News
Bay is Sox's latest Silver Slugger
Left fielder's award is ninth in a row for storied franchise
By Alden Gonzalez / MLB.com
12/21/09 6:27 PM EST
Perhaps when you consider the rich history of the Red Sox, the 2009 season could be looked at as a down year in terms of offseason hardware. But be that as it may, it's yet another year that saw a player from Boston get recognized for a standout season.Early last week, left fielder Jason Bay capped another outstanding campaign at the plate by taking home his first Silver Slugger Award, giving the Red Sox 32 since the award began in 1980.
The Red Sox have now had an American League Silver Slugger Award winner in nine consecutive years, beginning in 2001. In that span, Boston has claimed a combined 13 Silver Sluggers, with 10 coming from David Ortiz and Manny Ramirez.
In 151 games in 2009, Bay batted .267 while ranking third in the AL with 36 home runs and second with 119 RBIs. The homer and RBI totals were the highest in the three-time All-Star's seven-year career, and he also added 13 stolen bases.
"I'm very excited to have won my first Silver Slugger," Bay said through his agent, Joe Urbon, upon winning the award. "Especially given the talent of the outfielders of the American League, it's an honor."
But Bay is just the latest in a long line of Red Sox players to be honored.
As recently as last year, Boston had an AL Most Valuable Player in Dustin Pedroia, who won the Rookie of the Year the season before.
In total, they've had 10 MVPs -- starting with Jimmie Foxx in 1938 -- six Rookie of the Year Award winners, two Managers of the Years, six Cy Youngs -- with a combined five coming from Rogers Clemens and Pedro Martinez -- 35 Rawlings Gold Gloves -- seven of which were claimed by Carl Yastrzemski -- two pitching Triple Crowns and three batting Triple Crowns, 25 batting champions, 17 home run champions, 10 strikeout champions ... and a partridge in a pear tree, if you will.
This year, however, Pedroia and the versatile Kevin Youkilis both deserved consideration for Gold Glove and Silver Slugger Awards, but each came up short.
The Baseball Writers' Association of America's awards will continue on Tuesday, with the announcement of the AL Cy Young Award winner, followed by both leagues' Manager of the Years on Wednesday and the NL Cy Young on Thursday.
The AL MVP will be named next Monday, followed by the NL MVP on Tuesday, Nov. 24.
After guiding the Red Sox to their fifth postseason appearance in the last six years, Terry Francona could be considered a candidate for AL Manager of the Year. But he's got plenty of stiff competition, and it's very likely that Bay will end up being the only recipient of hardware for the Red Sox this offseason.
But at least they have plenty to spare.
| National Awards | |||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Manager of the Year | Relief Man Award | Cy Young | |||
