MLB

Predicting 10 AL Silver Slugger Award Winners

Predicting 10 AL Silver Slugger Award Winners

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The premier hitters at their position every season are rewarded with a three-foot long bat coated in sterling silver. The Silver Slugger award has been presented on behalf of Louisville Slugger since 1980. Here are the most worthy recipients of the award in 2014 from the American League.

C - Yan Gomes, Cleveland Indians

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C - Yan Gomes, Cleveland Indians

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Gomes leads all AL catchers that qualify in OPS, SLG, runs scored and is second in HRs and TB. The 27-year-old Brazilian could stand to cut back on his strikeouts, but he has taken massive strides since 2013 when he was primarily backing up Carlos Santana and playing sparingly at best. His .286 AVG and .320 OBP could signal more progression in 2015.

Runner up:
Dioner Navarro, TOR

1B - Jose Abreu, Chicago White Sox

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1B - Jose Abreu, Chicago White Sox

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First at his position in AVG, OBP, SLG, OPS, HRs, RBIs and TB, there's really no competition here for the rookie, even though Abreu plays the same position as surefire Hall-of-Famers Miguel Cabrera and Albert Pujols. What's more impressive is he has done all of this with very little protection in the White Sox' lineup.

Runner up:
Miguel Cabrera, DET

2B - Jose Altuve, Houston Astros

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2B - Jose Altuve, Houston Astros

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A strong case can be made for Robinson Cano here, but Altuve is running away with the MLB batting title, never mind just the AL. The last time a player led the AL in hits and batting average while eclipsing 50 steals was in 2001 when Ichiro Suzuki was named the AL MVP. That should put things into perspective. His stature is diminutive, but Altuve's contributions are enormous.

Runner up:
Robinson Cano, SEA

3B - Josh Donaldson, Oakland Athletics

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3B - Josh Donaldson, Oakland Athletics

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His counting numbers are impressive as he leads the AL at his position in HRs, RBIs, TB and runs scored. His sabremetric ones aren't terrible, as Donaldson is third in SLG, fifth in OBP and eighth in AVG. Where he makes up for things is his WAR number, which stands at second across all of MLB behind only Mike Trout at 7.3.

Runner up:
Adrian Beltre, TEX

SS - Alexei Ramirez, Chicago White Sox

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SS - Alexei Ramirez, Chicago White Sox

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Ramirez has quietly flown under the radar in Abreu's shadow for most of 2014. His 15 HRs and 68 RBIs are nice numbers for a position not normally associated with power. His .719 OPS is also rather impressive, second amongst shortstops in the AL. Add to that 20 stolen bases and 240 total bases and Ramirez has had a very fine offensive season indeed.

Runner up:
Jose Reyes, TOR

OF - Mike Trout, Los Angeles Angels of Anaheim

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OF - Mike Trout, Los Angeles Angels of Anaheim

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Destined to win his first AL MVP award after finishing second in the voting process in 2012 and 2013, the Milleville Meteor is quickly ascending to greatness -- and he's still only 23. If there is one fault in his game, it's that he strikes out too much. But no one can blame the kid for being aggressive at the plate with the numbers he puts up. His plate appraoch will mature with time.

Runner up:
J.D. Martinez, DET

OF - Jose Bautista, Toronto Blue Jays

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OF - Jose Bautista, Toronto Blue Jays

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Joey Bats has had a strong bounce-back season after missing multiple games in 2012 and 2013. His .401 OBP ties Victor Martinez for first in all of MLB, while his 32 HRs and 97 RBIs easily place him in the top 10 amongst all AL hitters. After a fifth consecutive All-Star appearance, Bautista rightfully deserves his third Silver Slugger Award.

Runner up:
Yoenis Cespedes, BOS

OF - Michael Brantley, Cleveland Indians

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OF - Michael Brantley, Cleveland Indians

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First in AVG, third in OBP and fifth in SLG amongst all AL outfielders, Brantley is having a true breakout performance in 2014. He needs only one more HR to attain 20/20 status and he has already set personal bests in the categories of HRs, RBIs and SBs. His 6.3 WAR is very strong, while he has done a great job of putting the ball in play, having struck out 117 times less than Trout.

Runner up:
Adam Jones, BAL

DH - Victor Martinez, Detroit Tigers

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DH - Victor Martinez, Detroit Tigers

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V-Mart has nearly as many HRs (31) as he does strikeouts (40) this season. He is second in the AL in AVG, SLG, OPS and tied for first in OBP amongst all position players. Frank Thomas is widely considered to be one of the greatest designated hitters of all time. His personal best mark for oWAR was 7.8 back in 1992. Martinez's currently sits at 5.1.

Runner up:
David Ortiz, BOS

Biggest Snub: OF - Nelson Cruz, Baltimore Orioles

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Biggest Snub: OF - Nelson Cruz, Baltimore Orioles

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Though Cruz leads the AL in home runs, this is a tough call and he could get snubbed due to the fact he has taken the majority of his at-bats in 2014 as a designated hitter, not an outfielder. His OPS ranks 10th in the AL, and his .264 batting average will certainly receive more criticism than it will praise.

Runner up:
Edwin Encarnacion, TOR

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