Outstanding Designated Hitter Award on Baseball Almanac

Outstanding Designated Hitter Award

The Outstanding Designated Hitter Award was given each year by members of the Associated Press who are beat writers, broadcasters, and public relations directors. The award was given out during the first year of the designated hitter and has been an annual tradition ever since.

In 2000 the award was discontinued by the Associated Press, but picked up by the Baseball Writers Association where it continued & prospered. In 2004 the award was renamed the Edgar Martinez Outstanding Designated Hitter Award in honor of DH extraordinaire Edgard Martinez who announced his retirement at the end of the regular season.

Listed below in chronological order are the recipients of the highly regarded Edgar Martinez Outstanding Designated Hitter Award.

"Last year I struggled against left-handers. I think I got away from my game plan. This year (1999) I'm trying to see the ball a little longer and drive the ball the other way." - Rafael Palmeiro

Outstanding Designated Hitter Award by the Associated Press & BBWAA
Year	Designated Hitter Name	Team
1973	Orlando Cepeda⁽¹⁾	Boston
1974	Tommy Davis⁽¹⁾	Baltimore
1975	Willie Horton⁽¹⁾	Detroit
1976	Hal McRae⁽¹⁾	Kansas City
1977	Jim Rice⁽¹⁾	Boston
1978	Rusty Staub⁽¹⁾	Detroit
1979	Willie Horton⁽²⁾	Seattle
1980	Hal McRae⁽²⁾	Kansas City
1981	Greg Luzinski⁽¹⁾	Chicago
1982	Hal McRae⁽³⁾	Kansas City
1983	Greg Luzinski⁽¹⁾	Chicago
1984	Dave Kingman⁽¹⁾	Oakland
1985	Don Baylor⁽¹⁾	New York
1986	Don Baylor⁽²⁾	Boston
1987	Harold Baines⁽¹⁾	Chicago
1988	Harold Baines⁽²⁾	Chicago
1989	Dave Parker⁽¹⁾	Oakland
1990	Dave Parker⁽²⁾	Milwaukee
1991	Chili Davis⁽¹⁾	Minnesota
1992	Dave Winfield⁽¹⁾	Toronto
1993	Paul Molitor⁽¹⁾	Toronto
1994	No Award Issued^(n/a)	--
1995	Edgar Martinez⁽¹⁾	Seattle
1996	Paul Molitor⁽²⁾	Minnesota
1997	Edgar Martinez⁽²⁾	Seattle
1998	Edgar Martinez⁽³⁾	Seattle
1999	Rafael Palmeiro⁽¹⁾	Texas
2000	Edgar Martinez⁽⁴⁾	Seattle
2001	Edgar Martinez⁽⁵⁾	Seattle
2002	Ellis Burks⁽¹⁾	Cleveland
2003	David Ortiz⁽¹⁾	Boston
2004	David Ortiz⁽²⁾	Boston
2005	David Ortiz⁽³⁾	Boston
2006	David Ortiz⁽⁴⁾	Boston
2007	David Ortiz⁽⁵⁾	Boston
2008	Not Yet Announced^(11-2008)	--
Year	Designated Hitter Name	Team
Outstanding Designated Hitter Award

Most fans know who the first designated hitter was, but do you know who the first player was from each American League team?

Interleague play has now given the National League a full set of regular season designated hitters. Review the historical breakdown today and find who the first player was from each National League team.

Edgar Martinez (5x), Hal McRae (3x) and David Ortiz (5x) are the only players to ever win the Edgar Martinez Award at least three times. Will Ortiz win it yet again in 2008? Who else deserved to win? Discuss these issues today in our discussion forums.

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