News
Astros trio nominated for TYIB Awards
Fans can vote for Bourn, Matsui, Fulchino until Dec. 11
By Brian McTaggart / MLB.com
11/25/09 5:00 PM EST
HOUSTON -- The streak-of-lightning speed of center fielder Michael Bourn, the slick fielding of second baseman Kaz Matsui and the spacious jersey of reliever Jeff Fulchino have the Astros trio in contention for two of MLB.com's This Year in Baseball Awards.
Bourn, who won his first Rawlings Gold Glove earlier this month, and Matsui are two of 10 players up for Defensive Player of the Year, and Fulchino's bizarre play that saw a batted ball get stuck in his jersey is a contender for the Oddity of the Year.
The ballot boxes will close at 6:59 p.m. CT on Dec. 11. In 2008, a record 12 million votes were cast for the TYIB Awards, and that figure could be surpassed this time around as fans weigh in on the year's top hitter, pitcher, moments and more. The results of the voting will be revealed during the week of Dec. 14-18.
Bourn is the first Astros player to win a Gold Glove since catcher Brad Ausmus in 2006 and he's only the second Houston outfielder to win the award. He finished the season with 11 outfield assists, ranking him tied for fifth in the NL.
His signature catch came in a June 11 game against the Cubs in which he sprinted back to the warning track on Micah Hoffpauir's fly ball to center. Bourn began backpedaling as he went up the hill and fell down just as the ball landed in his glove, 420 feet from home plate.
On July 10 against Washington, he became the first Astros center fielder since 2000 to record two assists in a game by throwing out a pair of runners at home plate.
Matsui played in a career-high 132 games last season and posted the second-best fielding percentage among all NL second basemen at .991, which was also the second-highest fielding percentage for a second baseman in a single season in Astros history (Bill Doran's .992 in 1987 is record).
Matsui committed only six errors in 658 total chances and helped turn a career-high 99 double plays, the third-most among NL second basemen and seventh-most by an Astros second baseman in a single season.
Competing with Bourn and Matsui for the award are Los Angeles Angels outfielder Torii Hunter, Baltimore third baseman Melvin Mora, Colorado shortstop Troy Tulowitzki, Boston outfielder Jacoby Ellsbury, Baltimore outfielder Adam Jones, St. Louis catcher Yadier Molina, Philadelphia shortstop Jimmy Rollins and Washington third baseman Ryan Zimmerman.
Fulchino found himself on the highlights July 28 when a one-hopper hit to the mound by Chicago's Kosuke Fukudome at Wrigley Field disappeared into the burly reliever's jersey. Fulchino searched frantically for the ball for a few seconds before pulling it out of his jersey with a smile on his face.
Brian McTaggart is a reporter for MLB.com. This story was not subject to the approval of Major League Baseball or its clubs.
