Pena's fielding is superior, too
Improvement on defense leads to award for slugger
Associated Press
Friday, November 07, 2008

NEW YORK --- Carlos Pena grabbed attention for all those balls he hit.

Now, the Rays first baseman is getting noticed for the ones he caught.

The Tampa Bay star raised his profile on Thursday when he won the Gold Glove, one of four newcomers on the AL team.

Boston second baseman Dustin Pedroia, Texas shortstop Michael Young and Minnesota catcher Joe Mauer also were first-time winners for fielding excellence.

The outfield was a repeat from last season: the Los Angeles Angels' Torii Hunter and Seattle's Ichiro Suzuki each won for the eighth consecutive year, while Cleveland's Grady Sizemore earned his second award.

New York Yankees pitcher Mike Mussina, coming off his first 20-win season, added to his accolades with his seventh Gold Glove. Seattle third baseman Adrian Beltre won for the second year in a row.

Pena bounced around the majors for several seasons before joining Tampa Bay in 2007, and he quickly secured a regular spot by hitting 46 home runs.

Pena starred with the bat this year, too, with 31 homers and 102 RBI in helping lead the surprising Rays to their first playoff spot.

He also sparkled with the glove, making only two errors as Tampa Bay reached the World Series, where it lost to Philadelphia.

The 30-year-old Pena has shown improvement in the field, cutting down from 13 errors with Detroit in 2003. He made eight last year with the Rays.

Rawlings has presented Gold Gloves since 1957. Managers and coaches pick players in their own leagues near the end of the regular season, and they can't vote for someone on their team.

The Gold Gloves often raise the ire of many baseball fans. Critics claim the best fielders are overlooked in favor of more popular players, and further insist that better hitters get a break in the voting.

Hunter and Sizemore earned $100,000 bonuses in their contracts for winning Gold Gloves.

Beltre and Suzuki got $50,000 each, and Pena, Mauer and Young won $25,000 apiece. Neither Mussina nor Pedroia had a Gold Glove clause.

SURE HANDED

(Gold Glove winners by position, with name and team)

P--Mike Mussina, New York

C--Joe Mauer, Minnesota

1B--Carlos Pena, Tampa Bay

2B--Dustin Pedroia, Boston

3B--Adrian Beltre, Seattle

SS--Michael Young, Texas

OF--Torii Hunter, Los Angeles

OF--Grady Sizemore, Cleveland

OF--Ichiro Suzuki, Seattle

From the Friday, November 07, 2008 edition of the Augusta Chronicle
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