HOUSTON -- Morgan Ensberg, the first third baseman in Houston Astros history to hit more than 30 home runs, was named to the Louisville Slugger Silver Slugger team on Monday.

This marks Ensberg's first Silver Slugger Award. He is the first Astros player to receive this honor since Mike Hampton and Jeff Bagwell won the award in 1999.

Louisville Slugger's Silver Slugger award winners were determined by Major League Baseball coaches and managers. They voted for the players they felt were the best offensive producers at each position in both the American and National Leagues in 2005.

Selections were based on a combination of offensive statistics, including batting average, on-base percentage and slugging percentage, as well as the coaches' and managers' general impressions of a player's overall offensive value. Managers and coaches were not allowed to vote for players on their own team.

Ensberg finished the 2005 regular season with a .283 average, 36 homers and 101 RBIs. He was named the team MVP by the Houston chapter of the Baseball Writers Association of America.

Ensberg, one of six finalists for the Hank Aaron Award, was named an All-Star in 2005 for the first time in his career. He hit 24 homers and drove in 65 runs in the first half, club records for a third baseman.

Ensberg is the eighth player in franchise history to receive Silver Slugger honors. Dickie Thon (1983) and Jose Cruz (1983, '84) were the first recipients, followed by Glenn Davis in 1986. Current Astros Bagwell and Craig Biggio were honored eight times. Biggio won the award five times (1989, '94, '97, '98), while Bagwell was honored three times (1994, '97, '99).

Moises Alou was named to the Silver Slugger team in 1998, followed by Hampton the next year.

2005 Silver Slugger Award winners
American League		National League
1B - Mark Teixeira, TEX 2B - Alfonso Soriano, TEX 3B - Alex Rodriguez, NYY SS - Miguel Tejada, BAL OF - Vladimir Guerrero, LAA OF - Manny Ramirez, BOS OF - Gary Sheffield, NYY C   - Jason Varitek, BOS DH - David Ortiz, BOS		1B - Derrek Lee, CHC 2B - Jeff Kent, LAD 3B - Morgan Ensberg, HOU SS - Felipe Lopez, CIN OF - Andruw Jones, ATL OF - Miguel Cabrera, FLA OF - Carlos Lee, MIL C   - Michael Barrett, CHC P   - Jason Marquis, STL
Complete 2005 coverage | All time winners >

The 2005 Silver Slugger team includes: Cubs first baseman Derrek Lee, Dodgers second baseman Jeff Kent, Ensberg, Reds shortstop Felipe Lopez, Braves outfielder Andruw Jones, Marlins outfielder Miguel Cabrera, Brewers outfielder Carlos Lee, Cubs catcher Michael Barrett and Cardinals pitcher Jason Marquis.

The specially designed Silver Slugger Award will be presented to each player by a representative of the Hillerich & Bradsby Co., makers of Louisville Slugger, the official bat of Major League Baseball, in a ceremony early in the 2006 season. The trophy is three feet tall and bears the engraved name of the winner and his Silver Slugger teammates in his respective league.