Three Win Fifth Straight Gold Gloves

Seattle outfielder Ichiro Suzuki , Minnesota outfielder Torii Hunter and Oakland third baseman Eric Chavez won their fifth straight Gold Gloves yesterday.

Boston catcher Jason Varitek , Texas first baseman Mark Teixeira and Toronto second baseman Orlando Hudson were first-time winners, while New York Yankees shortstop Derek Jeter and Toronto outfielder Vernon Wells won for the second straight season.

Texas pitcher Kenny Rogers won for the fourth time overall and second in a row.

Hudson was surprised he beat out Baltimore's Brian Roberts .

"I would have bet anything that he was going to win," Hudson said. "This has always been a goal of mine, so I've accomplished one of my goals already."

NL Gold Glove winners will be announced today. . . .

Pat Gillick will become the Philadelphia Phillies' new general manager, a baseball official told the Associated Press last night. The official spoke on condition of anonymity because an announcement is not scheduled until possibly today. . . .

World Series crew chief Joe West defended umpires against criticism of their postseason performance, saying "I think we did just fine."

"Instead of criticizing the umpires, the media should be thankful," he said in an e-mail to the Associated Press. "But sometimes I wonder if the media doesn't like the controversy because that gives you more to write about or talk about." . . .

Former manager Larry Bowa was hired by the New York Yankees as third base coach, three weeks after the team's first-round playoff loss.

TENNIS: Top-seeded Lindsay Davenport (flu) and Maria Sharapova (sprained right thumb) withdrew from the Advanta Championships in Villanova, Pa. . . .