Seth Smith of the San Diego Padres named National League Player of the Week

San Diego Padres outfielder Seth Smith has been named National League Player of the Week for the week ending May 11, 2014. The announcement was made earlier today on MLB Network.

In seven games last week, Smith led the Majors with a .500 batting average (14-for-28), a 1.000 slugging percentage and 28 total bases. The left-handed-hitting slugger also ranked among N.L. leaders with 14 hits (1st), a .576 on-base percentage (2nd) and seven RBI (T-3rd). Smith clubbed a home run, five doubles and three triples last week and drew five walks.

Smith capped the week with his fifth multi-hit effort in Sunday's series against the Miami Marlins at Petco Park. The 31-year old went 2-for-5 and drove in the decisive run with an RBI-single in the fourth inning. The base knock put the Padres up 5-0, as they held on for an eventual 5-4 victory. Smith logged back-to-back three-hit performances on Friday and Saturday, making a bid to become the first Padres player to hit for the cycle in both outings. In Saturday night's contest, the Mississippi native was 3-for-4 with four RBI, falling just a single short of the cycle in a 9-3 win. Smith got the Pads on the board early, driving in shortstop Everth Cabrera with a first-inning triple. Smith clubbed his third homer of the season with a solo shot in the bottom of the third, marking his first home run since going deep in back-to-back games to start the season (3/30 and 4/1). In Friday night's contest, the five-year veteran missed hitting for the cycle by a home run, going 3-for-5 on the evening with a pair of RBI in a 10-1 victory. Smith is the first Padres player since Brian Giles (8/17-18, 2004) to fall one hit shy of the cycle in consecutive games. His three triples last week, within a span of 20 at-bats, came after not hitting a triple in his previous 603 at-bats dating back to the 2012 season. He is currently tied for the Major League lead with three triples. This is his first career weekly award. The last Padres player to be named Player of the Week was Huston Street, who won for the period of September 1-8, 2013.

Other noteworthy performances last week included Colorado's Charlie Blackmon (.321, 7 R, 3 HR, 7 RBI, .714 SLG), Corey Dickerson (.400, 2 HR, 6 RBI, .933 SLG, 3 R), Troy Tulowitzki (.375, 9 H, 4 HR, 8 RBI, .917 SLG, .484 OBP) and Jordan Lyles (2-0, 2.57 ERA, 14.0 IP, 13 SO); Pittsburgh's Andrew McCutchen (.429, 9 H, .571 SLG, .500 OBP); Buster Posey (.455, 4 R, 10 H, 4 RBI, .571 OBP) of the San Francisco Giants; Miami's Steve Cishek (2-0, SV, 0.00 ERA, 3.0 IP, 3 SO); and Jeff Samardzija (0-0, 0.00 ERA, 15.0 IP, 14 SO) of the Chicago Cubs.

In recognition of his National League Player of the Week Award, Seth Smith will be awarded a watch courtesy of Game Time, the leader in licensed sports watches, available at MLB.com.