Andrew McCutchen feels honoured as he wins his first NL Gold Glove Award – MLB News
Although 2012 was a mixed bag of surprises and disappointments for the Pittsburgh Pirates, the biggest surprise came in the form of outfielder Andrew McCutchen winning the Gold Glove Award, his first of his career.
The Gold Glove Award was decided by voting among managers and coaches, bringing in McCutchen’s name as one of the deserving winners. He has now become the seventh Pirates’ Gold Glove winner as outfielder.
The last time any Pirates' outfielder did this was back in 2008 when Nate McLouth brought glory for the club. Finishing second among the National League outfielders with a .997 fielding percentage, Andrew McCutchen remained one of the consistent players out there.
Remaining second in BA, R and SLG simultaneously (with .327, 70, and .553), third in OPS with .953, seventh in both HR and BB with 31 and .553, McCutchen was, beyond any shadow of doubt, one of the leading outfielders in the National League.
With the announcement of the Award, McCutchen expressed his delight on Twitter as he said, "Honored to have won the Gold Glove! To be a part of this elite class of defenders means so much to me. Hard work is paying off!"
It, however, remained a disappointing season for the Pirates even though the start was amazingly good. The Pirates went on to remain among the top three teams in the National League Central, seeming all prepared to make it to the post-season.
However, the second half of the season reversed the tide and led to the team’s collapse. The Pirates ended up fourth as the St. Louis Cardinals won the Wild Card berth while Milwaukee Brewers occupied the third spot.
However, among other things that were reassuring for the Pirates, it was McCutchen’s superb performance. Fast becoming a known face of the National League, great hopes and expectations are attached to this Pirates’ player.
"Well, that's what I was drafted for. That's what the Pirates saw in me," he had said during the team's final homestand of the season. "It definitely feels good to have the kind of year I had, but at the same time, I feel like I could have been more consistent than I was. The hardest thing in this game is to remain consistent through the course of a whole season."
By winning the first Gold Glove Award, McCutchen has made it to the elite group of players that have won glory not only individually but also as part of the team.
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