NEW YORK, 6 November 2003 — Four members of the Seattle Mariners and former Mariner shortstop Alex Rodriguez were selected as American League Gold Glove winners Tuesday.
Ichiro Suzuki won his third award in as many years with the Mariners and is joined in the outfield by teammate Mike Cameron, who was selected for the second time in three seasons. The right side of the infield is comprised of Mariners for the second straight year with John Olerud at first base and Bret Boone at second base. Olerud and Boone have won three awards apiece.
Rodriguez spent his first six seasons with the Mariners and never won a Gold Glove. But he now has won back-to-back awards with the Texas Rangers after ending Omar Vizquel’s nine-year reign at the position.
“This is the ultimate award because defense is the No. 1 way to win championships,” said Rodriguez, who committed just eight errors in 699 total chances and led all major league shortstops with a .989 fielding percentage. Seven of the nine 2002 recipients repeated this year, with Cameron and New York Yankees pitcher Mike Mussina joining the party. Mussina captured his sixth career award.
Outfielder Torii Hunter of the Minnesota Twins and third baseman Raul Chavez of the Oakland Athletics each won the award for the third straight season.
Catcher Bengie Molina of the Anaheim Angels ended Ivan Rodriguez’s 10-year streak in 2002 and repeated as a Gold Glove winner this season.
Molina ranked second in the league in caught stealing percentage, nailing 31-of-76 runners attempting to steal. He committed just five errors in 117 games before missing the final month of the season with a fractured left wrist.
