Chris Davis named 2015 Most Valuable Oriole
The Orioles today announced that Chris Davis has been voted the winner of the 2015 Louis M. Hatter Most Valuable Oriole Award by members of the local media who cover the team on a regular basis. He will be recognized for his accomplishments in an on-field ceremony prior to Sunday's regular season finale against the New York Yankees.
Davis enters play today leading the Major Leagues with 45 home runs, ranking fourth with 112 RBI, and ninth in slugging percentage (.549). His 45 homers are the fifth-highest single-season total in Orioles history (since 1954) and he is the first Oriole to post two separate 40-homer seasons (also, 53 home runs in 2013). Davis recently passed Brady Anderson for sole possession of third place on the Oriole Park all-time home runs list (93) and ranks 10th on the Orioles all-time home runs list with 159. He has hit two walk-off home runs this year and has accounted for three of the Orioles nine walk-off hits this season. Entering today's game, he is one of two players in the Major Leagues to post seven or more multi-home run games this season. Davis hit three Eutaw Street home runs this season including his eighth career Eutaw Street home run on August 14 vs. Oakland, the most by an individual player in Oriole Park history.
Davis currently leads all Orioles hitters in multiple offensive categories including home runs, RBI, slugging percentage, on-base plus slugging percentage (.904), walks (81), and is second in runs scored (96). Since the All-Star break, Davis leads the Orioles with 26 home runs, 60 RBI, 43 walks, and 52 runs scored, while ranking second in doubles (14), and tied for second in hits (73). He also leads the club with a .285 batting average (73-256), .398 on-base percentage, and .645 slugging percentage (min. 223 PA) in that span.
Davis (2015 & 2013) becomes the 13th Oriole to win the award multiple times, joining Adam Jones ('12, '11), Brian Roberts ('09, '05), Miguel Tejada ('06, '04), Rafael Palmiero ('98, '96, '95), Cal Ripken, Jr. ('91, '90, '88, '83), Eddie Murray ('88, '85, '84, '83, '82, '81, '78), Ken Singleton ('79, '77, '75), Jim Palmer ('73, '72), Brooks Robinson ('71, '64, '62, '60), Frank Robinson ('71, '67, '66), Boog Powell ('70, '69), and Stu Miller ('65, '63).
The Most Valuable Oriole Award is named in honor of the late Lou Hatter, a former sportswriter for the Baltimore Sun who covered the Orioles for 27 years. Balloting for the Most Valuable Oriole Award is conducted with voting on a 5-3-1 basis. Also receiving votes were Zach Britton, Adam Jones, Caleb Joseph, Manny Machado and Darren O'Day.