Silver Slugger Winners Named

National League C – Buster Posey (SFG) 1B – Adam LaRoche (WAS) 2B – Aaron Hill (ARI) 3B – Chase Headley (SDP) SS – Ian Desmond (WAS) OF – Ryan Braun (MIL) OF – Andrew McCutchen OF – Jay Bruce (CIN) P – Stephen Strasbourg (WAS) No major complaints here until –  Jay Bruce, who hit just .252/.327/.514 for the 18th best OPS in the league. By comparison, Matt Holliday hit .295/.379/.497. It would’ve been an interesting move to give the 1B Silver Slugger to Joey Votto, the NL’s best hitter from the first half. Votto played just 111 games but still led the league in walks and place 2nd in doubles while also placing 2nd in OPS even when 28 hitless at-bats were added to his total. He would’ve had my vote, but 51 games is a lot to miss. American League C – A.J. Pierzinski (CHW) 1B – Prince Fielder (DET) 2B – Robinson Cano (NYY) 3B – Miguel Cabrera (DET) SS – Derek Jeter (NYY) OF – Mike Trout (LAA) OF – Josh Willingham (MIN) OF – Josh Hamilton (TEX) DH – Billy Butler (KCR) Right off the bat – how do you give it to Pierzinski over Joe Mauer, who led the league with a .416 OBP and 416,000,000 shampoo commercials? Pierzinksi’s 27 home runs were a career high and managed to gift him his first silver slugger. Secondly – Butler? Edwin Encarnacion placed third in the league with a 152 OPS+ and hit 42 home runs and 110 RBI’s. Butler had a higher batting average, and that was it. Still, 15/18 ain’t bad.