| John McNamara | 1986 | Bill Campbell | 1977 | Jim Lonborg | 1967 |
| Jimy Williams | 1999 | Tom Gordon | 1998 | Roger Clemens | 1986-87, '91 |
| Pedro Martinez | 1999-2000 | ||||
| ROY | MVP | Rawlings Gold Glove | |||
| Walt Dropo | 1950 | Jimmie Foxx | 1938 | Player | Year |
| Don Schwall | 1961 | Ted Williams | 1946, '49 | Frank Malzone, 3B | 1957-59 |
| Carlton Fisk | 1972 | Jackie Jensen | 1958 | Jim Piersall, OF | 1958 |
| Fred Lynn | 1975 | Carl Yastrzemski | 1967 | Jackie Jensen, OF | 1959 |
| Nomar Garciaparra | 1997 | Fred Lynn | 1975 | Carl Yastrzemski, OF | 1963, '65, '67-69, '71, '77 |
| Dustin Pedroia | 2007 | Jim Rice | 1978 | George Scott, 1B | 1967-68, '71 |
| Roger Clemens | 1986 | Reggie Smith, OF | 1968 | ||
| Mo Vaughn | 1995 | Carlton Fisk, C | 1972 | ||
| Dustin Pedroia | 2008 | Doug Griffin, 2B | 1972 | ||
| Fred Lynn, OF | 1975, '78-80 | ||||
| Dwight Evans, OF | 1976, '78-79, '81-85 | ||||
| Rick Burleson, SS | 1979 | ||||
| Ellis Burks, OF | 1990 | ||||
| Tony Pena, C | 1991 | ||||
| Jason Varitek, C | 2005 | ||||
| Kevin Youkilis, 1B | 2007 | ||||
| Dustin Pedroia, 2B | 2008 | ||||
| Silver Slugger | This Year in Baseball | ||||
| Dwight Evans | 1981, '87 | Bill Mueller (Performance) | 2003 | ||
| Carney Lansford | 1981 | David Ortiz (Hitter) | 2004, '05 | ||
| Wade Boggs | 1983, '86-'89, '91 | Terry Francona (Manager) | 2004 | ||
| Jim Rice | 1983 | Mike Lowell (Defensive Player) | 2006 | ||
| Don Baylor | 1986 | Hideki Okajima (Setup Man) | 2007 | ||
| Mike Greenwell | 1988 | Manny Ramirez (Oddity) | 2007 | ||
| Ellis Burks | 1990 | Josh Beckett (Starting Pitcher) | 2007 | ||
| Mo Vaughn | 1995 | Clay Buchholz (Performance) | 2007 | ||
| John Valentin | 1995 | Jonathan Papelbon (Closer) | 2007 | ||
| Nomar Garciaparra | 1997 | J.D. Drew (Postseason Moment) | 2007 | ||
| Manny Ramirez | 2001-'06 | Jon Lester (Performance) | 2008 | ||
| Bill Mueller | 2003 | Jacoby Ellsbury (Defensive Player) | 2009 | ||
| David Ortiz | 2004-'07 | ||||
| Jason Varitek | 2005 | ||||
| Dustin Pedroia | 2008 | ||||
| Jason Bay | 2009 | ||||
| Local Awards | |||||
| Thomas A. Yawkey (Team MVP) | Pitcher of the Year | Harry Agganis (Team ROY) | |||
| Jim Turner | 1937 | Jim Turner | 1937 | Ted Williams | 1939 |
| Jimmie Foxx | 1938 | Johnny Vander Meer | 1938 | Dom DiMaggio | 1940 |
| Joe Cronin | 1939 | No award | 1939 | Dick Newsome | 1941 |
| Johnny Cooney | 1940 | No award | 1940 | No award | 1942 |
| Ted Williams | 1941 | No award | 1941 | No award | 1943 |
| No award | 1942 | Dick Newsome | 1942 | No award | 1944 |
| No award | 1943 | No award | 1943 | Dave Ferriss | 1945 |
| No award | 1944 | No award | 1944 | No award | 1946 |
| Tommy Holmes | 1945 | Dave Ferriss | 1945 | Sam Mele, Earl Torgeson | 1947 |
