Cabrera wins third Silver Slugger, first in Detroit

Cabrera wins third Silver Slugger, first in Detroit
By Jason Beck / MLB.com | 11/11/10 6:15 PM EST

DETROIT -- No matter where Miguel Cabrera goes, around the diamond or around the league, his bat eventually earns him a Silver Slugger Award. This one took him a few years.

While Cabrera broke through with his first American League Silver Slugger Award on Thursday, he also made a bit of history, becoming just the second player named a Silver Slugger at three different defensive positions.

Cabrera hopes for some recognition in AL MVP balloting when the results are released later this month, but in the interim he beat out a talented field for Silver Slugger honors at first base, including fellow MVP candidate Paul Konerko of the White Sox. He can put this honor along his Silver Sluggers from his days with the Florida Marlins; he won one at third base in 2006 and one as an outfielder a year earlier.

Albert Pujols, a six-time Silver Slugger winner, has won at those same three spots, all in the National League with the St. Louis Cardinals.

Considering the competition, this one might have been the toughest for Cabrera to win. While Cabrera put up MVP-caliber numbers, including a Major League-leading total of 126 RBIs, a .326 batting average that ranked second in the AL and a .622 slugging percentage and 1.042 OPS that ranked likewise, he has MVP competition at first base with Konerko.

AL SILVER SLUGGER WINNERS

The AL winners of the Silver Slugger Awards,
with the number each has won in his career.
POS._____ PLAYER__________ NO.

C____	Joe Mauer, Twins__________	4
1B	Miguel Cabrera, Tigers	3
2B	Robinson Cano, Yankees	2
3B	Adrian Beltre, Red Sox	2
SS	Alexei Ramirez, White Sox	1
OF	Jose Bautista, Blue Jays	1
OF	Carl Crawford, Rays	1
OF	Josh Hamilton, Rangers	2
DH	Vladimir Guerrero, Rangers	8

Like Cabrera, Konerko was a big part of his team's offense and played a major part in Chicago's summer surge. He actually topped Cabrera in homers, 39 to 38, but Konerko couldn't match Cabrera's other pertinent numbers.

Cabrera and the Tigers will find out about his adding the AL MVP Award to his collection when results are announced Nov. 23. The pool of competitors expands to include slugging outfielders Josh Hamilton and Jose Bautista as well as Yankees second baseman Robinson Cano -- all Silver Slugger Award winners.

At least at first base, though, Cabrera is at the top of his class.

Jason Beck is a reporter for MLB.com. Read Beck's Blog and follow him on Twitter @beckjason. This story was not subject to the approval of Major League Baseball or its clubs.