Pedroia wins Silver Slugger
Dustin Pedroia has collected another impressive piece of hardware.
The Red Sox' outstanding second baseman has won a Silver Slugger award as the top offensive player at his position in the American League, it was announced today. The awards, which are presented annually, are determined by a vote of AL managers and coaches.
Pedroia, who won his first Gold Glove award last week, batted .326 with 17 home runs and 83 RBIs in his second full major league season. He is considered to be among the frontrunners for the AL Most Valuable Player award, which will be announced Tuesday.
Pedroia becomes the first Red Sox second baseman ever to receive the honor. The 25-year-old led the majors with 54 doubles, tied Seattle's Ichiro Suzuki for first with 213 hits, and ranked second with 118 runs and 61 multi-hit games, both AL highs.
He was the third major league second baseman ever to tally 100 runs, 200 hits, 50 doubles, and 20 steals in a season, joining the Yankees' Alfonso Soriano (2002) and the Astros' Craig Biggio (1998).
The 2007 AL Rookie of the Year established single-season franchise records by a second baseman for runs, hits, doubles, batting average, total bases, and extra-base hits.
Pedroia joins Jason Varitek (2005), Ellis Burks (1990), and Dwight Evans (1981) as the fourth Boston player to win Gold Glove and Silver Slugger awards in the same season.
The 2008 Silver Slugger teams:
American League
1B -- Justin Morneau, Minnesota Twins
2B -- Pedroia
3B -- Alex Rodriguez, New York Yankees
SS -- Derek Jeter, New York Yankees
OF-- Josh Hamilton, Texas Rangers
OF -- Carlos Quentin, Chicago White Sox
OF -- Grady Sizemore, Cleveland Indians
C -- Joe Mauer, Minnesota Twins
DH -- Aubrey Huff, Baltimore Orioles
National League
1B -- Albert Pujols, St. Louis Cardinals
2B -- Chase Utley, Philadelphia Phillies
3B -- David Wright, New York Mets
SS -- Hanley Ramirez, Florida Marlins
OF -- Matt Holliday, Colorado Rockies
OF -- Ryan Ludwick, St. Louis Cardinals
OF -- Ryan Braun, Milwaukee Brewers
C -- Brian McCann, Atlanta Braves
P -- Carlos Zambrano, Chicago Cubs
Chad Finn of the Globe staff contributed to this report.
Um....Why did Derek Jeter get a Silver Slugger?
Oh that's right...he's Derek Jeter
Kind of reminds me of when he got the Gloden Glove over Alex Gonzales.
...what a crock!
I love Dusti, but how the heck he wins an award like this over Texas' Ian Kinsler is beyond me. Kinsler fields with a skillet, but the SS award is just OFFENSIVE numbers, and they do not compare.
Screw Justin Morneau! Damn Canadians takin' away awards from Kevin Youkilis!
Keep him away from Boras so that we can keep him!
I know A-Rod's numbers are better, but I wish Evan Longoria had won third base just cuz..
Father smells of Ellsbury's - Kinsler is a good hitter, but did you actually compare the stats between him and Pedroia? Pedroia beats him in almost every offiensive category (runs, hits, BB, 2B, RBI, SO, Avg), 3B and OBP are in essence the same. Pedroia played in more games yes, but that also exhibits his value for his team offensively by being in the game!
Kinsler didn't win because he missed too much time with injury. If he hadn't gotten hurt, he might have taken home this award and the MVP.
Does anyone else find it funny that the two winners of the Hank Aaron Award for best hitter in each league (Kevin Youkilis and Aramis Ramirez) didn't win a Silver Slugger? I'm not saying they deserved one, as Youk and Morneau was pretty much a toss up from where I stand and I probably would've given it to Wright in the NL too, it's just funny that the "best hitter" in each league wasn't considered the best hitter at his position.
Kinsler had better offensive numbers!!! Let's take a look: Pedroia - 157 games/653 at-bats, Kinsler - 121/518 (roughly 20% fewer ABs). DP - .326. IK - .319. Runs - 118 to 102 Pedroia (roughly 17% difference). Doubles 54-41 Pedroia (about 30% up), HR 17 to 18 Kinsler. Ks - Pedroia 52, Kinsler 67. Everything was awfully close. Pedroia won AVG, fewer Ks, more doubles. Kinsler had more HR power and that's about it. Check the numbers, if it's still "beyond" anyone...seek mathematical help.