| Ted Williams | 1946 | Johnny Sain | 1946 | Billy Goodman | 1948 |
| Bob Elliott | 1947 | Spec Shea | 1947 | Del Crandall | 1949 |
| Johnny Sain | 1948 | Johnny Sain | 1948 | Walter Dropo, Sam Jethroe | 1950 |
| Ted Williams | 1949 | Ellis Kinder | 1949 | Chet Nichols | 1951 |
| Billy Goodman | 1950 | No award | 1950 | Sam White, Eddie Mathews | 1952 |
| Ellis Kinder | 1951 | Ellis Kinder | 1951 | Tom Umphlett | 1953 |
| Walker Cooper | 1952 | No award | 1952 | Tom Brewer | 1954 |
| Ellis Kinder | 1953 | Ellis Kinder | 1953 | Billy Klaus | 1955 |
| Jackie Jensen | 1954 | No award | 1954 | Dave Sisler | 1956 |
| Ted Williams | 1955 | No award | 1955 | Frank Malzone | 1957 |
| Jim Piersall | 1956 | Tom Brewer | 1956 | Ted Bowsfield | 1958 |
| Frank Malzone | 1957 | Frank Sullivan | 1957 | Jerry Casale | 1959 |
| Jackie Jensen | 1958 | Ike Delock | 1958 | No award | 1960 |
| Frank Malzone | 1959 | Warren Spahn | 1959 | Carl Yastrzemski, Chuck Schilling, Don Schwall | 1961 |
| Vic Wertz | 1960 | Mike Fornieles | 1960 | Dick Radatz | 1962 |
| Chuck Schilling | 1961 | Don Schwall | 1961 | Dave Morehead | 1963 |
| Eddie Bressoud | 1962 | Dick Radatz | 1962 | Tony Conigliaro | 1964 |
| Carl Yastrzemski | 1963 | Bill Monbouquette | 1963 | Jim Gosger | 1965 |
| Dick Radatz | 1964 | Dick Radatz | 1964 | George Scott | 1966 |
| Carl Yastrzemski | 1965 | Earl Wilson | 1965 | Mike Andrews, Reggie Smith | 1967 |
| Tony Conigliaro | 1966 | Don McMahon | 1966 | No award | 1968 |
| Carl Yastrzemski | 1967 | Jim Lonborg | 1967 | Mike Nagy | 1969 |
| Ken Harrelson | 1968 | Dick Ellsworth, Ray Culp | 1968 | Billy Conigliaro | 1970 |
| Rico Petrocelli | 1969 | Ray Culp | 1969 | Doug Griffin | 1971 |
| Carl Yastrzemski | 1970 | Ray Culp | 1970 | Carlton Fisk | 1972 |
| Reggie Smith | 1971 | Sonny Siebert | 1971 | No award | 1973 |
| Carlton Fisk | 1972 | Luis Tiant | 1972 | Rick Burleson | 1974 |
| Tommy Harper | 1973 | Bill Lee, Luis Tiant | 1973 | Fred Lynn, Jim Rice | 1975 |
| Carl Yastrzemski | 1974 | Luis Tiant | 1974 | Butch Hobson | 1976 |
| Fred Lynn | 1975 | Luis Tiant | 1975 | Mike Paxton, Don Aase | 1977 |
| Carl Yastrzemski | 1976 | Luis Tiant | 1976 | Jim Wright | 1978 |
| Carlton Fisk | 1977 | Bill Campbell | 1977 | Chuck Rainey | 1979 |
| Jim Rice | 1978 | Dennis Eckersley | 1978 | Dave Stapleton | 1980 |
| Rick Burleson | 1979 | Dennis Eckersley | 1979 | Rich Gedman, Bobby Ojeda | 1981 |
| Rick Burleson | 1980 | Tom Burgmeier | 1980 | Wade Boggs | 1982 |
| Dwight Evans | 1981 | Mike Torrez | 1981 | No award | 1983 |
| Dwight Evans | 1982 | Bob Stanley | 1982 | Roger Clemens, Jackie Guttierrez, Al Nipper | 1984 |
| Jim Rice | 1983 | Bob Stanley | 1983 | Steve Lyons | 1985 |
| Dwight Evans, Tony Armas | 1984 | No award | 1984 | No award | 1986 |
| Wade Boggs | 1985 | Oil Can Boyd | 1985 | Ellis Burks | 1987 |
