David Ortiz of the Boston Red Sox Voted 2013 Edgar Martinez Outstanding DH of the Year
Major League Baseball announced today that David Ortiz of the Boston Red Sox has been voted the winner of the 2013 Edgar Martinez Outstanding Designated Hitter Award. Ortiz unanimously received all of the first-place votes cast to garner the honor for the seventh time in his 17-year career, previously winning in each year from 2003-07 and again in 2011 - all while with Boston. David's seven awards are the most ever since its 1973 inception, with the honor's namesake, Edgar Martinez, taking home five over 18 seasons. In addition to Ortiz, three previous Red Sox have been tabbed as the league's top designated hitter, including Orlando Cepeda (1973), Jim Rice (1977) and Don Baylor (1986). Detroit's Victor Martinez finished second with 52 second-place votes after batting .306 with 31 doubles, 13 homers and 76 RBI in 139 games for the Tigers this past season.
David batted .309 (160-for-518) with 38 doubles, two triples, 30 homers, 103 RBI and 84 runs scored in 137 games. The Dominican Republic native led Boston in batting average, homers, RBI, walks (76), on-base percentage (.395), slugging percentage (.564), total bases (292) and extra-base hits (70). Ortiz was ranked third in the Majors in slugging percentage, and among A.L. leaders, the 38-year-old ranked fourth in on-base percentage, fifth in extra-base hits, sixth in batting average, seventh in RBI, tied for seventh in walks, eighth in total bases and tied for eighth in homers. The lefty-swinging slugger recorded his seventh career 30-homer, 100-RBI season, tying Hall of Famer Ted Williams for the most in team history. His second-inning double on July 10th in Seattle was the 1,689th of his career as a DH, passing Harold Baines (1,688) for the most in Major League history. Big Papi is already the Major League leader with 381 homers and 1,245 RBI at the position. He was named to the A.L. All-Star squad for the fourth straight year and the ninth time of his career, the most in the Majors since 2004. It was his fifth appearance as a DH, passing Edgar Martinez for the most all-time. During the Red Sox run to their eighth World Series Championship, Ortiz batted .353 with three doubles, five homers, 13 RBI and 16 walks while starting in all 16 Postseason games. He was named the World Series Most Valuable Player after hitting .688 with two doubles, two homers, six RBI and eight walks (four intentional) in six games. He reached base in a World Series record-tying nine straight plate appearances and his 19 times on base were the second-most in a single Fall Classic (Barry Bonds, 21 in 2002).
Now in its 40th season, the Outstanding Designated Hitter Award was renamed by Commissioner Allan H. (Bud) Selig in a September 2004 ceremony at Safeco Field in honor of the retiring Edgar Martinez. Ballots are cast by club beat writers, broadcasters and A.L. public relations departments with nominees including all players with a minimum of 100 at-bats as a designated hitter.