Hamilton Wins Silver Slugger Award
{fshare id=3210}
Louisville Slugger® announced the 2012 Silver Slugger™ Award winners in a special hour-long telecast exclusively on MLB Network, hosted by Greg Amsinger and Bill Ripken.
Josh Hamilton was selected as one of the three American League outfielders, joining Mike Trout of Los Angeles and Josh Willingham of Minnesota. It is Hamilton’s third selection as he was previously honored in 2008 and 2010. He becomes the fifth Ranger to ever receive as many as three Silver Sluggers: 6—C Ivan Rodriguez; 5—OF Juan Gonzalez; 3—2B Julio Franco and SS Alex Rodriguez. In 2012, Hamilton batted .285 and tied for second in the majors with 43 homers and 128 RBI over 148 games.
Ten of the 18 team members were recognized as Silver Slugger winners for the first time, including Buster Posey, catcher for the World Series® Champion San Francisco Giants and winner of the NL batting title. Two players made the team for the fifth time – the American League’s shortstop, Derek Jeter of the Yankees, and the National League’s Ryan Braun, leftfielder for the Milwaukee Brewers.
The Silver Slugger award winners were determined by a vote of Major League Baseball
coaches and managers who named the players they felt were the best offensive producers at each position in both the American and National leagues in 2012. Selections were based on a combination of offensive statistics, including batting average, on-base percentage and slugging percentage, as well as the coaches’ and managers’ general impressions of a player’s overall offensive value. Managers and coaches were not allowed to vote for players on their own teams. Tabulation of the balloting was verified by the accounting firm of Mountjoy Chilton Medley LLP.
Among the teams represented by this year’s winners, the Nationals, Yankees and Tigers each had multiple Silver Slugger Award winners. Not only do the Nationals have three members on the National League team, but all are also first-time award winners – Adam LaRoche at first base, Ian Desmond at shortstop and Stephen Strasburg at the pitcher position.
For the American League, the Yankees’ Jeter received his fifth award at shortstop and Robinson Cano his fourth award at second base. The Tigers had two members on the American League Team including Triple Crown Winner Miguel Cabrera at third base with his fourth Silver Slugger award and Prince Fielder with his third award at first base, but first in the American League.
Other first-time Silver Slugger Award winners included: Mike Trout of the Angels and Josh Willingham of the Twins, both in the outfield, A.J. Pierzynski of the White Sox at catcher and Billy Butler for the Royals at designated hitter for the AL. The remaining first-timers for the NL include Chase Headley at third base for the Padres and both Andrew McCutchen of the Pirates and Jay Bruce of the Reds in the outfield.
The NL recognized Aaron Hill of the Diamondbacks at second base, his second award.