| Roger Clemens | 1986 | Roger Clemens | 1986 | Jody Reed | 1988 |
| Dwight Evans | 1987 | Roger Clemens | 1987 | No award | 1989 |
| Mike Greenwell | 1988 | Bruce Hurst | 1988 | Dana Kiecker | 1990 |
| Nick Esasky | 1989 | Roger Clemens | 1989 | Phil Plantier | 1991 |
| Roger Clemens | 1990 | Roger Clemens | 1990 | Bob Zupcic | 1992 |
| Roger Clemens | 1991 | Roger Clemens | 1991 | Aaron Sele | 1993 |
| Roger Clemens | 1992 | Roger Clemens | 1992 | Carlos Rodriguez | 1994 |
| Mo Vaughn | 1993 | Danny Darwin | 1993 | Troy O'Leary | 1995 |
| Mo Vaughn | 1994 | Roger Clemens | 1994 | No award | 1996 |
| Mo Vaughn | 1995 | Tim Wakefield | 1995 | Nomar Garciaparra | 1997 |
| Mo Vaughn | 1996 | Roger Clemens | 1996 | Jason Varitek | 1998 |
| Nomar Garciaparra | 1997 | Tom Gordon | 1997 | Trot Nixon, Brian Daubach | 1999 |
| Nomar Garciaparra | 1998 | Pedro Martinez | 1998 | No award | 2000 |
| Pedro Martinez | 1999 | Pedro Martinez | 1999 | Shea Hillenbrand | 2001 |
| Pedro Martinez | 2000 | Pedro Martinez | 2000 | Casey Fossum | 2002 |
| Trot Nixon | 2001 | Hideo Nomo | 2001 | No award | 2003 |
| Pedro Martinez, Derek Lowe | 2002 | Pedro Martinez | 2002 | Kevin Youkilis | 2004 |
| Jason Varitek | 2003 | Derek Lowe | 2003 | No award | 2005 |
| David Ortiz | 2004 | Curt Schilling | 2004 | Jonathan Papelbon | 2006 |
| David Ortiz | 2005 | Tim Wakefield | 2005 | Dustin Pedroia | 2007 |
| David Ortiz | 2006 | Jonathan Papelbon | 2006 | Jacoby Ellsbury | 2008 |
| Mike Lowell | 2007 | Josh Beckett | 2007 | Daniel Bard | 2009 |
| Dustin Pedroia | 2008 | Jon Lester | 2008 | ||
| Kevin Youkilis | 2009 | Jon Lester | 2009 | ||
| Fireman of the Year | Jackie Jensen | Tony Conigliaro | |||
| Ellis Kinder | 1951 | Tony Pena | 1990 | Jim Eisenreich (KC) | 1990 |
| No award | 1952 | Jeff Gray | 1991 | Dickie Thon (PHI) | 1991 |
| Ellis Kinder | 1953 | Steve Palermo (AL ump) | 1992 | Jim Abbott (CAL) | 1992 |
| No award | 1954 | Andre Dawson | 1993 | Bo Jackson (KC) | 1993 |
| Ellis Kinder | 1955 | No award | 1994 | Mark Leiter (CAL) | 1994 |
| Ike Delock | 1956 | Tim Naehring | 1995 | Scott Radinsky (CWS) | 1995 |
| No award | 1957 | Bill Haselman | 1996 | Curtis Pride (DET) | 1996 |
| No award | 1958 | Jeff Frye | 1997 | Eric Davis (BAL) | 1997 |
| No award | 1959 | Bret Saberhagen | 1998 | Bret Saberhagen (BOS) | 1998 |
| Mike Fornieles | 1960 | Jason Varitek | 1999 | Mike Lowell (FLA) | 1999 |
| No award | 1961 | Pete Schourek (OAK) | 2000 | Kent Mercker (ANA), Tony Saunders (FLA) | 2000 |
| Dick Radatz | 1962 | Brian Daubach | 2001 | Jason Johnson (BAL), Graeme Lloyd (MON) | 2001 |
| No award | 1963 | Tim Wakefield | 2002 | Jose Rijo (CIN) | 2002 |
| Dick Radatz | 1964 | Kevin Millar | 2003 | Jim Mecir (OAK) | 2003 |
| No award | 1965 | Johnny Damon | 2004 | Dewon Brazelton (TB) | 2004 |
