JBJ, Mookie, Pedroia named gold glove finalists

E5 Yaz

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AMERICAN LEAGUE

PITCHER
R.A. Dickey, Blue Jays
Dallas Keuchel, Astros
Justin Verlander, Tigers

CATCHER
James McCann, Tigers
Carlos Perez, Angels
Salvador Perez, Royals

FIRST BASE
Chris Davis, Orioles
Eric Hosmer, Royals
Mitch Moreland, Rangers

SECOND BASE
Robinson Cano, Mariners
Ian Kinsler, Tigers
Dustin Pedroia, Red Sox

THIRD BASE
Adrian Beltre, Rangers
Manny Machado, Orioles
Kyle Seager, Mariners

SHORTSTOP
Jose Iglesias, Tigers
Francisco Lindor, Indians
Andrelton Simmons, Angels

LEFT FIELD
Brett Gardner, Yankees
Alex Gordon, Royals
Colby Rasmus, Astros

CENTER FIELD
Jackie Bradley Jr., Red Sox
Kevin Pillar, Blue Jays
Kevin Kiermaier, Rays

RIGHT FIELD
Mookie Betts, Red Sox
Adam Eaton, White Sox
George Springer, Astros

NATIONAL LEAGUE

PITCHER
Jake Arrieta, Cubs
Zack Greinke, D-backs
Adam Wainwright, Cardinals

CATCHER
Jonathan Lucroy, Brewers (traded to Rangers on Aug. 1)
Yadier Molina, Cardinals
Buster Posey, Giants

FIRST BASE
Paul Goldschmidt, D-backs
Wil Myers, Padres
Anthony Rizzo, Cubs

SECOND BASE
DJ LeMahieu, Rockies
Joe Panik, Giants
Jean Segura, D-backs

THIRD BASE
Nolan Arenado, Rockies
Anthony Rendon, Nationals
Justin Turner, Dodgers

SHORTSTOP
Brandon Crawford, Giants
Freddy Galvis, Phillies
Addison Russell, Cubs

LEFT FIELD
Adam Duvall, Reds
Starling Marte, Pirates
Christian Yelich, Marlins

CENTER FIELD
Billy Hamilton, Reds
Odubel Herrera, Phillies
Ender Inciarte, Braves

RIGHT FIELD
Carlos Gonzalez, Rockies
Jason Heyward, Cubs
Nick Markakis, Braves

http://m.mlb.com/news/article/207322712/gold-glove-award-finalists/
 

AbbyNoho

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Mookie should win hands down. JBJ and Pedroia are spectacular and no one would ever complain about seeing them in the field, but I can't say they're the single best at their positions.
 

E5 Yaz

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Mookie should win hands down. JBJ and Pedroia are spectacular and no one would ever complain about seeing them in the field, but I can't say they're the single best at their positions.
JBJ-Pillar has got to be too close to call. If Kiermaier hadn't been injured, he could repeat. Might anyway
 

Merkle's Boner

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That SS lineup is unbelievable. Xander's not sniffing a nomination with Andrelton, Lindor and Iglesias around.
 

mauf

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Meanwhile, left field is a wasteland beyond Gordon
There isn't a defender here as good as Mookie, but all three nominees are distinctly above average. Sure, Gardner isn't the super-elite defender he once was, Rasmus hasn't played enough LF to draw meaningful conclusions about his numbers (but there's reason to believe he's very good), and even Gordon has probably lost half a step from his absolute prime. But "wasteland" is an overstatement.

That said, I'm optimistic that AB will crash this party next season.
 

Savin Hillbilly

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The wrong side of the bridge....
Mookie should win hands down.
I think that's seriously underestimating Eaton. Granted, he played less RF than Mookie, but he spent that time playing solid CF, which I don't think will hurt him. I'd call that one a photo finish. Both stellar defenders. Mookie was off the charts in DRS, but Eaton beat him in UZR.

