Yadier Molina is the best in the business behind the plate. (Benny Sieu-USA TODAY Sports)
St. Louis Cardinals catcher Yadier Molina received a Gold Glove on Tuesday for the seventh consecutive season, highlighting the start of baseball’s official awards season.
Three finalists were announced for each of the Baseball Writers’ Association of America awards for both leagues: Most Valuable Player, Cy Young Award, Rookie of the Year and Manager of the Year.
Among catchers, only Johnny Bench and Ivan Rodriguez have accumulated longer Gold Glove streaks than Molina’s. Bench won 10 National League honors in a row from 1968-77, while Rodriguez captured the American League award 10 years in a row from 1992-2001.
Rodriguez earned 13 Gold Gloves in all, while Bench ended up with 10. Molina has seven overall.
Repeat winners in the AL were Kansas City Royals left fielder Alex Gordon, first baseman Eric Hosmer and catcher Salvador Perez; Baltimore Orioles shortstop J.J. Hardy and center fielder Adam Jones; and Boston Red Sox second baseman Dustin Pedroia. Jones, Hardy and Gordon each won a third Gold Glove in a row.
Orioles right fielder Nick Markakis, a 2011 winner, captured his second Gold Glove, while Houston Astros pitcher Dallas Keuchel and Seattle Mariners third baseman Kyle Seager each won their first.
Repeat NL winners were Molina, Atlanta Braves shortstop Andrelton Simmons and Colorado Rockies third baseman Nolan Arenado, the latter two each winning a second overall. Rounding out the NL honorees were Los Angeles Dodgers first baseman Adrian Gonzalez, a three-time winner, and Braves right fielder Jason Heyward, a two-time winner, plus four first-time winners: Dodgers pitcher Zack Greinke, Rockies second baseman DJ LeMahieu, Miami Marlins left fielder Christian Yelich and New York Mets center fielder Juan Lagares.
Leading the list of BBWAA award nominees is Dodgers left-hander Clayton Kershaw, a shoo-in for the NL Cy Young Award and the front-runner for NL MVP. His MVP competition consists of Pittsburgh Pirates center fielder Andrew McCutchen and Miami Marlins right fielder Giancarlo Stanton. The other NL Cy Young candidates are Cincinnati Reds right-hander Johnny Cueto and Cardinals right-hander Adam Wainwright.
Reds center fielder Billy Hamilton, Mets right-hander Jacob deGrom and Cardinals second baseman Kolten Wong are the NL Rookie of the Year contenders. The San Francisco Giants’ Bruce Bochy, the Pirates’ Clint Hurdle and the Washington Nationals’ Matt Williams are the NL Manager of the Year finalists.
Vying for AL MVP are Los Angeles Angels center fielder Mike Trout, a two-time runner-up; Cleveland Indians left fielder Michael Brantley and Detroit Tigers designated hitter Victor Martinez. The AL Cy Young Award candidates are Mariners right-hander Felix Hernandez, Indians right-hander Corey Kluber and Chicago White Sox left-hander Chris Sale.
White Sox first baseman Jose Abreu, Angels right-hander Matt Shoemaker and New York Yankees right-handed reliever Dellin Betances are the AL Rookie of the Year finalists. The Orioles’ Buck Showalter, the Royals’ Ned Yost and the Angels’ Mike Scioscia are up for AL Manager of the Year.
