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Gold Glove Winners and the Gloves they Wear (American League)

Altuve Gold Glove

And now for part two of our Gold Glove run-down, here are your American League Gold Glovers.

American League

C Salvador Perez, Royals
1B Eric Hosmer, Royals
2B Jose Altuve, Astros
3B Manny Machado, Orioles
SS Alcides Escobar, Royals
LF Yoenis Cespedes, Tigers
CF Kevin Kiermaier, Rays
RF Kole Calhoun, Angels
P Dallas Keuchel, Astros

Funny, back in July everyone was up in arms about Royals fans stuffing the ballot boxes to get their guys the starting nod in the All-Star Game.  Then the Royals went and won the World Series and are snatching up postseason awards like nobody’s business and it makes you wonder, were the fans that far off?  This Royals team is clearly an all-around brickhouse of a squad.  They have no weaknesses—especially not defensively.  Alcides Escobar, Eric Hosmer, and Salvador Perez all got the hardware to show for it, while Lorenzo Cain has shown time and time again that he is one of the best center fielders in baseball.  As deserving as all of these guys are, I don’t really see why corner outfield positions MUST be rewarded individually and not just overall outfield.  No offense to Kole Calhoun, but if its between him and Lorenzo Cain in right field, its not a competition.  Cain is the guy.  Under those rules, the Royals very well could have had four Gold Glovers, not including Alex Gordon who didn’t win this year but takes the left fielder’s award annually when healthy.

Salvador Perez

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Rawlings Heart of the Hide PROSP13B

Salvador Perez converted to Rawlings from All-Star this season.  He moved through a couple of models and settled on this FULLY custom PROSP13B that is basically a carbon copy of his All-Star version.  Three-time Gold Glovers get what they want.  Click the image below for more on that one.

[product id=”34344″]

Eric Hosmer (3rd selection)

Eric-Hosmer1

Rawlings Heart of the Hide PRODCTSL-125 First Base Mitt

Eric Hosmer’s first base mitt doesn’t have the same shine as it did in the glove day photo above.  Hosmer has beaten it up pretty good, and that’s just how the three-time Gold Glover likes it.  To the first basemen out there, do you prefer your mitt floppy or stiff?

[product id=”5373″]

Jose Altuve (1st selection)

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Wilson A2000 1786

One of the best all-around ballplayers in the game today, Altuve wears one of WPW’s most popular customs from Wilson.  The A2000 1786 is also one of the most popular patterns among Big League second basemen, and Altuve’s is available to his specs at the link.

[product id=”31900″]

Manny Machado (2nd selection)

Photo: Keith Allison

Rawlings Heart of the Hide PRONP5

Towards the end of the year, Manny Machado went to the glove you see above, the jack-o-lantern PRONP5 with Gold Labels.  Aside from this one, Machado was picking it with both a pink-labeled Rawlings with his wife’s name, “Yainee Machado” as well as a Marucci this year.

[product id=”33248″]

Alcides Escobar (1st selection)

alcides-escobar-glove
alcides-escobar-rawlings-propl217jb-glove
alcides-escobar-rawlings-glove

Rawlings Heart of the Hide PROPL217JB

Alcides can’t tear himself away from the Pro Mesh he’s been wearing for a few seasons now, and who can blame him?  The mesh makes his lightning-quick hands even quicker.

[product id=”34133″]

Yoenis Cespedes (1st selection)

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Rawlings Pro Preferred PROJD-6K

Cespedes won a Gold Glove for his work in Detroit, where he led AL left fielders in range factor and, despite being traded on July 31, still finished second in the AL with nine left field assists.  He wore a navy/orange PROJD-6K with the Tigers then a royal/orange stunner with the Mets.

[product id=”32478″]

Kevin Kiermaier (1st selection)

Rawlings Heart of the Hide PRO303-6JBT

Rawlings Heart of the Hide PRO303-6JBT

Rawlings Heart of the Hide PRO303-6JBT

Same glove as Marte’s, even better results.  Kiermaier talks about some things that make him great in this Fangraphs article.  If you’re an outfielder, get out your pen and paper.

[product id=”34375″]

Kole Kalhoun (1st selection)

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Rawlings Pro Preferred PRO442

We had a good look at Calhoun’s glove at a game earlier this year.  We got a great look (and feel) at just how caked on that pine tar is on the outside of the glove.  In colder/drier weather or if there is dew on the grass, guys can rub their throwing hand on that for a sure grip.

Dallas Keuchel (2nd selection)

Dallas-Keuchel1

Rawlings Pro Preferred PROS12-4K w/ Gold Labels

Keuchel wears a 12.5″ Modified Trap similar to the one above, but with Gold Labels.

The brand distribution for the American League winners is identical to the National League.  Eight of nine wear Rawlings and one Wilson.  And even more interestingly, its the second basemen (Altuve and Gordon) that are the only non-Rawlings wearers.  We know from our own research that, as far as brand usage goes, Wilson leads Rawlings at the second base position.  This is the only position led by a brand other than Rawlings, so its no surprise that Wilson two-baggers took the award.  Nonetheless, Rawlings going 16 for 18 is the story here.  That’s straight ownership.

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