Zimmerman wins first Gold Glove

NEW YORK (AP) — That travel team back in Virginia a decade ago must have played great defense on the left side of the infield.

Ryan Zimmerman succeeded boyhood friend David Wright as the National League’s Gold Glove third baseman on Wednesday. In high school, when Zimmerman was a shortstop, the two played together on a youth team.

“Hopefully if we’re lucky enough to continue doing what we’re doing, this will be a yearly thing,” Zimmerman said. “It’s fun for us.”

A college teammate from the University of Virginia, Arizona’s Mark Reynolds, is competing with Zimmerman for a Silver Slugger award, to be announced Thursday.

“We all push each other to work harder,” said Zimmerman, who had 33 homers and 106 RBIs.

Zimmerman led major league third basemen with 325 assists and became only the second Washington player to win the award, joining catcher Earl Battey of the original Senators in 1960. He also became the second infielder to win a Gold Glove from a team with the worst fielding percentage in the majors, following Texas shortstop Michael Young last year.

The Nationals led the major leagues with 143 errors.

Philadelphia shortstop Jimmy Rollins earned his third consecutive Gold Glove and Phillies center fielder Shane Victorino won for the second straight time.

St. Louis catcher Yadier Molina and San Diego first baseman Adrian Gonzalez also were second-time winners.

Adam Wainwright became the first Cardinals pitcher to win since Joaquin Andujar in 1984 and succeeded Greg Maddux, who won his record 18th Gold Glove last year. Wainwright also is a favorite for the NL Cy Young Award after going 19-8 with a 2.63 ERA.

Dodgers second baseman Orlando Hudson overcame a broken left wrist sustained in August 2008 and won for the fourth time, taking over from Cincinnati’s Brandon Phillips even though Hudson lost playing time by September to teammate Ronnie Belliard. Hudson didn’t make a single postseason start for Los Angeles, then became a free agent.

Houston outfielder Michael Bourn and Dodgers outfielder Matt Kemp also were first-time winners — and gave the NL three center fielders in the Gold Glove outfield.

Kemp had 14 assists, up from two in 2007.

Gonzalez, Molina, Rollins and Wainwright each earned $50,000 bonuses, and the price of Gonzalez’s 2011 club option increased by $100,000 to $5.7 million. Bourn and Victorino each earned $25,000 bonuses. Hudson and Kemp didn’t have bonus provisions in their contracts.

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