Indians pitcher Carlos Carrasco has been named the winner of the 2019 Roberto Clemente Award.
The Roberto Clemente Award, voted on by fans and members of the media, is an annual award given to the player who “best exemplifies the game of baseball, sportsmanship, community involvement and the individual’s contribution to his team.” Commissioner Manfred, will present Carrasco with the award prior to tonight’s World Series Game Three.
Carrasco is the third Indians player to win the Roberto Clemente Award following Jim Thome in 2002 and Andre Thornton in 1979.
And what earned Carrasco the award? Here is an excerpt from Carrasco’s official Roberto Clemente Award nomination bio:
“Every other Sunday in the offseason, Carlos and his wife, Karry, shop, cook, box, and distribute 500 lunches to the homeless from the front porch of their home in Tampa, Florida.
“The couple donates two scholarships of $10,000 annually for single moms to attend school, and Carlos sends $5,000 to United States veterans each year.
“Carlos frequents Cleveland Stepstone Academy’s ’Carlos Carrasco Major League Reading Corner’, where he reads to students and discusses the importance of childhood literacy. Recently, Carlos read ‘If You Give A Mouse A Cookie’ and decorated cookies with second graders.
“Carlos traveled to Africa in November, distributing shoes, shirts and backpacks to underprivileged children. He spoke to kids through a translator about the importance of attending school. While visiting the African villages, he donated more than $70,000 to families in need.
“In May, he donated $300,000 to Casa Venezuela Cucuta in Colombia and sent boxes of food, medicine and medical supplies.
“While serving others across the world over the past year, the bulk of his efforts have been in Venezuela. Carlos donated $25,000 of toys to kids in Valencia for Christmas. He sent 100 boxes of protein, medicine and diapers to a nursing home in Carora and another in Maracaibo. He purchases two containers of medical supplies ($33,000 per container) annually to be sent to Venezuela. He donates $400 per day and $200 per month to cover the cost of a refugee camp at the Colombian/Venezuelan border, where his extended family distributes meals daily.”
Which, yeah, that’ll do it. And, though it’s not a part of the award criteria, it’s probably also worth mentioning that Carrasco was sidelined by leukemia this year yet came back to pitch for his team down the stretch.
Congratulations, Carlos Carrasco.
