The 2012 Gold Glove Awards will be announced Tuesday night in a nationally televised event on ESPN. For the first time in the 55-year history of the awards, three finalists were announced at each of the 18 positions, nine in each league. The Los Angeles Dodgers had five finalists, including Matt Kemp and Clayton Kershaw.
Kemp won a Gold Glove in 2009, and is one of three Dodgers center fielders to capture the honor, joining Willie Davis (1971-1973) and Steve Finley (2004). Fellow outfielder Andre Ethier is a finalist for right field, and is looking to join Raul Mondesi (1995, 1997) as the only Dodgers right fielders to win Gold Gloves.
Kershaw and Hiroki Kuroda give the Dodgers two of the three finalists at pitcher. Kershaw has a shot at becoming the second Dodgers pitcher to win a Gold Glove and Cy Young Award in the same season, joining Orel Hershiser (1988). The other pitchers in baseball history to accomplish that feat are Bob Gibson (1968, 1970), Jim Palmer (1976), Bret Saberhagen (1989), and Greg Maddux (1992-1995).
James Loney is a finalist for first base, looking to become the first Dodgers first baseman to win a Gold Glove since Steve Garvey in 1977. Garvey (1974-1977) is one of three Dodgers first basemen to win Gold Gloves, joining Wes Parker (1967-1972) and Gil Hodges (1957-1959).
Be sure to read True Blue LA for an in-depth look at the Dodgers and their Gold Glove history.