The American League Golden Glove winners have been revealed, and once again, they're bound to spark some controversy.
| Position | Winner |
|---|---|
| Pitcher | Mark Buehrle |
| Catcher | Joe Mauer |
| First Base | Mark Teixeira |
| Second Base | Robinson Cano |
| Shortstop | Derek Jeter |
| Third Base | Evan Longoria |
| Outfield | Ichiro Suzuki |
| Outfield | Carl Crawford |
| Outfield | Franklin Gutierrez |
Look familiar? They should. Six of the ten are returning 2009 winners.
Despite the defense-first approach of the Red Sox this year, they came up empty-handed in the awards. This isn't necessarily surprising given the injuries suffered by players like Kevin Youkilis and Dustin Pedroia. Adrian Beltre was by far the Red Sox' best chance for an award, but he lost to Evan Longoria, likely thanks to the 19 errors he accrued over the course of the season. As a whole, his defense was certainly elite.
What's really going to catch some heat is Derek Jeter winning at shortstop. Again. I'm sure you've all heard the arguments against him by now, but there's a reason that they're made so often. As always, the award is more about having a good bat, a popular team, and making the flashy play than anything else.
At least this time most of the winners are good defenders. And, hey, Torii Hunter is nowhere to be seen after spending the last five years riding his reputation. Sometimes things do change!