http://www.chron.com/disp/story.mpl/front/4309066.html Ausmus wins NL Gold Glove By BRIAN MCTAGGART Copyright 2006 Houston Chronicle The Astros had a player win a Rawlings Gold Glove award for fielding excellence on Friday, but it wasnt shortstop Adam Everett. Brad Ausmus was recognized by major league coaches and managers as the top defensive catcher in the National League, taking home his third career Gold Glove award (2001 and 2002). Ausmus caught more innings and started more games at catcher than any pitcher in the NL this season and committed just two errors and one passed ball, which tied for the lowest in the majors among regular catchers. His .998 fielding percentage led all catchers. Ausmus, who is surfing in Mexico and unavailable for comment, threw out 12 of 72 runners who attempted to stealb Astros pitchers had a 3.80 ERA while he was behind the plate, the second-lowest for a catcher in the majors. Everett was considered one of the frontrunners for the award at shortstop. He committed only seven errors this season, including four in the final 101 games since May 29, and posted the fourth-best fielding percentage by a NL shortstop in a single season at .990. His 479 assists ranked third in the NL and fourth in the majors and helped the Astros lead in the NL in fielding with a .987 percentage. Other Astros to win the Gold Glove are third baseman Doug Rader (1970-74), outfielder Cesar Cedeno (1972-76), shortstop Roger Metzger (1973), first baseman Jeff Bagwell (1994) and second baseman Craig Biggio (1994-1997). The Gold Glove is present annually to 18 major league players, one for each position in both leagues, who are considered the best defenders at their positions by major league coaches and managers, who may not select players from their own club. brian.mctaggart@chron.com
Really now, Brian? Thanks for enlightening us. Nice to know Ausmus beat out a couple hundred pitchers for the NL Catchers' gold glove!
what a sham ... Ausmus couldn't throw anyone out this year at all. Adam definitely deserved it. The gold glove is meaningless.
I know. I was watching the awards on ESPNNEWS and they said Ausmus was only ahead of two other catchers in runners thrown out. He was ahead of mike piazza and some other guy, just because they didnt hav eenough attempts to qualify. As far as Everett is concerned, yeah vizquel has had a great defensive career, but I dont think he was any better this year that Adam was.
Wha-? Ausmus? A Gold Glove winner this year? Congrats, Brad. Way to leverage your past reputation for present gain.
hahah....well said my friend. a heartfelt congrats to the biggest travesty of a player i've ever seen. can't wait to watch you suck for 2 more years, or however much longer you tell the astros you want to play, loser!
As if Bradley was callin' up the Gold Glove commitee sayin' "Do you know who I am? I'm Brad ****in' Ausmus mother****er!"
Why didn't Yadier Molina win this? He's the best throwing catcher in the NL, and is damn crafty behind the plate.
Vizquel's fielding % was .993, and he had 4 errors. Everett's fielding % was .990, and he had 7 errors. In the case of Ausmus, it's the same thing. He only had 2 errors and had the highest fielding percentage of any NL catcher. Yet, Molina should have gotten the award. So, basically, one Astro got the benefit of the doubt, while the other was robbed. But hey, at least the reasoning was consistent.
Didn't see much of Molina; it's quite conceivable he's surpassed Ausmus as the best defensive catcher in the league. However, when I saw Ausmus this year he *still* puts on a clinic behind the dish. His footwork, the way he sets up, the way he receives the ball, uses his body to block the pitch rather than stabbing at it with the mitt (although I saw him do that once this year and of course the ball skipped away). Not to say Molina didn't deserve it; "reputation" gold gloves are all too common. Bagwell was robbed in such a manner, and I remember some folks arguing that there were more deserving candidates when Biggio won his last two.
Vizquel is still very good. But, if AE and Vizquel were on the same team, they would pull Vizquel in the 7th and insert AE as his defensive replacement. He's the Pujols of fielders, Shaq calls him the "Big Defensive" -- He's sort of like Shaq -- Shaq can dominate the game and get by without being a good free throw shooter. AE can dominate without being able to hit.
