For the first time since 1979, a trio of Boston Red Sox players has earned the prestigious American League Gold Glove award at their respective positions. Adrian Gonzalez took the honor at first base, while Dustin Pedroia earned one for second base, and Jacoby Ellsbury won for center field.
The last trio of Red Sox to accomplish this feat was shortstop Rick Burleson, and beloved outfielders Fred Lynn and "Dewey" Dwight Evans, according to the Associated Press/ESPN.com. That was 32 years ago.
For Gonzalez, this is his third Glove Glove in the last four years and third in his career overall, having earned the National League Gold Glove awards in 2008 and 2009 as a member of the San Diego Padres. For Pedroia, this is his second such honor, having been first chosen for it in 2008, the year he also took home the even more prestigious AL MVP award.
For Ellsbury, this is his first GG, though it could easily have been his second or even third, given that the speedy outfielder made no errors in 140 games in LF, CF and RF in 2008 (his first full year in the big leagues), and only two in 2009.
Ellsbury has already won the 2011 AL Comeback Player of the Year—he missed nearly all of 2010 with multiple ribs being broken after an early season collision with then-third baseman Adrian Beltre, who ironically also won a Gold Glove this year at that position with the Texas Rangers—and may not be done with awards yet. He is a top contender for the Silver Slugger (SS) award at his position and for the most prized AL MVP award, which will be handed out soon.
UPDATE: Another similar trio of Red Sox won AL Silver Slugger awards today: David Ortiz became the first five-time winner of it at DH, while Gonzalez and Ellsbury won it for the first time.
Photo credit: orlandrocks.tumblr.com.
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