Molina adds Platinum Glove Award to collection
Cardinals catcher becomes first three-time award winner
ST. LOUIS -- Three days after winning his seventh consecutive Gold Glove, Yadier Molina became the first three-time Platinum Glove Award winner. The Platinum Gloves, which Rawlings has been presenting since 2011, are given to the top fielders in both the National and American Leagues.
Royals outfielder Alex Gordon took home the AL honors, while Molina was deemed the NL's best. The winners are determined through a combination of fan voting and SABR Defensive Index.
Molina has now won three of the four NL Platinum Gloves ever presented. He took home the award in '11 and '12 before falling just percentage points behind Atlanta's Andrelton Simmons in '13. Molina was presented with this third Platinum Glove at Friday night's Gold Glove Award ceremony at The Plaza Hotel in New York.
Video: Yadier Molina wins seventh straight Gold Glove Award
The award only further cements Molina's claim to being the game's best defensive catcher. With his latest Gold Glove Award, Molina joined Bob Boone (seven), Johnny Bench (10) and Ivan Rodriguez (13) as the only catchers to win the award at least seven times. Molina is one of four Cardinals players to win seven consecutive Gold Gloves.
Though Molina missed seven weeks due to a thumb injury in '14, he finished the year with eight Defensive Runs Saved and a Major League-best caught stealing percentage of 48.