Cleveland Indians: Carlos Carrasco and the Roberto Clemente Award

Cleveland Indians pitcher Carlos Carrasco has a shot to win the 2019 Roberto Clemente Award. Only two Indians players have ever won.

The 2019 Roberto Clemente Award winner will be announced later this month and Cleveland Indians fans have a nominee in Carlos Carrasco.

On a side note, picking one winner for this award was always a bit silly to me. It would make more sense to just award every team’s nominee. Ranking good deeds is a bit odd, but the intent of the award is still great.

Carrasco’s list of good deeds goes on and on. His section on the Clemente Award website lists things such as:

"Carlos traveled to Africa, distributing shoes, shirts and backpacks to underprivileged children and donating over $70,000 to families in need. In May, he donated $300,000 to Casa Venezuela Cucuta in Colombia, sending boxes of food, medicine and medical supplies. The bulk of Carlos’ efforts have been in Venezuela. He donated $25,000 of toys to kids in Valencia for Christmas, sent 100 boxes of protein, medicine and diapers to nursing homes in Carora and Maracaibo, and donates $400 per day and $200 per month to a refugee camp at the Colombian/Venezuelan border, where his extended family distributes meals daily."

This was all before he received a leukemia diagnosis and met with with fellow patients receiving treatment.

Professional sports fans often see short video packages featuring athletes out in the community. But for those more fortunate in life, it is rare to be part of whatever event or good deed is taking place thanks to the athlete.

It is so easy to get caught up in what is taking place on the field. Even when we are disappointed in the results, the players take it harder. Then some go out and put a smile on their face and help fans in the community. I am not trying to be up on a soapbox. It is just truly easy to forget everything someone like Carrasco does even when he is going through a battle with cancer.

I obviously would like Carrasco to win the 2019 Roberto Clemente Award. Though even if he isn’t announced as the winner, nothing is taken away from what he has done.

Winning the award would make him the third Indians player to win after Andre Thornton in 1979 and Jim Thome in 2002. Not bad company to join right there.