ORLANDO, Fla., Dec. 5 (UPI) -- Boston's David Ortiz has been selected as the major leagues' outstanding designated hitter for the fourth consecutive year.
Ortiz received 60 of a possible 81 first-place votes to outdistance runner-up Travis Hafner, of Cleveland and third-place finisher Frank Thomas, who was with Oakland last season.
As a designated hitter for the Red Sox last season, Ortiz appeared in 138 games and hit .282 with 47 homes runs and 124 runs batted in.
The award, given annually since 1973, is formally called the Edgar Martinez Outstanding Designated Hitter Award and determined in a vote of baseball writers, broadcasters and American League public relations departments.
Only Martinez has won the award more than Ortiz. He won it five times -- 1995, 1997, 1998, 2000 and 2001. The award was renamed for Martinez after the 2004 season.
