Zack Greinke to receive Dodgers’ Roy Campanella Award

Zack Greinke may earn his share of awards for an outstanding season, but now he’s earned one that is less for performance and more for the way he goes about his business.

Wednesday Greinke was named winner of the 10th annual Roy Campanella Award, given to the player who best exemplifies the spirit and leadership of the late Hall of Fame catcher.

The award is not insignificant since it is voted upon by Dodger uniformed personnel. Greinke is scheduled to receive the award from Joni Campanella Roan, Campanella’s daughter, during Sunday’s pregame ceremonies.

Greinke is a leading candidate for the National League Cy Young Award. He leads the majors in ERA (1.68), winning percentage (.857, 18-3), WHIP (0.85) and quality starts (29), while ranking among the leaders in opponents’ batting average (.188, second) and innings pitched (214.2, seventh) in 31 starts. His 18 wins are a career high and his ERA is on pace to be the lowest in the majors since Greg Maddux (1.63) in 1995.

He also had a scoreless innings streak of 45 2/3 innings, fourth longest since the expansion era began in 1961.

Campanella was a three-time NL MVP and a member of the Dodgers’ first World Series champions in 1955. His career was cut short when he was injured in a car accident in 1958 that left him paralyzed from the neck down.

Previous winners of the award include Rafael Furcal (2006), Russell Martin (2007), James Loney (2008), Juan Pierre (2009), Jamey Carroll (2010), Matt Kemp (2011), A.J. Ellis (2012) and Clayton Kershaw (2013 and ‘14), the award’s first two-time recipient.