Youkilis Wins Gold Glove
Augusta, GA – It’s not easy playing 135 errorless games, however that is exactly what former Augusta GreenJacket Kevin Youkilis did for the Boston Red Sox in 2007, earning him a Rawlings Gold Glove. It was Youkilis’ first Gold Glove in his four year Major League career and he did it without committing an error in 1,094 innings.
Just a few weeks removed from celebrating the Red Sox second World Series Championship in four years, Youkilis got word of being selected the American League Rawlings Gold Glove Award Winner at first base.
Youkilis played the majority of his minor league career at third base, including his two stints in Augusta when he played for the GreenJackets. To be precise, Youkilis did not make the switch to a full time first baseman until last season.
Youkilis became the first Red Sox player to win a Gold Glove since Jason Varitek in 2005. The Red Sox first baseman was the only one in both the National and American League to finish with as many as 1,080 errorless chances at first base. To compare, the Royals Ryan Shealy was second with 432.
Youkilis has played an AL-record 190 straight games at first base without an error, three short of the Major League record set by Steve Garvey from 1983-85.
Youkilis played part of the 2001 and 2002 seasons with the GreenJackets while in the Red Sox farm system. Since baseball returned to Augusta in 1988, 89 players have come through Augusta that have eventually made it to the Major Leagues and Youkilis is the first to win a Gold Glove.
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