Marquez, Arenado, Story win Silver Slugger Awards

Rockies third baseman Nolan Arenado smashed 38 home runs to lead the National League. Shortstop Trevor Story hit 37, including a memorable 505foot, three-home run game on Sept. 5 vs. San Francisco that ranks as the longest in Coors Field History.

Were they Louisville Silver Slugger winners when the awards were announced Thursday? Check, and check.

But move over guys, and make room for German Marquez, who became the first Rockies pitcher since Mike Hampton in 2002 to win a Silver Slugger. Marquez, 23, hit .300 (18-for-60) to lead all National League starting pitchers and also led pitchers with a .350 slugging percentage.

Marquez’s biggest game at the plate came in Colorado’s 19-2 rout of Arizona on July 11 at Coors Field when he knocked in two runs and notched his first big-league homer. It came off of Diamondbacks second baseman Daniel Descalso, who was called into emergency pitching duty, but it still counts. What’s more, Marquez’s blast traveled 447 feet.

This is the second season in franchise history that three Rockies players have been awarded the Silver Slugger Award (Ellis Burks, Andres Galarraga and Eric Young each won a Silver Slugger in 1996).

Marquez loves hitting and he swings for all he’s worth. He mashed the ball when playing youth baseball in San Felix, Venezuela.

“I was a good hitter, and to me that was the best part of enjoying baseball growing up,” Marquez said this season. “I played third base and I really spent a lot of time on my love (of hitting).”

Marquez’s teammates took notice of his prowess at the plate.

“If you watch batting practice, he launches balls out of the ballpark,” Arenado said. “So he’s got ridiculous power, and he’s got a really good swing.”

Arenado now has four Silver Slugger Awards, tied with Todd Helton for the most in franchise history. He joins Mike Schmidt and Wade Boggs as the only third basemen to win the award in at least four consecutive seasons.

Story, who won his first Silver Slugger, became the first shortstop in bigleague history to record at least 40 doubles, 30 home runs and 25 stolen bases in a single season.

The Silver Slugger is awarded to the top players at each position in each league as selected by a vote of coaches and managers.