From MLB.com


The Giants slipped out of the playoff race, but Randy Winn kept his late-season surge going.

San Francisco's center fielder led the National League with a .447 average in the month of September -- and he hit .556 over the final seven days, capping off a torrid finish to the season by receiving the Bank of America NL Player of the Week as well as the the NL Player of the Month honors.

Winn recorded a league-best 15 hits and 29 total bases last week, adding to his league-high 51 for the month. But after starting September with a run, the Giants went 2-5, had a five-game losing streak drop them to third in the West standings during the final week. They stood in PETCO Park and watched the San Diego Padres clinch the division on Sept. 28.

San Francisco kicked off the the final week with a four-game series on the road against the Padres. Winn went 4-for-4 and the Giants won the opener and he had seven straight hits in the first two games against San Diego. San Francisco lost the final three games of the series, though, and fell out of contention.

On Sept. 30, Winn had his second 4-for-4 performance of the week in a loss to Arizona, which finished second in the division.

Winn's 51 September hits were the most in one month by a Giant in at least 30 years.

"I haven't thought about it," Winn said last week about the streak. "I had no idea how many [hits] I had. That's a lot of hits. The last few years I've had better second halves than first halves -- I was not expected to hit as many home runs and just wanted to have a good second half."

In September, Winn's slugging percentage of .877 and 100 total bases led the NL, and he was tied for the league lead with 11 home runs.

His .556 average last week raised his average to .359 in 58 games with the Giants. Winn started the season with Seattle and hit .275 before joining San Francisco on July 30.

Winn was selected for the weekly honor over 19 other hitters and four pitchers. Other candidates included the Cardinals' Larry Walker (.538, two homers, three RBIs), the Marlins' Jeremy Hermida (.533, three homers, six RBIs), the Reds' Felipe Lopez (.407, 11 hits, 10 RBIs), the Pirates' Zach Duke (2-0, 1.20 ERA, nine strikeouts) and the Astros' Roy Oswalt (2-0, 3.46 ERA, 13 strikeouts).

As part of the weekly honor, Bank of America will make a $1,000 donation to the Little League Urban Iniative on behalf of Winn.