Gordon adds Silver Slugger to awards haul
Marlins second baseman collects third trophy in 3 days
MIAMI -- No longer is Marlins second baseman Dee Gordon strictly a speedster. The 27-year-old is now a Silver Slugger.
Gordon was recognized as the best hitting second baseman in the National League on Thursday night during the Silver Slugger Awards show, presented by Louisville Slugger and televised on MLB Network.
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Gordon continues to clean up postseason awards, picking up his third straight significant honor in as many nights. On Tuesday night, he was the NL Gold Glove winner at second base, and on Wednesday, he was named the Wilson Award winner for his position.
Both of those distinctions were for defense. On Thursday, Gordon was rewarded for his offense.
The Silver Slugger Award is voted on by the coaches and managers, who couldn't ignore the across-the-board numbers Gordon produced.
Gordon paced the NL in batting average (.333) and hits (205), and he was the Major League leader in stolen bases (58).
"Just a tremendous young man," Marlins president of baseball operations Michael Hill said. "You knew the skill set when you traded for him. It's nice to see him going out and doing what he's capable of doing."
The Marlins acquired Gordon from the Dodgers at the 2014 Winter Meetings, and the second baseman came as advertised. He was voted by the fans as the NL starting second baseman in the All-Star Game, although he was unable to compete due to a dislocated left thumb.
Gordon is the first NL second baseman to win the batting and stolen-base titles since Hall of Famer Jackie Robinson in 1949.
As the NL batting champ, Gordon automatically receives the Silver Bat, also presented by Louisville Slugger.
Gordon's impact was not only impressive, it was historic. He the first second baseman to win the NL batting title since Robinson in 1949. Prior to that, the only other NL second basemen to win batting titles were Rogers Hornsby (1920-25, 1928) and Larry Doyle (1915).
Gordon's slash line was .333/.359/.418 with four home runs, 24 doubles, eight triples and 88 runs.
Since 2006, Gordon is one of four players with at least 200 hits and 50 stolen bases in a season. The other three are Jose Reyes in 2008 (204/56), Hanley Ramirez in 2007 (212/51) and Juan Pierre in 2006 (204/58). Interestingly, all four played at one time with the Marlins. But Reyes did it with the Mets, and Pierre was with the Cubs.