Jeter, Pujols win Aaron Awards

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PHILADELPHIA (AP) -- Derek Jeter is stockpiling awards named after Hall of Famers.

The New York Yankees shortstop and Albert Pujols of the St. Louis Cardinals won the Hank Aaron Award in fan voting for the best offensive players in their leagues. Aaron presented Jeter with the award before the Yankees played the Philadelphia Phillies in Game 4 of the World Series on Sunday night.

"Any award that's named after Hank Aaron to me is very special, what he has represented, not only in his playing days but how he handled himself when he was playing off the field and to this day," Jeter said before rushing off to join his teammates. "I have the utmost respect for him. This is an award that means a lot to me."

Pujols wasn't in attendance because he's recovering from elbow surgery.

The 35-year-old Jeter, a career .317 hitter, hit .334 with 18 homers, 66 RBIs and 30 steals to lead the Yankees back to the World Series for the first time in six years.

On Thursday, Jeter was presented the Roberto Clemente Award, given annually to a major league player who combines community service with excellence on the field.

Pujols hit .327 with a major league-leading 47 homers, 135 RBIs and 124 runs. His Cardinals won the NL Central, but were swept by the Los Angeles Dodgers in the division series.

Say what, Cole?

After losing Game 3 on Saturday night, Philadelphia's Cole Hamels said he was looking forward to the end of the season. That doesn't sound like a guy who would be ready to take the ball when it's his turn to pitch if the World Series goes seven games.

"I was surprised when I heard that," Phillies manager Charlie Manuel said before Game 4. "I was surprised at that. But I don't really understand exactly how he meant that. Here's a guy, all of a sudden he's having some problems. He's inconsistent, and he's kind of had an off year for him. Basically his struggles is kind of this is the first time he's going through that."

Hamels, last year's NLCS and World Series MVP, is 1-2 with a 7.58 ERA in four starts this postseason. He was 10-11 with a 4.32 ERA in the regular season.

Last October, Hamels was dominant. He went 4-0 with a 1.80 ERA in five postseason starts, helping the Phillies win the second World Series title in franchise history.

"This is all part of the process," Manuel said. "This is all new to him, and that's something that he will get through and probably be even better."

Hideki's last ride?

If this is Hideki Matsui's final season with the Yankees, he's going out in a big way.

Matsui, who can be a free agent after the season, homered in Games 2 and 3 against the Phillies. He didn't start Saturday night because there's no designated hitter in NL parks, but came up as a pinch-hitter and hit an opposite-field shot off Brett Myers. It was Matsui's first homer to left field in four years.

"I think the nine games during the interleagues helped me for the preparation as far as a pinch-hitter, so I think I was able to draw from that experience," Matsui said through a translator.

Matsui joined the Yankees in 2003 and has had four seasons of 20 homers and 100 RBIs. He batted .274 with 28 homers and 90 RBIs in the regular season, earning $13 million in the final year of a $52 million, four-year deal.

Asked about his future with the Yankees, the 35-year-old Matsui said: "I don't know. It's not a question I can really answer."

Broad Street vs. Broadway

Part one of the Philadelphia-New York doubleheader went to the City of Brotherly Love.

The Eagles routed the Giants 40-17 at Lincoln Financial Field, across the street from where the World Series is being played. The sports complex was a sea of red and green. Fans wore Eagles jerseys with Phillies hats or vice versa.

By the fourth quarter, the crowd at the Linc was chanting: "Let's Go Phillies!"

Even the NBA teams in the two cities joined in the rivalry this weekend, with the 76ers beating the Knicks in overtime on Saturday night.

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