Bourn highlights Astros' awards season

HOUSTON -- Astros center fielder Michael Bourn has followed up a terrific season on the field with a banner season off the field, winning two major awards in his second season roaming the spacious outfield at Minute Maid Park.

Bourn last week became only the second Astros outfielder to win a Rawlings Gold Glove for his stellar defensive play, and earlier in the offseason he was named the team's Most Valuable Player by the Houston Chapter of the Baseball Writers' Association of America.

"It's a good honor," Bourn said of his Gold Glove. "I was excited when I heard the news. I was looking around at the people that were also named as Gold Glove [winners] and it was a really good list of players to be around. I'm amazed by it and excited at the same time."

Bourn, 26, is the first Astros player to win a Gold Glove since catcher Brad Ausmus, who took home the previous three Houston awards in 2001, '02 and '06. He's the second Astros outfielder to win the award, joining five-time winner Cesar Cedeno (1972-76).

"It comes as no surprise," Astros general manager Ed Wade said. "It's a tremendous honor for Michael and well-deserved. He makes center field seem awfully small when he's out there, and I don't think you really appreciate what he does defensively until you see somebody else out there and realize how big our ballpark and other ballparks are.

"He covers a tremendous amount of ground, is a great athlete and has great instincts and never takes anything for granted. We're fortunate to have him, and I'm happy that his peers have recognized him for what I assume will be many Gold Gloves."

Bourn had a breakout season at the plate, too, hitting .285 with a .354 on-base percentage and leading the NL with 61 stolen bases, which was four shy of the club record. Bourn, who hit .353 with runners in scoring position, is the first Astros center fielder to win a team MVP since Lance Berkman in 2002.

Jeff Bagwell (1994) is the only Houston player to win the NL Most Valuable Player, but Berkman has finished in the top-seven on five different occasions -- fifth in 2001, third in '02, seventh in '04, third in '06 and fifth in '08, the last year an Astros player has finished in the voting.

In addition to Bourn, the BBWAA voted left-hander Wandy Rodriguez as the team's Pitcher of the Year and reliever Jeff Fulchino as Rookie of the Year. Veteran right-hander Brian Moehler won the Darryl Kile Good Guy Award, which is given to a player who exhibits good character.

Rodriguez set career highs in wins (14), innings pitched (205 2/3) and strikeouts (193) while posting a career-best 3.02 ERA. He was eighth in the NL in ERA, tied for 12th in wins and tied for eighth in strikeouts. Among left-handers, he was tied for first in strikeouts and had the third-best ERA.

The Astros haven't had a player finish in the NL Cy Young voting since Roy Oswalt was fourth in 2006, and they haven't had a winner since Roger Clemens in '04. Mike Scott (1986) is the only other Astros player to win the award.

Fulchino, 29, went 6-4 with a 3.40 ERA in 61 relief appearances and led all Houston relievers in wins, innings pitched and strikeouts. He was tied for second in the NL in relief wins and ranked third in innings pitched in his first full year of Major League service time.

Fulchino didn't receive any votes for NL Rookie of the Year. Bagwell (1991) is the only Astros' player to win the NL Rookie of the Year Award, and Hunter Pence (third in 2007) is the last Houston player to get Rookie of the Year votes.