1998 Ted Williams Award Race
(CNN/SI) - The Ted Williams Award, sponsored by CNN/SI and Total Baseball, the official
encyclopedia of Major League Baseball, is presented annually to the most productive hitter in
each league (see explanation below). The award is named after
Williams, who hit .406 in 1941,
the last player to bat .400 in a season.
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1998 Adjusted Production Leaders
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American League
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All Players
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Albert Belle
Bernie Williams
Edgar Martinez
Mo Vaughn
Eric Davis
Jim Thome
Carlos Delgado
Ken Griffey
Juan Gonzalez
Rafael Palmeiro
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ChA
NYA
Sea
Bos
Bal
Cle
Tor
Sea
Tex
Bal
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.433
.401
.392
.387
.379
.378
.375
.371
.367
.362
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Catchers
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Ivan Rodriguez
Jorge Posada
Scott Hatteberg
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Tex
NYA
Bos
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.297
.288
.272
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First Basemen
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Mo Vaughn
Jim Thome
Carlos Delgado
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Bos
Cle
Tor
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.387
.378
.375
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Second Basemen
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Tony Fernandez
Todd Walker
Ray Durham
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Tor
Min
ChA
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.300
.296
.287
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Third Basemen
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Scott Brosius
Travis Fryman
Dean Palmer
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NYA
Cle
KC
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.302
.282
.277
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Shortstops
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Nomar Garciaparra
Alex Rodriguez
Derek Jeter
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Bos
Sea
NYA
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.354
.338
.317
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Outfielders
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Albert Belle
Bernie Williams
Eric Davis
Ken Griffey
Juan Gonzalez
Manny Ramirez
Paul O'Neill
Matt Lawton
Jim Edmonds
Ben Grieve
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ChA
NYA
Bal
Sea
Tex
Cle
NYA
Min
Ana
Oak
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.433
.401
.379
.371
.367
.361
.325
.310
.310
.307
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Designated Hitters
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Edgar Martinez
Tim Salmon
Matt Stairs
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Sea
Ana
Oak
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.392
.356
.327
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Rookies
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Ben Grieve
Magglio Ordonez
Mike Caruso
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Oak
ChA
ChA
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.307
.235
.224
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National League
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All Players
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Mark McGwire
Barry Bonds
Greg Vaughn
John Olerud
Jeff Bagwell
Gary Sheffield
Sammy Sosa
Moises Alou
Andres Galarraga
Vladimir Guerrero
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StL
SF
SD
NYN
Hou
LA
ChN
Hou
Atl
Mon
|
.545
.447
.408
.406
.400
.400
.398
.396
.385
.385
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Catchers
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Mike Piazza
Jason Kendall
Javy Lopez
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NYN
Pit
Atl
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.384
.326
.304
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First Basemen
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Mark McGwire
John Olerud
Jeff Bagwell
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StL
NYN
Hou
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.545
.406
.400
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Second Basemen
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Jeff Kent
Craig Biggio
Fernando Vina
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SF
Hou
Mil
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.354
.351
.284
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Third Basemen
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Chipper Jones
Scott Rolen
Ken Caminiti
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Atl
Phi
SD
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.363
.345
.343
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Shortstops
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Barry Larkin
Jay Bell
Chris Gomez
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Cin
Ari
SD
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.334
.263
.252
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Outfielders
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Barry Bonds
Greg Vaughn
Gary Sheffield
Sammy Sosa
Moises Alou
Vladimir Guerrero
Larry Walker
Ray Lankford
Tony Gwynn
Brian Jordan
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SF
SD
LA
ChN
Hou
Mon
Col
StL
SD
StL
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.447
.408
.400
.398
.396
.385
.376
.360
.346
.340
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Rookies
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Todd Helton
Brad Fullmer
Travis Lee
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Col
Mon
Ari
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.287
.264
.257
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The players are scored using a formula that includes on-base and slugging percentage devised by
Total Baseball's John Thorn and Pete Palmer. They originally created this statistic in
The Hidden Game of Baseball. They "adjusted" production by normalizing it to the league avera
ge and also compensating for the home park factor.
The value is then further normalized so that the league average is .250. With .250 being the
league norm, a player who posts adjusted production of .300 is 20% (50 points) better than
the average player offensively. Above average players will post numbers in the .250-.500 range
with good hitters above .300. Only the very best hitters will climb above .400.
Chicago White Sox slugger Frank Thomas won
the inaugural American League award last season, and New York Mets catcher
Mike Piazza took the National League prize.
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