 — Allen Anderson

1989 — Brian Harper

1990 — Mark Guthrie

1991 — Shane Mack

1992 — Mark Guthrie

1994 — Chuck Knoblauch

1995 — Pedro Munoz

1996 — Rich Becker

1997 — Brad Radke

1998 — Todd Walker

2000 — Cristian Guzman

2001 — Joe Mays

2002 — LaTroy Hawkins

2003 — Johan Santana

2004 — Juan Rincon

2006 — Michael Cuddyer

2007 — Carlos Silva

2008 — Alexi Casilla

2009 — Michael Cuddyer

2010 — Delmon Young

2012 — Ben Revere

2013 — Brian Dozier

2014 — Eduardo Escobar

2015 — Aaron Hicks

2016 — Brian Dozier

2012 — Ben Revere

2013 — Pedro Florimon

2014 — Brian Dozier

2015 — Eddie Rosario

2016 — Byron Buxton

2005 — Mike Redmond

2006 — Brad Radke

2007 — Mike Redmond

2008 — Justin Morneau

2009 — Michael Cuddyer

2011 — Michael Cuddyer

2012 — Justin Morneau

2013 — Justin Morneau

2014 — Kurt Suzuki

2015 — Torii Hunter

Media Good Guy (Mike Augustin Award)

2006 — Torii Hunter

2007 — Torii Hunter

2008 — Joe Nathan

2009 — Denard Span

2011 — Michael Cuddyer

2012 — Glen Perkins

2013 — Brian Dozier

2014 — Ron Gardenhire

2015 — Torii Hunter

Upper Midwest Player of the Year (Dick Siebert Award)

1962 — Dick Stigman

1963 — Johnny Blanchard

1964 — Bob Johnson

1965 — Jerry Kindall

1967 — Lee Stange

1968 — Jerry Koosman

1969 — Jerry Koosman

1970 — Jerry Koosman

1971 — Dick Green

1973 — John Hiller

1974 — Dave Winfield

1975 — Dave Goltz

1976 — Tom Poquette

1977 — Tom Johnson

1979 — Dave Winfield

1980 — Paul Molitor and Jack Morris

1981 — Jack Morris

1982 — Paul Molitor

1983 — Mike Boddicker

1985 — Dave Winfield

1986 — Jack Morris

1987 — Paul Molitor

1988 — Dave Winfield

1989 — Terry Steinbach

1991 — Jack Morris

1992 — Dave Winfield

1993 — Paul Molitor

1994 — Paul Molitor

1995 — Dan Wilson

1997 — Denny Neagle

1998 — Rick Helling

1999 — Rick Helling

2000 — Darin Erstad

2001 — Aaron Sele

2003 — Jim Brower

2004 — Keith Foulke

2005 — Travis Hafner

2006 — Joe Mauer

2007 — Pat Neshek

2009 — Joe Mauer

2010 — Joe Mauer

2011 — Jeremy Hellickson

2012 — Joe Mauer

2013 — Jordan Zimmermann

2015 — Tony Watson

2016 — Brad Hand

Community Service (Carl H. Pohlad Award)

1993 — Brian Harper

1994 — Kent Hrbek

1996 — Paul Molitor

1997 — Rick Aguilera

1998 — Terry Steinbach

1999 — Ron Coomer

2000 — Denny Hocking

2002 — Brad Radke

2003 — Doug Mientkiewicz

2004 — Torii Hunter

2005 — Ron Gardenhire

2006 — Michael Cuddyer

2008 — Joe Mauer

2009 — Justin Morneau

2010 — Jesse Crain

2011 — Carl Pavano

2012 — Denard Span

2014 — Brian Duensing

2015 — Brian Dozier

2016 — Eduardo Escobar

Minor League Player of the Year (Sherry Robertson Award)

1970 — Mark Wiley

1972 — Tom Smithson

1973 — Craig Kusick

1974 — Butch Wynegar

1975 — Steve Luebber

1976 — Dan Graham

1978 — Steve Douglas

1879 — Steve Green

1980 — Bob Konopa

1981 — Kent Hrbek

1982 — Jeff Reed

1984 — Curt Wardle

1985 — Mark Davidson

1986 — Gene Larkin

1987 — Mike Dyer

1988 — Pete Delkus

1990 — Denny Neagle

1991 — Pat Mahomes

1992 — Marty Cordova

1993 — LaTroy Hawkins

1994 — LaTroy Hawkins

1996 — Todd Walker

1997 — David Ortiz

1998 — Doug Mientkiewicz

1999 — Michael Restovich

2000 — John Barnes

2002 — Lew Ford

2003 — Joe Mauer

2004 — Jason Kubel

2005 — David Winfree

2006 — Alexi Casilla

2008 — Ben Revere

2009 — Ben Revere

2010 — Joe Benson

2011 — Brian Dozier

2012 — Oswaldo Arcia

2014 — Kennys Vargas

2015 — Max Kepler

2016 — Zach Granite

Minor League Pitcher of the Year (Jim Rantz Award)

2002 — J.D. Durbin

2004 — Scott Baker

2005 — Francisco Liriano

2006 — Matt Garza

2007 — Kevin Slowey

2008 — Anthony Slama

2010 — Kyle Gibson

2011 — Liam Hendriks

2012 — B.J. Hermsen

2013 — Andrew Albers

2014 — Jose Berrios