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Baseball's Best Gold Glove WinnersThe MLB's Greatest Defensive Players of All TimeHere are the baseball's best defensive players by position over the the past 50 years, at least as far as the Rawlings Corporation is concerned.
In 1957, the Rawlings Corporation, a large sporting goods manufacturer who supplied Major League Baseball, established the Gold Glove Award, which was to be awarded annually to the defensive player at each position who had a "superior individual fielding performance" for that season. Gold Gloves are awarded to one player per position in the infield, and to the three best outfielders (the outfielder Gold Gloves may not correspond to each outfield position.) Here are the players with the Most Gold Gloves Won at each position. Top Gold Glove Winners Among Pitchers: Jim Kaat and Greg Maddux (16 each) Kaat won the Gold Glove Award 16 years in a row: 12 while playing for the Minnesota Twins, 2 with the Chicago White Sox and 2 with the Philadelphia Phillies. Maddux took home the Gold Glove 16 out of 17 years, winning 5 with the Chicago Cubs, 10 with the Atlanta Braves and his last one while pitching for the Los Angeles Dodgers. Still pitching today (for the San Diego Padres), Maddux has a chance to break the tie with Kaat and Brooks Robinson for most Gold Gloves won in a career. Most Gold Gloves won by a Catcher: Ivan Rodriguez (12)Pudge Rodriguez is a fine hitter and a very good player in the clutch, but it's his incredible defense, which is evidenced by his 12 Gold Gloves, that is going to put him into the Hall of Fame. Most Gold Glove Awards for a First Baseman: Keith Hernanadez (11)Hernandez won 11 consecutive Gold Glove Awards from 1978 to 1988. He won his first four playing for the St. Louis Cardinals and then took home seven more while playing for the New York Mets. Most Gold Gloves Won by a Second Baseman: Roberto Alomar (10)Alomar and Ivan Rodriguez are the only two players in history to win multiple Gold Gloves with three different teams. Alomar won five as a member of the Toronto Blue Jays, two with the Baltimore Orioles and three more with the Cleveland Indians. Top Gold Glove Winner Among Third Basemen: Brooks Robinson (16)Robinson was the greatest defensive third baseman who ever lived. Nicknamed the Human Vacuum Cleaner for his ability to suck any ground ball into his glove, Robinson took home 16 straight Gold Glove Awards. Most Gold Glove Awards by a Shortstop: Ozzie Smith (13)Smith is one of only a handful of Major League players who made it to the Hall of Fame almost solely on his defense. The shortstop hit only .262 with 28 home runs and averaged just 43 RBI per season. But his legendary defense landed him on 15 All Star teams and ultimately won him a plaque in Cooperstown. Outfield: Wille Mays (12), Roberto Clemente (12), Ken Griffey, Jr. and Al Kaline (10 each)Willie Mays: Usually regarded for his hitting ability, Mays was among the best centerfielders in history. His over-the-shoulder catch on Vic Wertz's 450-foot drive in Game 1 of the 1954 World Series was the most famous and spectacular defensive play of his illustrious career, but it was only one of hundreds of great catches by the Say Hey Kid. Mays won his first Gold Glove at age 26 and his final one at age 38, making him the oldest outfielder ever to win a Gold Glove. Roberto Clemente: Clemente was the essential five tool player. He could hit (3,000 hits), hit for power (240 lifetime dingers), run the bases, and most of all, he could play the outfield. An excellent fielder with a rocket arm, not many players tried to go from first to third, or to score from second base, on a single hit to Clemente. Had he not been killed in a plane crash after the 1972 season, Clemente, who won a Gold Glove in his final season, may have broken his tie with Mays for outfield supremacy. Ken Griffey, Jr.: Junior was the best outfielder of the 1990s, but his aggressive playing style caused him to suffer season ending injuries every year from 2001 through 2004, and probably took away his shot at breaking Hank Aaron's all-time home run record. Nonetheless, Griffey is still a future Hall of Famer who will likely surpass 600 career home runs. Not too bad for a guy who missed the equivalent of three seasons with injuries after his 30th birthday. Al Kaline: A soild, if less than spectacular, outfielder, Kaline was another of the greatest all-around players in MLB history, collecting 3,007 hits, 399 homers, 1,583 RBI and 137 steals to go along with his 10 Gold Gloves. Gold Glove TriviaDarrin Erstad is the only player to win a Gold Glove as an outfielder (2002 and 2003) and as an infielder (he won in 2004 as a First Baseman). Rafael Palmeiro won the 1999 Gold Glove award for AL First Baseman even though he played 135 games as a Designated Hitter and only 28 at First Base. Fred Lynn was the first rookie to win a Gold Glove as an outfielder. That achievement was matched when Ichiro Suzuki took home the Gold Glove Award in his debut season in 2001. Currently, managers and coaches from each Major League team vote for Gold Glove winners. However, the voters are not allowed to choose players from their own team. Wade Boggs is the oldest player to win his first Gold Glove. He was 36 years old when he won the award for the 1994 New York Yankees. _______________________
The copyright of the article Baseball's Best Gold Glove Winners in Baseball is owned by James Lincoln Ray. Permission to republish Baseball's Best Gold Glove Winners in print or online must be granted by the author in writing.
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