Chris Davis on nomination for the Robert Clemente Award

The Orioles' Chris Davis is the club's 2017 nominee for the prestigious Roberto Clemente Award, the most prominent individual player award bestowed by MLB. The Roberto Clemente Award is the annual recognition of a player from each club who best represents the game of baseball through extraordinary character, community involvement, philanthropy and positive contributions, both on and off the field.

"It is definitely an honor," Davis said this afternoon. "For as long as I can remember it's been Adam (Jones as O's nominee). It's such a great honor. It is something that you as a person, and a player, who is obviously in the spotlight most of the time, it is pretty much our responsibility to give back to the community and do everything we can."

Each club nominates one player to be considered for the award in tribute to Clemente's achievements and character. The sixteenth annual Roberto Clemente Day will take place tomorrow, Sept. 6.

Prior to Wednesday's game, the Orioles will present Davis with the Clemente Award during an on-field ceremony. Davis earned the distinction due to his family's ongoing work with many charities in and around the Baltimore community, including the University of Maryland Children's Hospital, Casey Cares, Baltimore Animal Rescue and Care Shelter, Inc. (BARCS), Christian Youth Athletics, and the OriolesREACH Gameday Experience Program. This is his first time earning the nomination.

"Once you start getting involved with organizations and people in the city, you really develop a heart for them and some relationships that will hopefully last a lifetime," Davis said. My wife and I have really enjoyed our time with Casey Cares, with the hospital and with a number of organizations around the city. It's nice to be recognized."

Davis was asked what is the best aspect of his community work:

"Just getting to know the kids and their families and the people in the city of Baltimore," he said. I grew up in Texas but feel like I'm a pretty big part of this city. Just getting to know the people and where they're from and what they've been through. Some are not any different from you but they were dealt a bad hand. They always seem to be a lot more optimistic and positive than I am and that's refreshing."

On another topic, the news was first reported by MASNSports.com's Roch Kubatko that Double-A Bowie outfieder Austin Hays is making the jump from the Eastern League to the American League and will be joining the Orioles. Click here for a recent profile I wrote on Hays and how he was underrated nationally. Well that has changed too. Hays today was announced as one of five finalists for Baseball America's Player of the Year award in the minors. The winner will be announced Friday. But first Hays gets a call to the show.