The Edgar Martinez Award

You probably knew there was an Edgar Martinez Award. I didn't. Because I'm a National League kind of guy, maybe an award for the designated hitter of the year didn't crack my consciousness. The Designated Hitter of the Year Award was renamed the Edgar Martinez Award in 2004.  The Award has been given out since 1973.  Here are some past winners.

David Ortiz (2014 Stadium Club)

 Ortiz has won the award 7 times. They may have to rename the the award. He's won the award in 2013 (.309, 30 HR), 2011 (.309, 28 HR), 2007 (.332, 35 HR), 2006 (.287, 54 HR), 2005 (.300, 47 HR), 2004 (.301, 44 HR), 2003 (.288, 31 HR). With a .263 average with 38 HR in 2014, he's got to be in the running to win it again.

Billy Butler (2012 Topps Chrome)

Butler wrested the award away from Ortiz in 2012 with a .313 average and 29 home runs.

Vladimir Guerrero (2010 Topps National Chicle)

Vlad the Impaler won the award with a .300 average and 29 home runs in 2010. He was also an All-Star that year.

Adam Lind (2009 Topps 206)

Lind won the award in 2009 with the best year of his career. He had a .305 average and hit 35 Home runs.

Aubrey Huff (2008 Topps Opening Day)

Huff also had a career year to win the award in 2008. He hit 34 home runs with a .304 average.

Ellis Burks (2002 Fleer Tradition Update)

Ellis Burks had a pretty good career, primarily as an outfielder, but spent the last few years of his career as a DH. In 2002 he had a batting average of .301 with 32 home runs, good enough to win the award.

Edgar Martinez (2001 Topps Fusion)

Martinez won the last of his 5 Designated Hitter of the Year Awards in 2001 with a .306 average and 28 home runs. His previous winning seasons were 2000 (.324 and 47 HR), 1998 (.322 and 29), 1997 (.330 and 28), and 1995 (.356 and 29).

Rafael Palmeiro (1999 Pacific Prism Holographic Gold)

Although Edgar Martinez also had a pretty good year in 1999, at least as good as his other winning seasons, Palmeiro had a better one with a .324 BA and 47 home runs.

Paul Molitor (1993 Pinnacle Cooperstown)

Molitor won the award twice, in 1996 with a .341 batting average and 9 home runs. He lead the league that year with 225 hits. He also won in 1993 with a .322 average and 22 home runs

There doesn't seem to have been a winner for 1994.

Dave Winfield (1992 Ultra)

Dave Winfield is another guy who significantly extended his career as a DH. His .290 BA and 26 home runs got him the award in 1992.

Chili Davis (1991 Upper Deck)

A .277 average and 29 home runs made Davis the best designated hitter of 1991.

Dave Parker (1990 Classic Yellow)

Parker won the award in consecutive years with two different teams. In 1989 he hit .264 with 22 home runs for the A's. In 1990 he .289 with 21 home runs for the Brewers.

Harold Baines (1987 Donruss)

Baines won the award in consecutive years in his last two full years with the White Sox, 1987 (.293, 20) and 1988 (.277, 13).