In response to comment #2, Kinsler was about 10% ahead of Dustin during much of the season but Ian went down with an injury and missed 40 games last year. Dustin managed to stay on the same pace and more importantly, on the field, for damn near every game last season. He had 20+% more doubles and was about equal or better in just about every other category. Ian may have put up those numbers in 75% of his teams games but he simply wasnt on the field enough despite a better "pace."
BTW Thats the best online signature line Ive seen in quite some time! Thanks for the good laugh!
"I love Dusti, but how the heck he wins an award like this over Texas' Ian Kinsler is beyond me. Kinsler fields with a skillet, but the SS award is just OFFENSIVE numbers, and they do not compare."
Look up the stats again. I actually was questioning this initially, but Pedroia pretty much smoked Kinsler in most offensive statistics AND Kinsler missed a whole bunch of time down the stretch run. The only things Kinsler topped Pedroia in were slugging percentage and one more home run. Pedroia walked more, struck out less, had more hits, total bases and doubles. Pedroia legitimately earned this one.
The one I'm thrown by most is Morneau. He had a great season, but Youkilis clearly outdid him in all the major offensive categories. It makes absolutely zero sense for Morneau to have gotten it. Hell, he wasn't even the second best offensive first baseman, Teixeira and Youk were pretty close in terms of quality.
OMG, the Yankees just got Texeira!!!! Only those idiots got the wrong one, and a switch-hitting whiffer as well. Good luck with that, Cashman.
My man!!!! Pedroia rocks ....this kid is awesome....another award ....congrats PEDROIA!!!!
I see silverslugger is a true genius.... the silver slugger is the best hitter at the position.... DUH and I am a sox fan, just not a dumbass frontrunner
Smells:
Its not just offensive production, but offensive impact. Remember El Caballito, while batting cleanup, getting intentionally walked?
IBB:FTW
Kinsler
Hits - 165 2B - 41 3B - 4 HR - 18 RBI - 71 TB - 268 OBP - .375
Slugging - .517 BA - .319
Pedroia
Hits - 215 2B - 54 3B - 2 HR - 17 RBI - 83 TB - 322 OBP - .376
Slugging - .493 BA - .326
You are right...Not Even Close....
Yo father smells, what numbers you lookin at buddy?
I'd love for you to explain to me how these numbers "don't compare":
Pedroia: BA HR RBI OBP SLG H R 2B
.326 17 83 .376 .493 213 118 54
Kinsler : BA HR RBI OBP SLG H R 2B
.319 18 71 .375 .517 165 102 41
Ian kinsler's numbers are not better than Dustins.
Your insane. Lets compare shall we.
Hits: Dustin 213 >> ian 165 Average: Dust:326 > Ian:319
Runs:Dust:118 > Ian:102 SB: dust:20 Doubles:Dust:54 > Ian:41 RBI: Dust: 83 > Ian:71
3B d:2 Ian:4 HR: Dust:17 Walk-Strikeout: Dust: 50-52 > Ian: 45-67
OBP SLG OPS: Dust: 376 .493 .869 IAN: 375.517 .892
Dustin wins. If you disagree, your an idiot.
Pedroia vs. Kinsler:
Pedroia had higher BA, doubles, rbi, runs, bb, obp. Very close in HR and OPS, pedroia also had fewer strikeouts.
True Pedroia had more plate appearances in which to amass those stats, but in those plate appearances he did have a higher batting average and on base percentage and had fewer strikeouts. OPS was close although over same number of plate appearances Kinser would have had a good lead in HR and narrowed the gap in doubles, rbi, and runs.
Both are very good, young, hitting 2b.
kinsler had a worse average, not as many runs or rbis and one more home run than pedroia so i do not understand how they dont compare
Kinsler did have a better OPS than Pedey, but he played 36 games less. I think the voters looked at the whole season numbers.
father.... how can you say Pedroia's numbers do not compare? are you freaking stupid...do the research! very similar numbers...Pedroia's a tad better!
ok Kinsler did this in 2008:
SEASON TEAM G AB R H 2B 3B HR RBI BB SO SB CS AVG OBP SLG OPS
2008 Tex 121 518 102 165 41 4 18 71 45 67 26 2 .319 .375 .517 .892
Dusty did this:
SEASON TEAM G AB R H 2B 3B HR RBI BB SO SB CS AVG OBP SLG OPS
2008 Bos 157 653 118 213 54 2 17 83 50 52 20 1 .326 .376 .493 .869
Dusty has better stats but Ian, if he played as many games, may have won the award...Ian needs to be more durable......
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