Beltre in elite group with fourth Silver Slugger
All-Star joins Boggs, Schmidt, Williams as only third basemen to win more than three
ARLINGTON -- Rangers third baseman Adrian Beltre was selected for his fourth Louisville Slugger Silver Slugger Award and his third in the last five seasons.
The award goes to the top offensive player at each position. Beltre also won one with the Dodgers in 2004, the Red Sox in 2010 and the Rangers in 2011. He is the fourth third baseman to win the award at least four times since its inception in 1980.
Wade Boggs won it eight times and Mike Schmidt won six, while Beltre matches Matt Williams with four. The only other Rangers third baseman to win the Silver Slugger was Buddy Bell in 1984.
Beltre has won four Silver Sluggers and four Gold Glove Awards for defensive excellence. Schmidt and Williams are the only other third basemen who have won at least four each.
Beltre batted .324 with 19 home runs and 77 RBIs in 2014, while being selected for the All-Star Game for the fourth time in his career. He ranked among American League leaders in batting average (fourth) and on-base percentage (third at .388), while also finishing among the league leaders in hits (ninth with 178) and slugging (10th at .492). He led the Rangers in average, home runs, and RBIs for a second consecutive season.
Beltre is the ninth different player to win multiple Silver Slugger Awards with the Rangers, although just five of those nine have been infielders:
Beltre, Julio Franco (1989-91 at second base), Alex Rodriguez (2001-03 at shortstop), Alfonso Soriano (2004-05 at second base), and Mark Teixeira (2004-05 at first base).