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You know how Byron Buxton won the Rawlings Gold Glove last week? And then Wilson — Rawlings’ top competitor — announced that Byron Buxton was their Defensive Player of the Year yesterday? Well, Rawlings wasn’t having any of that, and awarded Buxton with a PLATINUM Glove Award last night (there was apparently a ceremony in New York and everything). I know it sounds fake, but apparently this is a real award Rawlings has been giving out since 2011, and not just an award they made up to give to Byron Buxton (though I also initially thought that was what this was). Apparently, the Rawlings Platinum Glove Award is given to the best defensive player, regardless of position, in each league?
Congrats to the National League #PlatinumGlove Award winner @Twins @OfficialBuck103! pic.twitter.com/Q6SBYAnmvO
— Rawlings Sports (@RawlingsSports) November 11, 2017
National League. American League. Same dif.
But, yeah, baseball glove companies — we get it. Byron Buxton makes very good use of your products.
There’s a perfectly reasonable explanation for Buxton getting both the Wilson and Rawlings awards, too — they are both based on numbers, which are roughly the same. Numbers don’t lie! The actual Gold Glove award is based on manager votes, though, which is different, but Buxton still handily won that. Look, Buxton is just really good at catching balls, and everyone (except maybe Rays fans) know it, okay?
Video time! I already used the Buxton defensive highlight video for the Gold Glove award post, and his interview with Torii Hunter for the Wilson award-y thingie post, so now you’re getting this:
Byron Buxton is the first Twins player to receive the Rawlings Platinum Glove Award, which, like I said, is a real thing and wasn’t just made up for Byron Buxton. Thank you.