Rodriguez Wins 10th Gold Glove in a Row

Texas Ranger catcher Ivan Rodriguez won his 10th consecutive Gold Glove award Tuesday, tying his idol Johnny Bench for the most by a catcher.

“I can see him winning 12, 13, maybe as many as 14,” said Bench, the former Cincinnati star and Hall of Famer. “I don’t see why he would stop. He wants to be behind the plate. He thrives on it.”

The only thing that might stop Rodriguez’s streak is a position change. Wear and tear behind the plate has led some good-hitting catchers, like Bench, to switch positions to extend their careers.

Rodriguez joined Atlanta right-hander Greg Maddux, and Cleveland second baseman Roberto Alomar as Gold Glove record-setters.

Maddux extended his NL record for pitchers by winning his 12th consecutive Gold Glove. He trails only Jim Kaat, who won the award 16 times.

Alomar passed former Chicago Cub second baseman Ryne Sandberg with his 10th Gold Glove, the most for that position.

He was joined by his Cleveland double-play partner shortstop Omar Vizquel, who won for the ninth season in a row. Vizquel trails Ozzie Smith, who took the award 13 times.

Seattle’s Ichiro Suzuki and Mike Cameron earned two of the three AL outfield spots. Suzuki made only one error in his first major league season after coming over from Japan.

Torii Hunter of the Minnesota Twins filled out the AL outfield.

Mike Mussina, in his first season with the New York Yankees, was again chosen as the top pitcher in the American League. Mussina won four consecutive years (1996-99) before Texas’ Kenny Rogers broke his streak last season.

Minnesota first baseman Doug Mientkiewicz, and Oakland third baseman Eric Chavez round out the AL squad.

In the NL, the St. Louis Cardinals had two winners, outfielder Jim Edmonds and second baseman Fernando Vina. Edmonds won his second NL award in a row, after winning three with the Angels.

Colorado also had two players make the team. First baseman Todd Helton broke the run of San Francisco’s J.T. Snow, who won six in a row.

Helton’s teammate, Larry Walker, was joined in the outfield by Atlanta’s Andruw Jones, who won his fourth in a row.

Scott Rolen of the Philadelphia Phillies won for the third time--second consecutive--at third base.

Houston catcher Brad Ausmus and Montreal shortstop Orlando Cabrera also were honored in the NL.

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Outfielder Reggie Sanders and right-hander Albie Lopez took one day to enjoy the Arizona Diamondbacks’ World Series championship before joining 20 other major leaguers who filed for free agency.

Sterling Hitchcock and Luis Sojo became the sixth and seventh players from the AL champion New York Yankees to file.

Former Yankee pitcher David Cone, who won nine games with the Boston Red Sox last season, also made himself eligible, as did Cincinnati Red pitchers Jose Rijo, Pete Harnisch and Joey Hamilton and 11 Atlanta Braves, including catcher Javy Lopez and pitchers John Burkett and John Smoltz.

Left-hander Scott Radinsky signed a one-year deal worth $600,000 to return to the Cleveland Indians, the New York Mets exercised their option on outfielder Tsuyoshi Shinjo, agreeing to pay him $1.35 million for the 2002 season, and the Oakland Athletics declined the option on Ron Gant.

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Terry Pendleton, the NL MVP with Atlanta in 1991, was hired as the Braves’ hitting coach, replacing Merv Rettenmund. ... Tony Pena was hired as bench coach for the Houston Astros, who also kept four others, including pitching coach Burt Hooton, to complete their coaching staff.