"Folks around baseball, however, know just how accomplished a player Gamel is. To that end, it was not much of a surprise when it was announced on Wednesday that the former fourth-round selection was named as the 21st annual J.G. Taylor Spink Award winner, emblematic of the Topps/Minor League Player of the Year."

"Other Spink Award winners include Cliff Floyd (1993), Derek Jeter (1994), Johnny Damon (1995), Andruw Jones (1996), Paul Konerko (1997), Eric Chavez (1999), Josh Beckett (2001), Delmon Young (2005), Alex Gordon (2006) and Steven Pearce (2007)."

Apparently Dallas McPherson (2004), Jeremy Reed (2003), Jason Stokes (2002), and Jason Hart (2000) don't count. Pretty neat trick for Chavez to win in 1999, considering he was on the Athletics roster all year. In fact, Adam Piatt won that year (I think) - Chavez took the award in 1998.

I say "I think" because it's near impossible to look up past winners. As you may be aware, this isn't the only J.G. Taylor Spink Award given out. A more prestigious award with the same name is annually awarded by the BBWAA to a baseball writer "for meritorious contributions to baseball writing."