2012 Henry Aaron Award standings and results

Here are the final results and standings in 2012 for the Henry Aaron Award, which distinguishes the team holding the interleague traveling prize.

By BILL PETERSON
Big Leagues in Los Angeles

In addition to producing the best overall 2012 season in the competition for the Henry Aaron Award, the Angels also were the heroes of the American League in this interleague traveling competition.

The Angels ended the season with top totals across the board — 27 wins, three titles, seven defenses in 10 attempts and 29 games with the prize.

And, during the interleague period, the Angels kept the corn in the junior circuit. The Dodgers had taken the prize with a two-of-three win against the Seattle Mariners June 8-10, then the Angels immediately nabbed it from the Dodgers and held it in consecutive defenses against the Arizona Diamondbacks, the San Francisco Giants and the Dodgers, enabling the AL to play with it for the rest of the season.

The Aaron and the Harmon Killebrew Award for the American League traveling distinction maintained separate paths for much of the season. However, the Kansas City Royals united the prizes in a dramatic four-game split Aug. 9-12 against the Baltimore Orioles. The Royals entered the series with the Aaron and the Orioles entered with the Killebrew. The Royals prevailed with both prizes on a 19-16 total runs tiebreaker.

The two prizes remained united through the American League Championship series, during which the Detroit Tigers took them from the New York Yankees in a four-game sweep. At that point, the Killebrew was retired for the season, but the Aaron went on the line during the World Series, when the San Francisco Giants took it in a four-game sweep from the Tigers.

For the 2013 season in the Aaron award, there would be two substantial changes.

First, the move of the Houston Astros to the American League meant the Aaron would have a more fluid existence because interleague play would take place throughout the season, rather than during designated periods.

Also, it was decreed that tiebreakers no longer would determine the Aaron winner in a split series. Instead, the team entering a split series with the prize would retain it, on the principle, known to ring sports, that one has to beat the champion to become the champion. To be the man, you have to beat the man, as The Great One* said.

With these changes, it became much less likely that the Aaron would be tethered to either the Killebrew or the Dick Allen Award.

* Ric Flair

2012 Henry Aaron Award results 

Total run tiebreakers, if applicable, are given at the end of the results.

St. Louis 1, Miami 0 — April 4 at St. Louis.

St. Louis 2, Milwaukee 1 — April 5-8 at St. Louis.
St. Louis 2, Cincinnati 1 — April 9-11 at Cincinnati.
St. Louis 2, Chicago 1 — April 13-15 at St. Louis.
St. Louis 2, Cincinnati 1 — April 17-19 at St. Louis.
St. Louis 2, Pittsburgh 1 — April 20-22 at Pittsburgh.
Chicago 2, St. Louis 1 — April 23-25 at Chicago.
Chicago 2, Philadelphia 2 — April 27-30 at Philadelphia (Chicago, 16-13).
Chicago 1, Cincinnati 1 — May 2-3 at Cincinnati (Chicago, 6-5).
Chicago 2, Los Angeles 1 — May 4-6 at Chicago.
Chicago 2, Atlanta 1 — May 7-9 at Chicago.
Milwaukee 2, Chicago 1 — May 11-13 at Milwaukee.
Milwaukee 1, New York 1 — May 14-15 at New York (Milwaukee, 9-3).
Houston 2, Milwaukee 0 — May 16-17 at Houston.
Texas 2, Houston 1 — May 18-20 at Houston.
Seattle 2, Texas 1 — May 21-23 at Seattle.
ANGELS 3, Seattle 0 — May 25-27 at Seattle.
ANGELS 2, New York (AL) 1 — May 28-30 at Anaheim.
ANGELS 2, Texas 1 — June 1-3 at Anahaim.
Seattle 2, ANGELS 1 — June 4-6 at Anaheim.
DODGERS 2, Seattle 1 — June 8-10 at Seattle.
ANGELS 2, DODGERS 1 — June 11-13 at DODGERS.
ANGELS 2, Arizona 1 — June 15-17 at ANGELS.
ANGELS 2, San Francisco 1 — June 18-20 at ANGELS.
ANGELS 2, DODGERS 1 — June 22-24 at ANGELS.
ANGELS 2, Orioles 0 — June 26-27 at ANGELS.
Toronto 2, ANGELS 1 — June 29-July 1 at Toronto.
Kansas City 2, Toronto 2 — July 2-5 at Toronto (Kansas City 23-18).
Detroit 3, Kansas City 0 — July 6-8 at Detroit.
Detroit 2, Baltimore 1 — July 13-15 at Baltimore.
Detroit 3, ANGELS 1 — July 16-19 at Detroit.
Detroit 3, Chicago (AL) 0 — July 20-22 at Detroit.
Cleveland 2, Detroit 1 — July 24-26 at Cleveland.
Minnesota 3, Cleveland 0 — July 27-29 at Minnesota.
Chicago (AL) 2, Minnesota 1 — July 30-Aug. 2 at Minnesota.
Chicago (AL) 2, ANGELS 1 — Aug. 3-5 at Chicago.
Kansas City 2, Chicago (AL) 1 — Aug. 6-8 at Chicago.
Kansas City 2, Baltimore 2 —  Aug. 9-12 at Baltimore (Kansas City, 19-16).
Kansas City 2, Oakland 1 — Aug. 14-16 at Kansas City.
Kansas City 2, Chicago 1 — Aug. 17-19 at Kansas City.
Tampa Bay 2, Kansas City 1 — Aug. 20-22 at Tampa Bay.
Oakland 2, Tampa Bay 1 — Aug. 23-25 at Tampa Bay.
Oakland 4, Cleveland 0 — Aug. 26-29 at Cleveland.
Oakland 3, Boston 0 — Aug., 30-Sept. 2 at Oakland.
ANGELS 3, Oakland 0 — Sept. 3-5 at Oakland.
ANGELS 3, Detroit 0 — Sept. 7-9 at Los Angeles.
Oakland 3, ANGELS 0 — Sept. 10-12 at Los Angeles.
Oakland 2, Baltimore 1 — Sept. 13-15 at Oakland.
Detroit 2, Oakland 1 — Sept. 17-19 at Detroit.
Minnesota 2, Detroit 1 — Sept. 21-23 at Detroit.
New York 2, Minnesota 1 — Sept. 24-26 at Minnesota.
New York (AL) 2, Toronto 1 — Sept. 28-30 at Toronto.
New York (AL) 3, Boston 0 — Oct. 1-3 at New York.
New York (AL) 3, Baltimore 2 — Oct. 7-12 at New York and Baltimore.
Detroit 4, New York (AL) 0 — Oct. 13-18 at Detroit and New York.
San Francisco 4, Detroit 0 — Oct. 24-31 at San Francisco and Detroit.