2004 Silver Slugger winners

November 3, 200421 yr

11/02/2004 10:51 PM ET

Bonds leads Silver Slugger parade

Giants outfielder wins his 12th; 12 players win their first

By Tom Singer / MLB.com

Barry Bonds, who who won his second NL batting title in three years, took home his 12th Silver Slugger award. (Stephen Dunn/Getty Images)

Barry Bonds extended his own standard with a 12th citation for offensive excellence. One Rodriguez lost his and another had to share. And a record 12 players were first-time winners.

Those are your leading storylines for the 2004 Silver Slugger Awards, announced Tuesday by Hillerich & Bradsby, the makers of Louisville Sluggers who have presented the hitting Oscars since 1980.

The awards, bestowed by position along league lines, are chosen in balloting by managers and coaches, who are precluded from voting for players on their own teams among nominees selected based on a combination of statistics and evaluations of players' overall offensive impact.

While Bonds, the 40-year-old San Francisco wonder who won his second NL batting title in three years while continuing his immortal stash of stupefying numbers, made it an even dozen Silver Sluggers, Alex Rodriguez's streak ended at seven.

2004 Silver Slugger winners

American League

Pos. Player Team

1B Mark Teixeira Rangers

2B Alfonso Soriano Rangers

SS Miguel Tejada Orioles

3B Melvin Mora Orioles

OF Manny Ramirez Red Sox

OF Gary Sheffield Yankees

OF Vladimir Guerrero Angels

C tie-Ivan Rodriguez Tigers

C tie-Victor Martinez Indians

DH David Ortiz Red Sox

National League

Pos. Player Team

1B Albert Pujols Cardinals

2B Mark Loretta Padres

SS Jack Wilson Pirates

3B Adrian Beltre Dodgers

OF Barry Bonds Giants

OF Jim Edmonds Cardinals

OF Bobby Abreu Phillies

C Johnny Estrada Braves

P Livan Hernandez Expos

Silver Slugger history

The perennial American League shortstop winner of the award before his move to the Yankees, A-Rod passed on that status to Baltimore's Miguel Tejada. At his new position of third base, Rodriguez lost out to another member of the Orioles, Melvin Mora.

And Ivan Rodriguez got only half of his Silver Slugger No. 7. In a first for the 25-year-old award, the Tigers catcher and Cleveland's Victor Martinez finished in a tie.

Tejada, Mora and Martinez are among the five "rookies" on the AL Silver Slugger team. The others are Texas first baseman Mark Teixeira and Red Sox designated hitter David Ortiz.

The AL punch squad is rounded out by Rangers second baseman Alfonso Soriano, a two-time winner, and an outfield of Silver Slugger veterans -- Manny Ramirez (seventh selection), Gary Sheffield (fourth) and Vladimir Guerrero (fourth).

Besides Bonds, St. Louis first baseman Albert Pujols (third) is the only other incumbent on an NL squad with a fresh look.

The rookies include Expos right-hander Livan Hernandez, highlighting the choice of an NL pitcher in lieu of the AL's designated hitter.

The first-timers around the rest of the infield are Padres second baseman Mark Loretta, Pirates shortstop Jack Wilson and Dodgers third baseman Adrian Beltre.

Joining Bonds in the outfield are St. Louis' Jim Edmonds and Bobby Abreu of the Phillies.

In an oddity, Johnny Estrada is the second different Atlanta catcher in as many years to earn a Silver Slugger, inheriting the honor from Javy Lopez.

In an even bigger oddity, the batting champion of the entire American League was not viewed by the panel as deserving of a Silver Slugger at his own position.

Seattle's Ichiro Suzuki, who batted .372 to cop the batting crown by 32 points but included only 37 extra base hits among his record 262, was left out of the AL outfield.

The irony here is that the Silver Slugger spun off from the Silver Bat, which is presented to the batting champion of each league by Hillerich & Bradsby.

The 2004 recipients of Silver Sluggers will receive their awards in the early stages of the 2005 seasons. Each honoree will be presented with a three-foot trophy bearing the engraved names of all 19 winners in both leagues.

Tom Singer is a reporter for MLB.com. This story was not subject to the approval of Major League Baseball or its clubs.

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