Rangers Third Baseman Adrian Beltre named winner of fourth career Rawlings Gold Glove Award

Texas Rangers third baseman Adrian Beltre has been selected the winner of the 2012 Rawlings Gold Glove Award at his position, as announced this evening by the Rawlings Sporting Goods Company.  It is his second straight and fourth career Rawlings Gold Glove Award.

The Rawlings Gold Gloves are presented for defensive excellence in voting conducted by American League managers and coaches.  Staff members may not vote for players on their own teams.

Beltre is the first Ranger to win back-to-back Gold Glove Awards since Mark Teixeira (first base) in 2005-06.  The only other Texas player to win a Gold Glove Award at third base was Rangers Hall of Famer Buddy Bell, who took the honors in six consecutive seasons from 1979-84.  Beltre is just the 7th different player to win multiple Gold Glove Awards with Texas, one of just 4 to do it at a position other than pitcher or catcher: Bell (6 at third base), Alex Rodriguez (2 at shortstop), and Teixeira (2 at first base).  Bell was also the only other Ranger to win the Gold Glove in each of his first two seasons with Texas.

Beltre has now won the American League Gold Glove at third base in four of the last six years (also 2007 and 2008 with Seattle).  Beltre is the 12th third baseman (both leagues) to win the award at least four times in a career, one of six players to do it in the American League.  The others in the A.L.: Brooks Robinson (16), Buddy Bell (6), Eric Chavez (6), Robin Ventura (5), and Gary Gaetti (4).

Beltre led the American League with a .974 fielding percentage (8 E/312 TC), the second-best figure of his career (.978 in 2004).  He committed league and career-low 8 errors for the year, fewest errors by any A.L. third baseman with at least 125 starts since 2006, when Boston’s Mike Lowell and Oakland’s Eric Chavez both pulled the trick.  Beltre’s last error this season came on August 26 vs. Minnesota, as he played his final 26 games at third base without a miscue (64 total chances).

Texas has now had a Gold Glove winner in two straight and three of the last six seasons (2007-12), this after a Rangers player was on the Gold Glove Team for 16 consecutive years from 1992-2006.  Shortstop Elvis Andrus and leftfielder David Murphy were both finalists in this year’s Gold Glove balloting.  The club has still not had an outfielder win the award since Gary Pettis in 1990, with last shortstop being Michael Young in 2008.

Beltre is now eligible for the 2012 American League Rawlings Platinum Glove Award™, which he received in 2011, the first year that was presented.

Voting for the Rawlings Platinum Glove Award™ fan vote begins at the conclusion of the ESPN2 announcement show telecast at www.rawlings.com, allowing the general public to weigh in as to who is “The Finest in the Field®” in each League.  To determine the Rawlings Platinum Glove Award winners, fans can only select one player among the 2012 Rawlings Gold Glove Award winners from each League. Voting continues until 11:00 a.m. CT on Tuesday, November 6.

The Rawlings Platinum Glove Award winners will be unveiled during the 2012 Rawlings Gold Glove Award Ceremony presented by Gold Sport Collectibles on Friday, November 9, 2012, at The Plaza Hotel in New York City.