PITTSBURGH (93.7 The Fan) – A favorite for the pinnacle award for a pitcher, the Cy Young Award, Paul Skenes said Monday that’s not the personal award he covets. That would be the Roberto Clemente Award he was nominated for on Monday.
Skenes is the Pirates representative, joining 29 others representing every team in the majors. The winner is the person that year ‘who best represents the game of Baseball through extraordinary character, community involvement, philanthropy and positive contributions, both on and off the field’.
“Outside of winning a World Series, that would be the coolest accolade, the most meaningful thing I can win because it’s not just a baseball thing,” Skenes said. “I obviously play baseball and play for the Pirates, but I’m Paul Skenes the man, who also plays for the Pittsburgh Pirates. That’s kind of the way I see it for myself.”
Teammate Andrew McCutchen and Willie Stargell are the only Pirates to win the award, several other huge names in the game also have been honored-Aaron Judge, Willie Mays, Brooks Robinson, Lou Brock, Cal Ripken, Dave Winfield, Tony Gwynn, Albert Pujols, Derek Jeter, Clayton Kershaw.
“Paul, the work that he is doing, it’s amazing,” Roberto’s son Luis Clemente told 93.7 The Fan. “He’s a straight-shooter, just talking to him we know he’s the real guy, no-nonsense. Very blessed with his talents and I think he knows what to do with it.”
“He would be an awesome guy to have as recipients of the Roberto Clemente Award.”
“Unbelievable achievement at such a young age to be nominated,” said Roberto Clemente, Junior. “What he is doing off the field with the veteran’s organizations. He dove two feet first into charity work, already. He’s made a great impact so far.”
“To be honored in that way, just to be nominated for the award is a tremendous honor,” Skenes said. “To win the award would be unbelievable. I think it would be greater than any other baseball award there is just because it’s not about the baseball player, it’s about the human.”