SABR Defensive Index rankings released through August 3, 2014
AUGUST 11, 2014 — Atlanta’s Jason Heyward tops the NL’s SABR Defensive Index™ rankings through games of August 3, 2014, while Alex Gordon leads a trio of Kansas City outfielders who all rank in the top 10 of the AL SDI rankings.
The SABR Defensive Index is used to help select the winners of the Rawlings Gold Glove Award® and Rawlings Platinum Glove Award™, presented by SABR. Click here to learn more.
Heyward’s SDI of 21.5 through August 3 is the best in the game among all qualified defenders. The top five NL players as ranked by SDI, after Heyward, are: Los Angeles third baseman Juan Uribe (14.9), Cincinnati shortstop Zack Cosart (13.2), New York center fielder Juan Lagares (11.5), and Cincinnati rookie center fielder Billy Hamilton (10.8).
Gordon’s SDI of 16.8 just edges out Oakland third baseman Josh Donaldson (16.6) for the top spot in the AL. Kansas City outfielders Jarrod Dyson (10.5, ranked fourth in the AL) and Lorenzo Cain (7.3, seventh) also rank in the top 10 in the AL. Seattle third baseman Kyle Seager is third at 13.6 SDI, while Boston center fielder Jackie Bradley Jr. is fifth at 9.9.
The SDI results were released today by the Society for American Baseball Research.
Updated SDI results will be released periodically throughout the rest of the 2014 season at SABR.org. The SDI is compiled by the SABR Defensive Committee, which includes SABR President Vince Gennaro, Sean Forman of Baseball-Reference.com, Ben Jedlovec of Baseball Info Solutions, SABR Director F.X. Flinn, author and defensive metrics expert Chris Dial, and author Michael Humphreys.
Here are the top 25 players in each League, through games of August 3, 2014 (click here to view full SDI rankings by position):
AL leaders
| Player | Team | Position | SDI |
|---|---|---|---|
| Alex Gordon | KCR | LF | 16.8 |
| Josh Donaldson | OAK | 3B | 16.6 |
| Kyle Seager | SEA | 3B | 13.6 |
| Jarrod Dyson | KCR | CF | 10.5 |
| Jackie Bradley | BOS | CF | 9.9 |
| Dustin Pedroia | BOS | 2B | 7.6 |
| Lorenzo Cain | KCR | CF | 7.3 |
| Kevin Kiermaier | TBR | RF | 7.2 |
| Michael Saunders | SEA | RF | 6.8 |
| J.J. Hardy | BAL | SS | 6.6 |
| Dustin Ackley | SEA | LF | 6.6 |
| Salvador Perez | KCR | C | 6.4 |
| Ian Kinsler | DET | 2B | 6.0 |
| Jonathan Schoop | BAL | 2B | 6.0 |
| Sam Fuld | MIN | CF | 5.9 |
| Eric Sogard | OAK | 2B | 5.9 |
| Manny Machado | BAL | 3B | 5.5 |
| David Lough | BAL | LF | 5.4 |
| Robinson Chirinos | TEX | C | 5.3 |
| Desmond Jennings | TBR | CF | 5.0 |
| Miguel Cabrera | DET | 1B | 4.8 |
| Adam Eaton | CHW | CF | 4.8 |
| Alex Avila | DET | C | 4.5 |
| John McDonald | LAA | 3B | 4.4 |
| Josh Reddick | OAK | RF | 4.4 |
NL leaders
| Player | Team | Position | SDI |
|---|---|---|---|
| Jason Heyward | ATL | RF | 21.3 |
| Juan Uribe | LAD | 3B | 14.9 |
| Zack Cozart | CIN | SS | 13.2 |
| Juan Lagares | NYM | CF | 11.5 |
| Billy Hamilton | CIN | CF | 10.8 |
| Nolan Arenado | COL | 3B | 9.9 |
| Jordy Mercer | PIT | SS | 8.4 |
| Christian Yelich | MIA | LF | 8.2 |
| Pablo Sandoval | SFG | 3B | 7.5 |
| Chase Headley | SDP | 3B | 7.5 |
| Giancarlo Stanton | MIA | RF | 7.5 |
| Jhonny Peralta | STL | SS | 7.4 |
| Yadier Molina | STL | C | 6.5 |
| Chase Utley | PHI | 2B | 6.2 |
| DJ LeMahieu | COL | 2B | 6.2 |
| Russell Martin | PIT | C | 6.1 |
| Andrelton Simmons | ATL | SS | 6.1 |
| Khris Davis | MIL | LF | 5.8 |
| David Wright | NYM | 3B | 5.8 |
| Adrian Gonzalez | LAD | 1B | 5.7 |
| Darwin Barney | CHC | 2B | 5.5 |
| Henderson Alvarez | MIA | P | 5.4 |
| Wilson Ramos | WSN | C | 5.2 |
| Jimmy Rollins | PHI | SS | 5.0 |
| Ender Inciarte | ARI | CF | 4.8 |
To view full SDI results from the 2013 season, click here. To view the 2013 Rawlings Gold Glove Award winners, click here.
The winners of 2013 Rawlings Platinum Glove Awards presented by SABR were: Baltimore third baseman Manny Machado and Atlanta shortstop Andrelton Simmons. Click here to learn more about the Rawlings Platinum Glove Award, presented by SABR.
About SABR
The Society for American Baseball Research (SABR) is a non-profit organization dedicated to fostering research and disseminating the history and record of baseball. Founded in 1971, SABR has more than 6,500 members worldwide and has established itself as a vibrant baseball community and a premier distributor of ground-breaking baseball information. SABR features more than 60 chapters and more than two dozen research committees, and produces three annual publications – two editions of The Baseball Research Journal and The National Pastime – in addition to other print and e-books. SABR also hosts two annual events: the National Convention each summer, and the SABR Analytics Conference in March in Phoenix. For more information about SABR, go to SABR.org.
About the Rawlings Gold Glove Award®
The Rawlings Gold Glove Award® is a registered trademark owned by Rawlings Sporting Goods Company, Inc. The award is correctly identified as the Rawlings Gold Glove Award. The name should not be shortened, abbreviated or otherwise misused. Proper identification of this service mark using the registration symbol and the Rawlings name is important to protect the integrity of the program and perpetuate this worthy tradition. For more information, please visit www.rawlingsgoldglove.com.
About Rawlings
Rawlings Sporting Goods Company, Inc. is an innovative manufacturer and marketer of sporting goods worldwide. Founded in 1887, Rawlings is an authentic global sports brand, trusted by generations of athletes from the sandlot to the pros. Rawlings’ unparalleled quality and expert craftsmanship are the fundamental reasons why more athletes choose Rawlings, and why Rawlings is the Official Batting Helmet and Ball Supplier of Major League Baseball®, the official baseball of Minor League Baseball™ and the NCAA®, and the approved baseball, basketball, football and softball of the National High School Federation®. For more information, please visit www.rawlings.com or by call (314) 819-2800.
Originally published: August 11, 2014. Last Updated: August 11, 2014.