St. Louis Cardinals first baseman
Albert Pujols and outfielder Ryan Ludwick
won Silver
Slugger Awards as announced Thursday afternoon by Hillerich & Bradsby Co.,
makers of Louisville Slugger. Ludwick and Pujols are the only teammates listed
on the National League team. The Minnesota Twins (Justin Morneau and Joe Mauer)
and New York Yankees
(Derek Jeter and Alex Rodriguez) each had a pair of players listed among
American League winners. It is the first time a Cardinal has won a Silver
Slugger since 2005 when pitcher Jason Marquis took home the hardware. It is the
seventh year multiple Redbirds have won the top offensive award in baseball,
first since 2004 (Pujols/Edmonds), with a high of five winners in 1980 (K.
Hernandez, G. Templeton, G. Hendrick, T. Simmons and B. Forsch).
Ludwick responded to increased
playing time to post an All-Star caliber 2008 season in which he collected
career highs in batting average (.299), home runs (37) and RBI (113). Named
earlier this offseason to the National League Sporting News post-season All-Star team, Ludwick
became the first player since Hideki Matsui (2004) and Lefty O’Doul (1929) to
hit 30 home runs and have 100 RBI at age 30 while having had 750 or less career
at-bats. He is one of nine players to win the award for the first time this year
and is the fifth Cardinals outfielder all-time to earn the honor (G. Hendrick –
1980, W. McGee – 1985, A. Pujols – 2003 and J. Edmonds – 2004). Ludwick is the
seventh different Cardinal to win the award in the last 21
years.
Pujols won his fourth Silver
Slugger and second as a first baseman (2004). He’s also won the award at third
base (2001) and as an outfielder (2003). A perennial MVP candidate, he had
another record-setting season and was named Player of the Year by both MLBPA
Player’s Choice and the The Sporting
News. Albert was the team’s “Triple Crown” winner for the fourth straight
season and seventh time in eight years as he led the team with a .357 batting
average and 116 RBI, while his 37 home runs tied Ludwick for the team
lead.
Ludwick and Pujols will receive
their Silver Slugger Awards in an on-field ceremony prior to a regular season
game next spring. Following are previous Cardinals Silver Slugger award winners.
CARDINALS SILVER
SLUGGERS
(Team
selected at the conclusion of the season in a poll of N.L. managers and
coaches)
1980
Keith Hernandez, 1b
Garry
Templeton, ss
George
Hendrick, of
Ted
Simmons, c
Bob
Forsch, p
1983
George Hendrick, 1b
1985
Jack Clark, 1b
Willie McGee, of
1987
Jack Clark, 1b
Ozzie
Smith, ss
Bob
Forsch, p
1998
Mark McGwire, 1b
2000
Edgar Renteria, ss
2001
Albert Pujols, 3b
2002
Edgar Renteria, ss
Scott
Rolen, 3b
2003
Albert Pujols, of
Edgar
Renteria, ss
2004
Albert Pujols, 1b
Jim Edmonds, of
2005
Jason Marquis, p
2008
Ryan Ludwick, of
Albert
Pujols, 1b
2008 Silver Slugger
Winners
American
League
1B – Justin Morneau, Minnesota Twins
2B – Dustin Pedroia, Boston Red
Sox
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