It's quite possible that the Sox will get shut out this year. I think Pedroia should beat Kinsler, but that will be close too. JBJ had a slight off year in CF and probably doesn't deserve to beat out Pillar.
 

bankshot1

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File this under fanboy:

I enjoy watching Pedroia play 2nd more than watching any other guy field his position.

He constantly busts ass and makes plays that most #4s can't make.

IMO JBJ slipped a little defensively this year, entirely on observations of several offline throws to home, it was like he was overthrowing a fastball, and lost the plate.

Betts-I could see him snagging a GG for his work in RF.
 

Reverend

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First thing I thought of, as well.

Meanwhile, left field is a wasteland beyond Gordon
I really have trouble with outfielder Gold Gloves in general outside of CF; the LF and RF GGs just seem sorta lame.

I mean, yeah, congratulations on being the second best center fielder on a team with two of them.
 

E5 Yaz

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I really have trouble with outfielder Gold Gloves in general outside of CF; the LF and RF GGs just seem sorta lame.

I mean, yeah, congratulations on being the second best center fielder on a team with two of them.
So ... about Dwight Evans ...
 

simplicio

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Seemed like Pedey had a few uncharacteristic errors toward the end of the season, wonder if the timing there will hurt him.
 

Plympton91

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im surprised Christian Vazquez didn't get a nomination.

Do the final decisions on these get made before or after it became known that Pedroia played some portion of the end of the season needing knee surgery? If after, that might earn him grittiness bonus points. I hope he wins again; build that HOF resume.

Agree that in general the OF awards should go to CF with the occasional exceptional RF mixed in (Evans, Betts, Winfield, Dawson) and the even rarer inclusion of a generational LF (Yaz, Ricky H). No way the LF up this year deserve it over any of the 6 CF and RF candidates.
 

ElcaballitoMVP

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im surprised Christian Vazquez didn't get a nomination.

Do the final decisions on these get made before or after it became known that Pedroia played some portion of the end of the season needing knee surgery? If after, that might earn him grittiness bonus points. I hope he wins again; build that HOF resume.

Agree that in general the OF awards should go to CF with the occasional exceptional RF mixed in (Evans, Betts, Winfield, Dawson) and the even rarer inclusion of a generational LF (Yaz, Ricky H). No way the LF up this year deserve it over any of the 6 CF and RF candidates.
You're surprised a guy who played in 57 total games didn't get a nomination? Really?

Are you asking about the final decision for nominations or votes? Votes happen at the end of the regular season and before the playoffs. The nominations were announced. Oct 27th, but probably decided a week or two earlier than that. So no, I don't think everyone knew he needed surgery at the time of voting since we learned about Pedroia's surgery after the Sox were bounced from the playoffs.

And I do not agree that we should give the GG to only a CF or exceptional RF. There may be seasons like this when a LF doesn't deserve one, but that's not always the case. Will you be saying the same thing if Benintendi plays great defense in LF next year? If that's the case, why do we give one to a 1B? Let's just give out gold gloves to 4 short stops, the occasional 3B, and even rarer 2B.
 

moretsyndrome

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You're surprised a guy who played in 57 total games didn't get a nomination? Really?

Are you asking about the final decision for nominations or votes? Votes happen at the end of the regular season and before the playoffs. The nominations were announced. Oct 27th, but probably decided a week or two earlier than that. So no, I don't think everyone knew he needed surgery at the time of voting since we learned about Pedroia's surgery after the Sox were bounced from the playoffs.

And I do not agree that we should give the GG to only a CF or exceptional RF. There may be seasons like this when a LF doesn't deserve one, but that's not always the case. Will you be saying the same thing if Benintendi plays great defense in LF next year? If that's the case, why do we give one to a 1B? Let's just give out gold gloves to 4 short stops, the occasional 3B, and even rarer 2B.
I was thinking it was more likely to be SS, 2B and CF, but you still make a good general point...
 

