by Sports Xchange

Claiming the 20th Gold Glove in franchise history, Bourn, 26, became the club's first outfielder to earn the honor since Cesar Cedeno picked up his fifth in a row in 1976.

Bourn arrived in Houston with a solid defensive reputation when he was part of the November 2007 trade that sent Brad Lidge to the Phillies. He refined his defensive skills playing on the rough fields in the Dominican Republic winter league between the 2008 and 2009 seasons, he said.

He also worked often with longtime first base coach Jose Cruz, the club icon and former star outfielder who was stunned last month when Tal Smith and Ed Wade fired him from his coaching job and demoted him to a community-relations/part-time instructor role.

"He knew how to coach us because he played the game," Bourn said of Cruz, whose main coaching responsibility was working specifically with the outfielders. "That was the best attribute that he has."

No Astro had won a Gold Glove since Brad Ausmus got one in 2006, and only seven players have earned them in franchise history.