All Hail Chavy, Again | East Bay Express | Oakland, Berkeley & Alameda

Oakland A’s resident hunk and third-baseman Eric Cesar Chavez won his sixth consecutive Gold Glove, it was announced today. Gold Gloves are awarded to the top fielders at each position in the American and National Leagues after each season. Chavez, who made $9.5 million this year and is signed with the A’s through 2010, had one of his best defensive seasons in 2006, committing just five errors in 134 games. And did we mention that chicks dig him? The full press release after the jump.

OAKLAND, Calif. – Oakland Athletics third baseman Eric Chavez won his sixth consecutive Rawlings Gold Glove Award as announced today by the Rawlings Sporting Goods Company Inc., the official supplier to Major League Baseball and the number one brand in baseball gloves.

The greatest measure of fielding excellence since 1957, the prestigious Rawlings Gold Glove Award is presented annually to 18 players, one from each position, in both the American and National Leagues. These outstanding players are selected as the best fielding players at their respective positions by Major League coaches and managers prior to the conclusion of the regular season. Managers and coaches may not select players from their own club and only vote for players in their own league.

Chavez, 28, is the seventh Athletic player and the franchise’s lone third baseman to win the Rawlings Gold Glove Award. He is the fourth A’s player to win multiple Gold Glove Awards, joining outfielders Dwayne Murphy (6) and Joe Rudi (3) along with pitcher Mike Norris (2).

With this year’s selection, Chavez becomes just the third American League third baseman to win six or more Gold Gloves, joining Brooks Robinson (16) and Buddy Bell (6) and he is one of six third basemen in Major League history to win six or more Gold Gloves, along with Mike Schmidt (10), Robin Ventura (6) and Scott Rolen (6 entering 2006).

Chavez turned in his finest defensive season in 2006, as he led the Major Leagues and set an Oakland record for fielding percentage by a third baseman as he committed just five errors in 134 games at third for a .987 fielding percentage (391 total chances). He shattered the previous mark of .980, set by Carney Lansford in 1987. The 2006 season marked the second time Chavez led the American League in fielding percentage and it was the fourth best fielding mark by a third baseman in AL history and the second best mark by an Athletic to Hank Majeski’s .988 fielding percentage with Philadelphia in 1947.

Chavez also led AL third basemen with an Oakland-record 43 double plays, which were three shy of the Athletics club record set by Sammy Hale in 1927. His 43 double plays were the most by an AL third baseman since Gary Gaetti had 46 for Minnesota in 1983.

He also set an Oakland record for consecutive errorless games by a third baseman with a 65-game streak from May 1 to August 4, breaking the previous mark of 59 set by Mike Gallego from May 11, 1985 to May 15, 1990. Chavez handled 215 chances without an error during the streak.

Chavez has appeared in 1,122 career games at third base for the A’s, which is the second highest total in franchise history to Sal Bando, who played in 1,395 games at third with Oakland and 1,446 total in an A’s uniform.

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