Orioles lead major leagues with club-record three Silver Slugger awards

Louisville Slugger tonight announced that first baseman Chris Davis, shortstop J.J. Hardy and center fielder Adam Jones have been awarded the Silver Slugger Award for their 2013 seasons. The three Silver Slugger Awards won by the Orioles are the most of any team in the major leagues in 2013 and are the most by the club since the award began in 1980. Davis was awarded his first Silver Slugger Award after leading the major leagues with 53 home runs, 138 runs batted in and 96 extra-base hits (42 doubles, one triple and 53 homers). He finished in the top 10 in the AL in slugging percentage (2nd, .634), OPS (2nd, 1.004), runs (T-2nd, 103) and doubles (T-3rd, 42). Davis is the third Orioles first baseman to claim a Silver Slugger Award, joining Eddie Murray (1983-'84) and Rafael Palmeiro (1998). "Receiving this award is very humbling, as there are some really great hitters that play first base in this league, so it means a lot to me," said Davis. "Batting in the middle of the order, you want to pose a threat at all times, and I'm grateful that the opposing managers and coaches recognized not only the success that I had, but also the success of the team as well." Hardy was tabbed for his first Silver Slugger Award after leading AL shortstops in homers (25) and RBI (76), while finishing second in slugging percentage (.433) and OPS (.738) and fifth in average (.263). He is the third Orioles shortstop to win the Silver Slugger Award, joining Cal Ripken Jr. (eight awards, 1983-86, '89, '91, '93-'94) and Miguel Tejada (2004-'05). "I am really honored to win this award because the coaches and manager's vote means so much to you as a player," said Hardy. "They see you quite a bit in the division, but for the guys you only play against a handful of times to notice not only you, but also two of your teammates, that is a good sign for the direction the Orioles are headed. And then to be mentioned in the same sentence as Cal and Miggy as an offensive player, that just leaves me speechless." Jones became the first Orioles outfielder to win a Silver Slugger Award as he led AL outfielders in homers (33) and RBI (108) and finished third in doubles (35) and slugging percentage (.493) and sixth in batting average (.285). "It is a tremendous honor and with all of the great Orioles outfielders of the past, I'm surprised that I am the first to win one," said Jones. "While it is a great individual honor for all three of us, the ultimate goal is to win games and bring a championship to Baltimore." The Orioles have now had 11 different Silver Slugger Award winners and 20 total winners, with designated hitter Aubrey Huff (2008) the last to receive the award. The 2013 trio joins Huff, Murray, Palmeiro, Ripken, Tejada, catcher Mickey Tettleton (1989), second baseman Roberto Alomar (1996) and third baseman Melvin Mora (2004) as Orioles recipients. Silver Slugger Award winners were determined by a vote of Major League Baseball coaches and managers who select the players they felt were the best offensive producers at each position in their respective leagues. Selections were based on a combination of offensive statistics including batting average, on-base percentage, and slugging percentage, as well as the coaches' and managers' general impressions of a player's overall offensive value. Managers and coaches were not allowed to vote for players on their own team.