The man for the Angels!!!!!!
http://anaheim.angels.mlb.com/NASApp...=.jsp&c_id=ana
Anderson wins Silver Slugger
Second straight honor for Angels left fielder
By Doug Miller / MLB.com
Garret Anderson reached the 200-hit mark for the first time in his career. (Lynne Sladky/AP)
It's tough to say Garret Anderson had the best individual year of his stellar career in 2003, but it wouldn't be much of a stretch.
Anderson, one of the game's premier hitters, continued his astounding consistency and did it without much protection in the lineup. The Anaheim Angels were ravaged by injuries that took away Darin Erstad and Troy Glaus for huge portions of the season. That left Anderson all by his lonesome.
It didn't seem to matter Wednesday, when the Angels' All-Star left fielder won a Silver Slugger award for the second straight year.
Hillerich & Bradsby, the company that makes Louisville Slugger bats, instituted the Silver Slugger Award in 1980.
2003 Silver Slugger winners
Pos. American League National League
C Jorge Posada Javy Lopez
1B Carlos Delgado Todd Helton
2B Bret Boone Jose Vidro
3B Bill Mueller Mike Lowell
SS Alex Rodriguez Edgar Renteria
OF Garret Anderson Albert Pujols
OF Manny Ramirez Barry Bonds
OF Vernon Wells Gary Sheffield
DH/P Edgar Martinez Mike Hampton
The award goes to the best hitter at each position in each Major League, based on a combination of hitting statistics, including batting average, slugging percentage, and on-base percentage.
Anderson has been a mark of offensive and defensive consistency since 1995 and that steadiness blossomed into one of the finest statistical seasons of his career in 2003.
Anderson led the Angels in RBIs (117), hits (201), batting average (.315), home runs (29), doubles (42) and extra-base hits (82).
Anderson reached the 200-hit mark for the first time in his career, became the Angels' all-time leader in hits with 1,633 and counting, and has posted 180 or more hits in each of his last seven seasons. His on-base percentage was .345 and his slugging percentage was a career-high .541.
Also, for the fourth time in the last five years, Anderson was the recipient of the Gene Autry Trophy, awarded by his teammates as the Angels' MVP.
Perhaps the most surprising and pleasing development for Anderson was his domination of All-Star Weekend.
After being selected to play in his second Midsummer Classic, Anderson beat Albert Pujols of the St. Louis Cardinals in the Home Run Derby, then won the All-Star Game MVP award the next night by hitting a homer, double and single to spark the American League to a 7-6 victory over the Nationals.
"People are waking up and seeing Garret's talent," Angels and AL All-Star manager Mike Scioscia said.
"He's one of the top five hitters in the game and a lot of people don't see it. He's not comfortable with it, but whether he likes it or not, a lot more people are going to know about him now."
"It's a testament to his longevity, his consistency, and his desire to go out there and play every day."
Second baseman Adam Kennedy said it's about time Anderson got noticed.
"I don't know where we'd be without Garret," Kennedy said. "No matter what happens, he's always there when we needed him."
"He's our Mr. Consistency," added shortstop David Eckstein. "Day in and day out, he comes through. He's a great hitter. When he has the opportunity to drive in runs, he gets it done. He's a guy who leads this team."
Anderson and the rest of the winners receive full-sized, silver-colored Louisville Slugger bats engraved with the year, name, and position.
Doug Miller is a reporter for MLB.com. This story was not subject to approval by Major League Baseball or its clubs.
Linear Mode
