The
Silver Slugger Award is awarded annually to the best
offensive player at each
position in both the
American League (AL) and the
National League (NL), as determined by the coaches and managers of
Major League Baseball (MLB). These voters consider several offensive categories in selecting the winners, including
batting average,
slugging percentage and
on-base percentage, in addition to "coaches' and managers' general impressions of a player's overall offensive value."[1] Managers and coaches are not permitted to vote for players on their own team.[1] The Silver Slugger was first awarded in 1980 and is given by
Hillerich & Bradsby, the manufacturer of
Louisville Slugger bats.[2] The award is a bat-shaped trophy, 3 feet (91 cm) tall, engraved with the names of each of the winners from the league[1] and plated with
sterling silver.[3]
Rodriguez' offensive statistics in his seven Silver Slugger-winning seasons lead American League and major league shortstops in most categories;[7] his batting average of .358 and .631 slugging percentage in 1996, .420 on-base percentage in 2000 and 57
home runs in 2002 are records among winning shortstops.[7] The lone category in which Rodriguez does not lead the American League is
runs batted in (RBI), where
Miguel Tejada is the leader; he batted in 150 runs in 2004.[16] The RBI leader in the National League is
Trevor Story, who batted in 108 runs in 2018.[17] In contrast, Rodriguez collected RBI totals over 110 (ranging from 111 in 1999 to 142 in 2002) in all of his Silver Slugger-winning seasons,[7] highlighting the difference in power and production between American League and National League shortstops.[18] Other National League leaders include Larkin and
Hanley Ramírez, who led in batting average (Larkin and Ramírez batted .342 in 1989 and 2009 respectively) and on-base percentage (Larkin and Ramírez with .410 in 1996 and 2009 respectively), along with
Rich Aurilia, who leads in slugging percentage (.572, 2001).[19] Aurilla is also tied with Story as the National League leader in home runs (Aurilla and Story hit 37 in 2001 and 2018 respectively). Though he has never played in the National League, Rodriguez' 40 or more home runs in six of his seven winning seasons at shortstop are greater than any total hit by a National League winner at third base.[7]
Key
Year
Links to the corresponding Major League Baseball season
The
Silver Slugger Award is awarded annually to the best
offensive player at each
position in both the
American League (AL) and the
National League (NL), as determined by the coaches and managers of
Major League Baseball (MLB). These voters consider several offensive categories in selecting the winners, including
batting average,
slugging percentage and
on-base percentage, in addition to "coaches' and managers' general impressions of a player's overall offensive value."[1] Managers and coaches are not permitted to vote for players on their own team.[1] The Silver Slugger was first awarded in 1980 and is given by
Hillerich & Bradsby, the manufacturer of
Louisville Slugger bats.[2] The award is a bat-shaped trophy, 3 feet (91 cm) tall, engraved with the names of each of the winners from the league[1] and plated with
sterling silver.[3]
Rodriguez' offensive statistics in his seven Silver Slugger-winning seasons lead American League and major league shortstops in most categories;[7] his batting average of .358 and .631 slugging percentage in 1996, .420 on-base percentage in 2000 and 57
home runs in 2002 are records among winning shortstops.[7] The lone category in which Rodriguez does not lead the American League is
runs batted in (RBI), where
Miguel Tejada is the leader; he batted in 150 runs in 2004.[16] The RBI leader in the National League is
Trevor Story, who batted in 108 runs in 2018.[17] In contrast, Rodriguez collected RBI totals over 110 (ranging from 111 in 1999 to 142 in 2002) in all of his Silver Slugger-winning seasons,[7] highlighting the difference in power and production between American League and National League shortstops.[18] Other National League leaders include Larkin and
Hanley Ramírez, who led in batting average (Larkin and Ramírez batted .342 in 1989 and 2009 respectively) and on-base percentage (Larkin and Ramírez with .410 in 1996 and 2009 respectively), along with
Rich Aurilia, who leads in slugging percentage (.572, 2001).[19] Aurilla is also tied with Story as the National League leader in home runs (Aurilla and Story hit 37 in 2001 and 2018 respectively). Though he has never played in the National League, Rodriguez' 40 or more home runs in six of his seven winning seasons at shortstop are greater than any total hit by a National League winner at third base.[7]
Key
Year
Links to the corresponding Major League Baseball season