Jon Jay wins Padres’ Heart and Hustle Award

Center fielder Jon Jay was named the Padres winner of the 2016 Heart and Hustle Award last week.  He also won the award for the St. Louis Cardinals in 2010 and 2011.

The award is presented by the Major League Baseball Players Alumni Association, “which demonstrates a passion for the game of baseball and best embody the values, spirit and traditions of the game.”

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“He deserves every bit of recognition he gets,” Padres Manager Andy Green said. “He’s an unbelievable teammate, a great competitor. He was hitting right around .300 when he got hurt, he was leading the league in doubles, but that pales in comparison to the impact he has with how involved he is in every single game. He’s sitting on the bench with a cast on his hand and is as invested as anyone else.” (The San Diego Union Tribune)

Jay has been sidelined since June 19 with a fractured forearm. In 68 games this season, he has batted .296 with two home runs and 23 RBIs.

“He wants to impact guys,” Green said. “He loves the game. He’s fully immersed in every single thing we’re doing every single day. I have nothing but profound respect for him as a player. … Some guys, even if they only play in the organization for a year — maybe it’s longer with him, but even if it’s only for a year — there’s a lasting impact because of the quality of people they are, and that’s the type of person he is.” (The San Diego Union Tribune)

Jay, 31, was acquired from St. Louis in the offseason, where he spent his first six seasons in the majors.

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In 825 career games, he has batted .288 with 31 home runs and 250 RBIs. He was drafted in the second round of the 2006 MLB Draft out of the University of Miami. He made his major league debut on April 26, 2010.