Rays Pitcher Jeremy Hellickson has been named the co-winner of the Rawlings American League Gold Glove Award at pitcher, along with Jake Peavy of the Chicago White Sox.  It marks the fifth time a Rays player has won a Gold Glove, and the first by a Rays pitcher.  Previous Rays to win a Gold Glove include outfielder Carl Crawford (2010), third baseman Evan Longoria (2009, 2010) and first baseman Carlos Peña (2008).

Hellickson attributed a strong organizational culture that focuses on defense as one of the main factors in helping him achieve this honor.

"Our team as a whole takes pride in our defense, so it's an awesome award to win," Hellickson said, according to Marc Topkin of the Tampa Bay Times. "Especially how hard we work on our defense and how much time we put into it."

Hellickson was thankful when finding out about winning the award but was honest in his response about where his priorities lie.

"It still hasn't set in," Hellickson said. "I'd much rather have been playing this last month, but this is a pretty cool award to win."

This is the first time two pitchers have been named co-winners of the Gold Glove Award, and the third time a tie has occurred at any position.  In 2007, four National League outfielders were chosen, and in 1985, four AL outfielders were honored.
 
Hellickson, who was named the 2011 AL Rookie of the Year, becomes the second pitcher in major league history to win both a Rookie of the Year Award and a Gold Glove Award, joining Fernando Valenzuela of the Los Angeles Dodgers (1982 NL Rookie of the Year, 1986 NL Gold Glove).
 
Hellickson wins the award in only his third major league season, and second full season.  Since the Gold Glove was first awarded in 1957, he becomes the first pitcher in the majors to win the Gold Glove within his first three seasons.  Three pitchers have previously won the award in their fourth season: Jim Kaat (Minnesota Twins, 1962), Mark Langston (Seattle Mariners, 1987) and Clayton Kershaw (Dodgers, 2011).
 
At 25 years old, Hellickson is the youngest AL pitcher to win the award since Bret Saberhagen (25) of the Kansas City Royals in 1989.  
 
Left fielder Desmond Jennings was the only other Ray to be named a Gold Glove Award nominee this season.