Dewan: Outfield and pitching contenders for 2013 Fielding Bible Award/Gold Glove Award

From SABR member John Dewan at ACTA Sports on October 7, 2013:

Last week we took a look at the leading candidates for the 2013 Fielding Bible Awards and Gold Glove Awards at catcher and each of the infield positions. This week, let’s turn our attention to outfielders and pitchers. As before, the numbers that accompany each player’s name in the tables below are his 2013 Defensive Runs Saved (DRS).

Left Fielders: Last year, Alex Gordon ran away with the Fielding Bible Award as the unanimous selection by our expert panelists, and he has a good chance of winning it again this year. Brett Gardner had been the two-time defending Award winner before Gordon, but he was injured for much of 2012, and was moved over to center field in 2013. That leaves Carlos Gonzalez and second-year player Starling Marte as Gordon’s chief competitors. Gordon and Gonzalez actually share a similar defensive profile, with their DRS contributions spread almost equally between their range, their throwing arms, and their Good Plays/Misplays, though Gordon outpaces Gonzalez in all three categories. Marte, on the other hand, is a center fielder masquerading as a left fielder. Nineteen of his 20 runs saved are attributable to his range. Whereas Marte is outstanding at getting to balls hit in his direction, Gordon is a more well-rounded defender. In addition to Gordon’s solid range, he also accumulated 29 Good Fielding Plays involving a throw, nine more than any other outfielder at any position. As for the Gold Glove Awards, Gordon has won the AL award the past two years and likely will again this year. In the NL, Gonzalez has won the award two out of the last three years, though Marte’s emergence coupled with the feel-good story of the Pirates’ season may be enough to nudge him ahead.

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Originally published: October 7, 2013. Last Updated: October 7, 2013.