Brandon Phillips & Joey Votto win Rawlings Gold Glove Awards

Joey Votto and Brandon Phillips deservedly won Rawlings Gold Glove Awards yesterday, with Jay Bruce narrowly missing out for the second year in a row so that MLB could award Andre Ethier with the Gold.

It was the 3rd award of such to be awarded to Phillips in four years. The Gold Glove was Joey Votto’s first.

“Defense wins games,” Phillips said. “I go out and catch the ball the best way I know how. . . The baseball field is my coliseum. I go out and entertain the fans.”

Phillips was happy for his teammate.

“Joey really worked his butt off on defense,” Phillips said. “That was our goal. We wanted ot for each other.”

Votto released this statement:

“I’d like to thank the managers and coaches who selected me. It always means a tremendous amount to be selected by your superiors for any award, especially for one of this magnitude. I’d also like to thank the Reds’ coaching staff for their help, with a special mention to bench coach Chris Speier.

“My infield teammates were an inspiration to me, and both Brandon Phillips and Scott Rolen are two players I strive to emulate and keep up with defensively. This award, of all awards I’ve won in the past, has special meaning to me. When I first started playing professional baseball I was without a position. For my first half season in the minor leagues, I was essentially a professional DH. To have come this far through hard work, perseverance and the willingness to learn is something I will always be proud of. Defense is a part of the game that can always be improved upon, and to have come as far as I have, I am an example of that.”

The AP accidentally leaked the awards a bit early.