BestGameEvah

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im surprised Christian Vazquez didn't get a nomination.

Do the final decisions on these get made before or after it became known that Pedroia played some portion of the end of the season needing knee surgery? If after, that might earn him grittiness bonus points. I hope he wins again; build that HOF resume.

Agree that in general the OF awards should go to CF with the occasional exceptional RF mixed in (Evans, Betts, Winfield, Dawson) and the even rarer inclusion of a generational LF (Yaz, Ricky H). No way the LF up this year deserve it over any of the 6 CF and RF candidates.
If you look at the fielding bible criteria: 600 inning per position except for catcher. Catcher is 500 innings. Like the way they format their winners:
http://www.fieldingbible.com/complete-votetally.asp

The criteria for GOLD GLOVE is 690 innings! And, at the end of the season everyone is playing banged up!
 

Sprowl

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Beyond the limited games and innings caught, Vazquez wasn't very good at the position in 2016. He threw out only 8 basestealers, compared to 15 successful steal attempts, Defensive Runs Saved has him at -1, and his umpire-whispering skills seem to have deserted him. I haven't seen any 2016 framing numbers, but my impression is that he lost as many strikes as he created, often by visibly jerking the ball back into the strike zone. Perhaps he was still recovering from TJ surgery in 2015, but for whatever reason, he didn't look anything like the generational defensive talent we saw in 2014.
 

iayork

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I haven't seen any 2016 framing numbers, but my impression is that he lost as many strikes as he created, often by visibly jerking the ball back into the strike zone. Perhaps he was still recovering from TJ surgery in 2015, but for whatever reason, he didn't look anything like the generational defensive talent we saw in 2014.
I looked at his framing in mid-June, which captured about 3/4 of his season. I had him as pretty good, but not as amazing as he had been in 2015 -- 1.46 strikes per game more than a league-average catcher. Oddly, this was platoon-specific: "So far in 2016, Vazquez has been about league average against lefties (0.4 extra pitches per game), but elite against righties (2.2 extra pitches per game)."
 

Plympton91

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Oct 19, 2008
12,408
You're surprised a guy who played in 57 total games didn't get a nomination? Really?

Are you asking about the final decision for nominations or votes? Votes happen at the end of the regular season and before the playoffs. The nominations were announced. Oct 27th, but probably decided a week or two earlier than that. So no, I don't think everyone knew he needed surgery at the time of voting since we learned about Pedroia's surgery after the Sox were bounced from the playoffs.

And I do not agree that we should give the GG to only a CF or exceptional RF. There may be seasons like this when a LF doesn't deserve one, but that's not always the case. Will you be saying the same thing if Benintendi plays great defense in LF next year? If that's the case, why do we give one to a 1B? Let's just give out gold gloves to 4 short stops, the occasional 3B, and even rarer 2B.
I don't understand this nomination process then. Are the "nominations" just the top 3 vote getters and this announcement is nothing but a suspense building PR stunt? Don't "nominations" usually happen before you vote?

With regard to whether we should wipe out infield positions, I could see an argument for giving out SS and 3B as one award. Because I've never seen a SS who couldn't play 3B really well. First base, with the number of plays you're involved in Includinf pickoffs) and the need to scoop throws, I'd argue is almost as unique as C.

But I'd also argue that 3B, 2B and 1B are all way more unique than LF and RF. There's no equivalent to the DP pivot a 2B has to make but a 3B does not and a 2B has to cover a lot more ground than a 3B. However, there's a totally different reaction time for a 3B than a 2B and a stronger, more accurate arm needed. In contrast, a RF is by definition better all around than a LF, all else equal, you cover the same amount of ground but need a stronger arm for longer throws. If Benitendi truly plays LF like an elite CF, he'd get the Ricky/Yaz consideration.

And yes, I was ribbing all the Vazquez worshippers here with that throwaway line. We were told we were getting elite defense and all we got was a near league worst OPS.