University of Tennessee Athletics
Helton Wins Second Consecutive NL Gold Glove at First Base
November 14, 2002 | Baseball
Nov. 14, 2002
ST. LOUIS (AP) - Former Tennessee All-America Todd Helton won the Rawlings Gold Glove Awards on Thursday for defensive excellence as recognized by Major League managers and coaches. It was the second straight Gold Glove for Helton.
Helton, who led the league with 1,477 total chances, was among the league leaders with a .995 fielding percentage.
The greatest measure of fielding excellence since 1957, the prestigious Rawlings Gold Glove Award is presented annually to eighteen players, one for each position, in both the National and American Leagues.
These outstanding players are selected as the best fielding players at their respective positions by Major League coaches and managers prior to the conclusion of the regular season. Managers and coaches may not select players from their own club and only vote for players in their own league.
Atlanta righthander Greg Maddux won his 13th straight Gold Glove, and St.
Louis Cardinals players won four of the nine National League awards Thursday.
Maddux, who extended his own NL record for pitchers, moved within three of the
overall record, held by Jim Kaat. Maddux, who has won 10 of his Gold Gloves
with the Braves, became a free agent after the World Series.
Cardinals second baseman Fernando Vina, shortstop Edgar Renteria, third baseman
Scott Rolen and outfielder Jim Edmonds all were winners.
Edmonds has won three straight NL Gold Gloves after winning three in the AL
with Anaheim. Vina repeated at second base, and Rolen, acquired from Philadelphia
during the season, won for the third straight year and fourth time overall.
Renteria replaced Montreal's Orlando Cabrera at shortstop.
Houston's Brad Ausmus repeated at catcher, and Colorado's Todd Helton repeated at first base.
Edmonds was joined in the outfield by Colorado's Larry Walker, who won his seventh Gold Glove, and Atlanta's Andruw Jones, who won his fifth in a row.
AL winners will be announced today.
2002 National League Gold Glove winners
Greg Maddux Atlanta Braves P
Brad Ausmus Houston Astros C
Todd Helton Colorado Rockies 1B
Fernando Vi?a St. Louis Cardinals 2B
Scott Rolen St. Louis Cardinals 3B
Edgar Renteria St. Louis Cardinals SS
Andruw Jones Atlanta Braves OF
Larry Walker Colorado Rockies OF
Jim Edmonds St. Louis Cardinals OF