| No award | 1966 | Johnny Damon | 2005 | Aaron Cook (COL) | 2005 |
| No award | 1967 | Mike Lowell | 2006 | Freddy Sanchez (PIT) | 2006 |
| No award | 1968 | Kevin Youkilis | 2007 | Jon Lester (BOS) | 2007 |
| Sparky Lyle | 1969 | Kevin Youkilis | 2008 | Rocco Baldelli (TB) | 2008 |
| No award | 1970 | Nick Green | 2009 | ||
| Bil Lee | 1971 | ||||
| No award | 1972 | ||||
| Bob Bolin | 1973 | ||||
| No award | 1974 | ||||
| Dick Drago | 1975 | ||||
| Bill Campbell | 1976 | ||||
| Bill Campbell | 1977 | ||||
| Bob Stanley | 1978 | ||||
| Dick Drago | 1979 | ||||
| Tom Burgmeier | 1980 | ||||
| Mark Clark | 1981 | ||||
| Bob Stanley | 1982 | ||||
| Bob Stanley | 1983 | ||||
| No award | 1984 | ||||
| No award | 1985 | ||||
| No award | 1986 | ||||
| No award | 1987 | ||||
| Lee Smith | 1988 | ||||
| Rob Murphy | 1989 | ||||
| Jeff Reardon | 1990 | ||||
| No award | 1991 | ||||
| No award | 1992 | ||||
| Jeff Russell, Greg Harris | 1993 | ||||
| Ken Ryan | 1994 | ||||
| Rick Aguilera | 1995 | ||||
| Heathcliff Slocumb | 1996 | ||||
| Jim Corsi | 1997 | ||||
| Tom Gordon | 1998 | ||||
| Derek Lowe | 1999 | ||||
| Derek Lowe | 2000 | ||||
| No award | 2001 | ||||
| Ugueth Urbina | 2002 | ||||
| No award | 2003 | ||||
| Keith Foulke | 2004 | ||||
| Mike Timlin | 2005 | ||||
| Jonathan Papelbon | 2006 | ||||
| Jonathan Papelbon | 2007 | ||||
| Jonathan Papelbon | 2008 | ||||
| Jonathan Papelbon | 2009 | ||||
| Tommy McCarthy Memorial Good Guy | |||||
| Eddie Popowski | 1966 | ||||
| Ed Kenney | 1967 | ||||
| Neil Mahoney | 1968 | ||||
| No award | 1969 | ||||
| Dan Osinski | 1970 | ||||
| Haywood Sullivan | 1971 | ||||
| Jack Rogers | 1972 | ||||
| Duane Josephson | 1973 | ||||
| No award | 1974 | ||||
| Bill Crowley | 1975 | ||||
| Tommy Harper | 1976 | ||||
| Rico Petrocelli | 1977 | ||||
| No award | 1978 | ||||
| No award | 1979 | ||||
| Jack Brohamer | 1980 | ||||
| Tommy McCarthy | 1981 | ||||
| Johnny Pesky | 1982 | ||||
| Clif Keane | 1983 | ||||
| Mark Fidrych | 1984 | ||||
| Eddie Yost | 1985 | ||||
| Walter Underhill | 1986 | ||||
| Dick Bresciani | 1987 | ||||
| Frank Malzone | 1988 | ||||
| Sam Mele | 1989 | ||||
| Ken Coleman | 1990 | ||||
| Tim Horgan | 1991 | ||||
| Ernie Harwell | 1992 | ||||
| John F. Donovan Jr. | 1993 | ||||
| Joe Gildea | 1994 | ||||
| Frank MacKay | 1995 | ||||
| Bill Wanless | 1996 | ||||
| Mary Jane Ryan | 1997 | ||||
| Jim Corsi | 1998 | ||||
| Mike Port | 1999 | ||||
| Rich Garces | 2000 | ||||
| Jonny Miller | 2001 | ||||
| Johnny Damon | 2002 | ||||
| Joe Cochran | 2003 | ||||
| Joe Castiglione | 2004 | ||||
| J.P. Villaman | 2005 | ||||
| Ron Jackson | 2006 | ||||
| Mike Lowell | 2007 | ||||
| Sean Casey | 2008 | ||||
| John Farrell | 2009 | ||||
Alden Gonzalez is a reporter for MLB.com. This story was not subject to the approval of Major League Baseball or its clubs.
