Adrian Gonzalez Wins Silver Slugger Award

“One is silver and the other gold…”

Adding to his 2014 Gold Glove Award, Adrian Gonzalez picked up his second award of the week with the Louisville Slugger Silver Slugger Award for first base in the National League on Thursday.

Gonzalez had previously won the Silver Slugger in 2011 with the Boston Red Sox.

Gonzo is only the third Dodger first baseman ever to win the Silver Slugger Award. Eddie Murray won the award in 1990, and Eric Karros was honored in 1995.

Adrian is also the only Major Leaguer to win both a Gold Glove and Silver Slugger in 2014. Three other Dodgers also won both awards in the same season: Dusty Baker (1981), Russell Martin (2007) and Matt Kemp (2011).

Gonzalez, the Dodgers’ butter and egg man, had another great offensive and defensive season for the Dodgers in 2014 making us quickly forget about James Loney. Gonzo led the Majors with 116 RBIs, and he led the team with 27 homeruns and 31 doubles. While his .276 batting average was below his .292 career marks, his slugging percentage (.482) and his OPS (.817) were his highest since 2011 when he was an All-Star in Boston winning both Silver Slugger and Gold Glove Awards that year.

Gonzalez is not only reliable (he played in 159 games in 2014), but he is consistent and clutch. With runners in scoring position, Adrian hit .333 with 11 homeruns and 92 RBIs. Even though the Dodgers struggled to hit with the bases loaded to a frustrating degree in 2014, Gonzalez was the exception. The first baseman hit .333 in 17 plate appearances with the bases loaded.

"“I’m excited to win the Silver Slugger Award, especially with so many deserving first basemen in the National League this year,” said Gonzalez. “I’m grateful for the consideration and votes for this prestigious honor.”"

Adrian’s two three-run homeruns against the D-backs on September 7th gave Gonzo 6 RBIs in the game, his 100th RBI on the season, and the number 7 Dodger homerun on our annual Top Ten Dodger Homeruns list this year.

Gonzalez is signed through 2018 and will make $21 million in 2015.