Ichiro wins 9th straight AL Gold Glove award

Seattle Mariners right fielder Ichiro and Los Angeles Angels center fielder Torii Hunter received Gold Gloves for the ninth straight year in the American League on Tuesday.

Hunter and Ichiro, who won his 9th straight AL Gold Glove, are one shy of the AL record for outfielders, shared by Ken Griffey Jr. and Hall of Famer Al Kaline.

Derek Jeter won his fourth Gold Glove at shortstop, joining New York Yankees teammate and first baseman Mark Teixeira among the AL players honored for fielding excellence.

First-time winners included Tampa Bay third baseman Evan Longoria, Baltimore outfielder Adam Jones and Chicago White Sox pitcher Mark Buehrle.

Minnesota catcher Joe Mauer and Detroit second baseman Placido Polanco each earned their second award.

Rawlings has presented Gold Gloves annually since 1957. Managers and coaches vote on players in their own leagues before the regular season ends, but they may not select members of their own teams.

National League winners will be announced on Wednesday.

It's been a year to remember for Jeter, who combined with Teixeira to help lead the Yankees past Philadelphia last week for the team's 27th World Series title.

In addition to his fifth championship, Jeter also took home the Roberto Clemente Award for excellence on the field and in the community, and his second Hank Aaron Award as the AL's top hitter. In September, he broke Lou Gehrig's club record for hits.

The Gold Glove is perhaps the biggest surprise. Jeter, who turned 35 in June, enjoyed one of his best defensive seasons after years of criticism for a lack of range.

A 10-time All-Star, Jeter won three consecutive Gold Gloves from 2004-06. But detractors pointed to modern fielding stats that indicated his defense didn't warrant such accolades. They said it was his bat that brought on the attention -- and the New York spotlight.

This season, Jeter made a career-low eight errors and matched his personal best with a .986 fielding percentage, both ranking at the top of the AL charts. He anchored an outstanding Yankees infield as New York set a major league record by going 18 games without an error from May 14 to June 1.

"Playing championship-caliber baseball starts with pitching and defense, and I think those two components were certainly the foundation for our success in 2009," Jeter said.

Teixeira played a big part in New York's title, too.

In his first season with the Yankees after signing a $180 million, eight-year contract, Teixeira impressed with his reliable glove as well as his powerful bat. He saved runs with diving stops, nimble stretches and tough scoops. Teammates and opponents alike pointed to his substantial effect on the club's overall defense.

A Gold Glove winner in 2005 and '06 with Texas, Teixeira committed just four errors this year and had a .997 fielding percentage.

"Solid defense is the most underrated component of winning baseball, but it is something I have always taken pride in," Teixeira said. "Winning a third Gold Glove means a lot to me, especially when good defense helped our entire team reach the ultimate goal of a world championship."

Hunter receives a $100,000 bonus for winning the Gold Glove, while Ichiro gets $50,000. Buehrle, Longoria, Mauer and Polanco each earned $25,000.

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AP Sports Writer Ronald Blum contributed to this report.

© Wire reports