(Story by Marco Stoovelaar; Photos by Freek Bouw & Henk Seppen)
   Andrelton Simmons wins third Gold Glove Award
Nederlands
...Andrelton Simmons playing for...
...Los Angeles Angels in 2016...
(© Photo: Freek Bouw/Phrake Photography) |
 NEW YORK, New York (USA) -
Curaçao-born and raised Andrelton Simmons has won the third Rawlings Gold Glove Award in his Major League-career for the best short stop.
The winners were announced on Tuesday (November 7).
For the player of the Netherlands Kingdom Baseball Team, this was his first Gold Glove while playing for Los Angeles Angels.
He won his first two as player of Atlanta Braves.
The Gold Glove is handed out annually to the best defensive player for each position in both leagues.
Simmons was the lone Dutch player to be nominated this year.
The 28-year old short stop made his Major League-debut in 2012 and has been frequently praised for his defensive qualities ever since.
So far, Simmons has played in 780 games and committed only 63 errors in 3,540 chances.
The most errors he made in one season was 14, which happened three times and coincidentally was done in each of the three seasons in which he won a Gold Glove.
Simmons won back-to-back Gold Gloves in 2013 and 2014 while playing for Atlanta Braves with whom he made his big league-debut a year earlier.
In November 2015, Simmons was traded to Los Angeles Angels.
In 2013, Simmons also won the Platinum Glove for the best defensive player in the entire National League.
By winning his third Gold Glove, Simmons became only the third short stop in Major League-history to win the Award in both leagues.
The others are Omar Vizquel and Orlando Cabrera.
Vizquel won nine consecutive in 1993-2001, while playing for Cleveland Indians.
He then won two more in 2005 and 2006 when he played for San Francisco Giants.
Cabrera won his first Gold Glove in 2001 when he was with Montreal Expos.
He won his next one in 2007 when he played for Los Angeles Angels.
...Andrelton Simmons playing for the Netherlands Team...
...during the 2017 World Baseball Classic...
(© Photo: Henk Seppen) |
Andrelton Simmons played for the Netherlands National Team in the World Baseball Classic in 2013 and 2017.
In both events, the Orange-squad reached the Semi-Final.
Third baseman Nolan Arenado (Colorado Rockies), leftfielder Alex Gordon (Kansas City Royals) and rightfielder Jason Heyward (Chicago Cubs) won their fifth Gold Glove.
Pitcher Zack Greinke (Arizona Diamondbacks) and first baseman Eric Hosmer (Kansas City Royals) won their fourth Gold Glove.
Pitcher Marcus Stroman (Toronto Blue Jays), catchers Tucker Barnhart (Cincinnati Reds) and Martin Maldonado (Los Angeles Angels), second baseman Brian Dozier (Minnesota Twins), leftfielder Marcell Ozuna (Miami Marlins) and centerfielder Byron Buxton (Minnesota Twins) all won their first Gold Glove.
(November 7)
| Gold Glove Award Winners 2017 |
| National League | Pos. | American League |
| Zack Greinke (Diamondbacks) | P | Marcus Stroman (Blue Jays) |
| Tucker Barnhart (Reds) | C | Martin Maldonado (Angels) |
| Paul Goldschmidt (Diamondbacks) | 1B | Eric Hosmer (Royals) |
| DJ LeMahieu (Rockies) | 2B | Brian Dozier (Twins) |
| Nolan Arenado (Rockies) | 3B | Evan Longoria (Rays) |
| Brandon Crawford ((Giants) | SS | Andrelton Simmons (Angels) |
| Marcell Ozuna (Marlins) | LF | Alex Gordon (Royals) |
| Ender Inciarte (Braves) | CF | Byron Buxton (Twins) |
| Jason Heyward (Cubs) | RF | Mookie Betts (Red Sox) |
| 
