Diamondbacks Bullpen

[David B]

AL Gold Gloves

Left-handed starter Kenny Rogers and catcher Ivan Rodriguez were rewarded on Thursday for their defensive excellence when the Rawlings Sporting Goods Company and Major League Baseball announced the American League Gold Glove winners for the 2006 season.

The Tigers were the only AL team to have more than one Gold Glove recipient.

Rodriguez, the league's premier catcher throughout most of the 1990s -- capturing Gold Glove honors every season between 1992-2001 -- picked up his 12th overall after a sensational defensive campaign. He committed just two errors in 801 total chances.

Rogers, who added a fifth Gold Glove to his collection, was one of seven repeat winners.

The others were: Texas Rangers first baseman Mark Teixeira, New York Yankees shortstop Derek Jeter, Oakland Athletics third baseman Eric Chavez and outfielders Torii Hunter of the Minnesota Twins, Ichiro Suzuki of the Seattle Mariners and Vernon Wells of the Toronto Blue Jays.

Chavez, Hunter and Ichiro have now each won six consecutive Gold Gloves, while Jeter and Wells are three-time winners.

Kansas City Royals second baseman Mark Grudzielanek won his first Gold Glove in his first season in the AL. He spent the previous 11 seasons in the National League, whose Gold Glove winners will be announced on Friday.

[matt]

ESPN's Tim Kurkijan was unable to comment due to the spontaneous orgasms he had when he heard the news that Jeter won the GG.

[matt]

Another thing, give Pudge a hand, 12 GGs in 15 seasons. Wow.

[TAP]

[David B]

Four words I never thought I'd read in the same sentence...Mark Grudzielanek and Gold Glove.

[matt]

[Guitar Salad]

Matt, I think the delivery of following a link to www.ceilingcat.com is much better than stumbling upon it. A great picture nonetheless.
_________________
Ha ha! Charade you are...

[David B]

NL Gold Gloves

First baseman Albert Pujols was awarded a Rawlings Gold Glove for his defensive prowess for the first time in his six-year Major League career, and across the diamond, third baseman Scott Rolen's defense was gold-plated for the seventh time.

The Cardinals, who captured the franchise's first World Series title since 1982, are the only NL team this year with multiple Gold Glove winners.

The elite defensive group, selected by a vote of NL managers and coaches, also includes pitcher Greg Maddux, shortstop Omar Vizquel and outfielder Andruw Jones -- a threesome that already has trophy cases full of Gold Gloves.

Maddux, who spent the first half of the 2006 season with the Chicago Cubs and the second half with the Los Angeles Dodgers, captured his record-tying 16th Gold Glove; Vizquel, the San Francisco Giants' defensive whiz, won his 11th overall, second in the NL; and Jones, the Atlanta Braves center fielder, extended his personal streak of Gold Glove seasons to nine.

Houston Astros catcher Brad Ausmus returned to his golden status behind the plate, bagging his third career Gold Glove and ending Mike Matheny's three-year hold on the award.

Joining Pujols, Rolen and Vizquel in the Senior Circuit's Gold Glove infield was Arizona Diamondbacks second baseman Orlando Hudson, a back-to-back winner -- with a caveat. Hudson was selected as the top-fielding second sacker in the American League in 2005, when he played for the Toronto Blue Jays.

The outfield gold rush included two other center fielders -- Mike Cameron of the San Diego Padres and Carlos Beltran of the New York Mets. Cameron is a three-time Gold Glove recipient, the first two with the Seattle Mariners, and Beltran bagged his first.

Until Friday, left-hander Jim Kaat held the record for the most Gold Gloves at any position with 16, which he accumulated over a 25-year career. He now shares the record with Maddux, who has been selected as the best-fielding pitcher in the NL every season but one since 1990. Left-hander Mike Hampton won the award in 2003.