Snow’s Latest Catch Brings a Gold Glove : Baseball: Angel first baseman wins his first fielding award, beating the Yankees’ Mattingly. Langston wins for seventh time.

It took a near-flawless season for Angel first baseman J.T. Snow to wrestle the Gold Glove award from New York Yankee Don Mattingly, who had won nine of the last 10 Gold Gloves as the American League’s top defensive first baseman.

Angel pitcher Mark Langston and Toronto outfielder Devon White each won their seventh Gold Gloves Monday, and Seattle outfielder Ken Griffey Jr. won his sixth. Major league managers and coaches vote for the awards, which are presented by Rawlings.

Snow ranked third among AL first basemen with a .997 fielding percentage, committing only four errors in 1,222 total chances in 143 games. Mattingly, who had won the Gold Glove from 1985-89 and 1991-94, had seven errors in 1,084 total chances in 125 games for a .994 fielding percentage.

Kansas City’s Wally Joyner had a .998 fielding percentage and Baltimore’s Rafael Palmeiro had a .997 mark, but the award is based on overall play, not just statistics.

Snow made numerous diving stabs of grounders, was adept at digging low throws out of the dirt and established himself as one of baseball’s best at tracking down popups in foul territory.

In fact, Snow said his top two defensive plays this season were over-the-shoulder diving catches of foul popups, one in Toronto and one in Chicago.

“It’s pretty exciting,” said Snow, a former Los Alamitos High School three-sport standout. “I didn’t expect to win. [Mattingly] had won for so many years in a row, but getting out there and playing every day gave me the chance. It’s nice recognition.”

Langston had a sub-par defensive year statistically, committing three errors in 48 chances for a .938 fielding percentage, which ranked 29th among AL pitchers. But the left-hander has few peers when it comes to fielding grounders and bunts and starting double plays.

Rounding out the Gold Glove team are Toronto second baseman Roberto Alomar, Cleveland shortstop Omar Vizquel, Yankee third baseman Wade Boggs, Texas catcher Ivan Rodriguez and Cleveland outfielder Kenny Lofton.

Alomar, Boggs, Griffey, Vizquel and White will each receive $50,000 bonuses from their respective teams for winning the award; Lofton and Rodriguez will receive $25,000 each.