Chase Headley (pictured) will need to make some more room on his trophy mantle, as Hillerich & Bradsby — the manufacturer of Louisville Slugger bats — announced on Thursday that Chase has been awarded a Silver Slugger Award as the best-hitting third baseman in the National League. This follows Headley being named as the Padres Most Valuable Player by the San Diego chapter of the Baseball Writers’ Association of America and then winning a Rawlings Gold Glove Award as voted on by MLB managers and coaches.
As with the 2012 Gold Glove Award for Chase, the 2012 Silver Slugger is his first. Headley finished the season hitting for a .286 average and had 31 home runs with a league leading 115 runs batted in.
Headley is the tenth player in the history of the Padres franchise to win a Silver Slugger. Terry Kennedy (1983), Gary Templeton (1984), Tony Gwynn (1984, '86, '87, '89, '94, '95, and '97), Benito Santiago (1987, '88, '90, and '91), Fred McGriff (1992), Gary Sheffield (1992), Ken Caminiti (1996), Greg Vaughn (1998), and Mark Loretta (2004) were the other Padres to be awarded the prize since its inception in 1980.
Sheffield and Caminiti were the other Padres third baseman to have won a Silver Slugger. Since the two awards have been handed out, Headley becomes only the 8th National League third baseman to win both a Silver Slugger and a Gold Glove in the same season.
2012 Louisville Slugger Silver Slugger Winners:
American League 1B – Prince Fielder, Detroit Tigers 2B – Robinson Cano, New York Yankees 3B – Miguel Cabrera, Detroit Tigers SS – Derek Jeter, New York Yankees OF – Mike Trout, L.A. Angels OF – Josh Hamilton, Texas Rangers OF – Josh Willingham, Minnesota Twins C – A.J. Pierzynski, Chicago White Sox DH – Billy Butler, Kansas City Royals
National League 1B – Adam LaRoche, Washington Nationals 2B – Aaron Hill, Arizona Diamondbacks 3B – Chase Headley, San Diego Padres SS – Ian Desmond, Washington Nationals OF – Andrew McCutchen, Pittsburgh Pirates OF – Ryan Braun, Milwaukee Brewers OF – Jay Bruce, Cincinnati Reds C – Buster Posey, San Francisco Giants P – Stephen Strasburg, Washington Nationals
Notes:
In addition to Chase Headley's recent awards, he was named a finalist for the National Leauge Most Valuable Player award as voted on by the Baseball Writers’ Association of America. The votes were cast by the end of the regular season and post-season play isn't considered. Chase joins Ryan Braun of the Milwaukee Brewers, Andrew McCutchen of the Pittsburgh Pirates, Yadier Molina of the St. Louis Cardinals, and Buster Posey of the World Champion San Francisco Giants. The winner of the award will be announced on Thursday, November 16th, at 3PM PST.
The November MLB General Manager's Meetings are currently taking place in Indian Wells, California, but aside from the Blake Tekotte deal with the White Sox which occurred early, there isn't any chatter yet involving the Padres. Padres General Manager Josh Byrnes has hinted that the club might seek some pitching in free agency. One drawback to having to add a player to the 40-man roster is that it would take a spot away from a valued prospect, so it's difficult to say if the Padres will make a move before the Rule V draft in December, but stay tuned and we'll be on it if anything or anyone moves.
Chase Headley (pictured) will need to make some more room on his trophy mantle, as Hillerich & Bradsby — the manufacturer of Louisville Slugger bats — announced on Thursday that Chase has been awarded a Silver Slugger Award as the best-hitting third baseman in the National League. This follows Headley being named as the Padres Most Valuable Player by the San Diego chapter of the Baseball Writers’ Association of America and then winning a Rawlings Gold Glove Award as voted on by MLB managers and coaches.
As with the 2012 Gold Glove Award for Chase, the 2012 Silver Slugger is his first. Headley finished the season hitting for a .286 average and had 31 home runs with a league leading 115 runs batted in.
Headley is the tenth player in the history of the Padres franchise to win a Silver Slugger. Terry Kennedy (1983), Gary Templeton (1984), Tony Gwynn (1984, '86, '87, '89, '94, '95, and '97), Benito Santiago (1987, '88, '90, and '91), Fred McGriff (1992), Gary Sheffield (1992), Ken Caminiti (1996), Greg Vaughn (1998), and Mark Loretta (2004) were the other Padres to be awarded the prize since its inception in 1980.
Sheffield and Caminiti were the other Padres third baseman to have won a Silver Slugger. Since the two awards have been handed out, Headley becomes only the 8th National League third baseman to win both a Silver Slugger and a Gold Glove in the same season.
2012 Louisville Slugger Silver Slugger Winners:
American League 1B – Prince Fielder, Detroit Tigers 2B – Robinson Cano, New York Yankees 3B – Miguel Cabrera, Detroit Tigers SS – Derek Jeter, New York Yankees OF – Mike Trout, L.A. Angels OF – Josh Hamilton, Texas Rangers OF – Josh Willingham, Minnesota Twins C – A.J. Pierzynski, Chicago White Sox DH – Billy Butler, Kansas City Royals
National League 1B – Adam LaRoche, Washington Nationals 2B – Aaron Hill, Arizona Diamondbacks 3B – Chase Headley, San Diego Padres SS – Ian Desmond, Washington Nationals OF – Andrew McCutchen, Pittsburgh Pirates OF – Ryan Braun, Milwaukee Brewers OF – Jay Bruce, Cincinnati Reds C – Buster Posey, San Francisco Giants P – Stephen Strasburg, Washington Nationals
Notes:
In addition to Chase Headley's recent awards, he was named a finalist for the National Leauge Most Valuable Player award as voted on by the Baseball Writers’ Association of America. The votes were cast by the end of the regular season and post-season play isn't considered. Chase joins Ryan Braun of the Milwaukee Brewers, Andrew McCutchen of the Pittsburgh Pirates, Yadier Molina of the St. Louis Cardinals, and Buster Posey of the World Champion San Francisco Giants. The winner of the award will be announced on Thursday, November 16th, at 3PM PST.
The November MLB General Manager's Meetings are currently taking place in Indian Wells, California, but aside from the Blake Tekotte deal with the White Sox which occurred early, there isn't any chatter yet involving the Padres. Padres General Manager Josh Byrnes has hinted that the club might seek some pitching in free agency. One drawback to having to add a player to the 40-man roster is that it would take a spot away from a valued prospect, so it's difficult to say if the Padres will make a move before the Rule V draft in December, but stay tuned and we'll be on it if anything or anyone moves.