Styles 0 Report post Posted May 3, 2005 Don't know why Canada has this before ESPN...but.... Roberts, Garland earn AL awards Brian Roberts TSN.ca Staff 5/2/2005 5:17:00 PM Baltimore Orioles second baseman Brian Roberts and Chicago White Sox right-hander Jon Garland have been named the American League Player and Pitcher of the Month, respectively, for April. Roberts led the Major Leagues with 69 total bases in April while helping the Orioles tie a franchise record with 16 wins in the month. In 23 games, the 27-year-old switch hitter batted .379 (36-for-95) with three doubles, three triples, 26 RBI, and ten stolen bases. He posted an American League best .726 slugging percentage along with a league high 21 runs scored. Roberts finished the best month of his career on Saturday with a three-run seventh inning home run to beat Tampa Bay and extend Baltimore's winning streak to seven games. This is Roberts' first career monthly award and the first Player of the Month for an Oriole since Melvin Mora in May 2004. Garland, who won each of his April starts to help Chicago finish the month in first place in the AL Central, tied for the AL lead in wins (four) and shutouts (one). Garland recorded a 1.80 ERA over 30.0 innings (21 H, 5 BB, 11 SO). The 25-year-old right hander improved with every start pitching at least six innings in each outing, culminating in a complete game shutout on April 25th in Oakland. Garland shutdown the final 13 A's batters he faced helping to capture his first Pitcher of the Month Award. Other players receiving votes were Baltimore's Miguel Tejada (.347, 8 HR, MLB-best 31 RBI), New York's Alex Rodriguez (.304, MLB-best 9 HR, 27 RBI), and Toronto's Shea Hillenbrand (.390, .421 OBP, .530 SLG). Pitchers receiving consideration were Toronto's Roy Halladay (4-1, 3.40), Oakland's Rich Harden (2-0, 2.10), Baltimore's Todd Williams (3-0, 0.00), as well as Johan Santana (4-0, 3.55) and Joe Nathan (8 saves) of Minnesota. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
