Five Dodgers Up For Gold Gloves

Major League Baseball announced the finalists for the Rawlings Gold Gloves Friday afternoon. Five Dodgers were nominated as finalists for their awesome abilities to catch all the baseballs. The five Dodgers nominated are first baseman Adrian Gonzalez , catcher A.J. Ellis, second baseman Mark Ellis, third baseman Juan Uribe, and pitcher Zack Greinke.

For A.J. Ellis, he has never won a gold glove, and is up against some stiff competition. He would have to beat out fellow finalists, Yadier Molina, and former Dodger Russell Martin. At first base Gonzalez is trying to win his third gold glove, and will be up against Arizona’s Paul Goldschmidt, and the Cub’s Anthony Rizzo.  Uribe will be looking to win his first gold glove which would be well deserved. Last year’s winner Chase Headley was nominated, and David Wright of the Mets rounds out the third sacker nominees.

Mark Ellis is going for his first as well. He’ll have tough competition. Cub’s second baseman Darwin Barney led the NL in fielding percentage, and is trying to win his second straight GG. Brandon Phillips of the Reds is the third finalist.

Jayne Kamin-Oncea-USA TODAY Sports

This season MLB changed the voting process. Normally the managers and coaches all vote on the winners, but this year they’ve included using defensive sabermetrics to determine the winners. The powers that be came up with the Saber defensive metric index, or SDI for short. This uses different types of defensive metrics, such as batted balls, location-based data, and play-by-play data.

The three metrics also include defensive runs saved, total zone ratings, and runs effectively defended. All of these metrics now factor into the overall decisions. This should make a lot of the saber kids happy who have denounced the gold gloves in recent years as nothing more than a popularity contest.

The new saber defensive index will be added to the ballot for the managers and coaches to use to make their judgements. The SDI will account for 25% of the total votes, or 30 votes.

Uribe posted a +22 rating, and made only five errors all season. Mark Ellis saved +6 runs defensively, posted a .989 fielding percentage, and committed just six errors. Gonzalez posted a +4 rating and a .992 fielding percentage. A.J. Ellis posted a .997 fielding percentage, with three errors, and threw out base runners at a 44% clip. Meanwhile Zack Greinke did not make a single error in 2013. A.J., M.Ellis, Greinke, and Uribe have never won before. Gonzalez has won two gold gloves previously.

Here is a complete list of all of the Rawlings gold glove nominees.

AMERICAN LEAGUE

Pitcher Mark Buehrle, Blue Jays R.A. Dickey, Blue Jays Doug Fister, Tigers

Catcher Joe Mauer, Twins Salvador Perez, Royals Matt Wieters, Orioles

First base Chris Davis, Orioles Eric Hosmer, Royals James Loney, Rays

Second base Robinson Cano, Yankees Dustin Pedroia, Red Sox Ben Zobrist, Rays

Third base Adrian Beltre, Rangers Evan Longoria, Rays Manny Machado, Orioles

Shortstop Alcides Escobar, Royals Yunel Escobar, Rays J.J. Hardy, Orioles

Left field Yoenis Cespedes, A’s Andy Dirks, Tigers Alex Gordon, Royals

Center field Lorenzo Cain, Royals Jacoby Ellsbury, Red Sox Adam Jones, Orioles

Right field Nick Markakis, Orioles Shane Victorino, Red Sox Josh Reddick, A’s

NATIONAL LEAGUE

Pitcher Patrick Corbin, D-backs Zack Greinke, Dodgers Adam Wainwright, Cardinals

Catcher A.J. Ellis, Dodgers Russell Martin, Pirates Yadier Molina, Cardinals

First base Paul Goldschmidt, D-backs Adrian Gonzalez, Dodgers Anthony Rizzo, Cubs

Second base Darwin Barney, Cubs Brandon Phillips, Reds Mark Ellis, Dodgers

Third base Nolan Arenado, Rockies Juan Uribe, Dodgers David Wright, Mets

Shortstop Ian Desmond, Nationals Andrelton Simmons, Braves Troy Tulowitzki, Rockies

Left field Carlos Gonzalez, Rockies Starling Marte, Pirates Eric Young Jr., Mets

Center field Carlos Gomez, Brewers Andrew McCutchen, Pirates Denard Span, Nationals

Right field Jay Bruce, Reds Jason Heyward, Braves Gerardo Parra, D-backs

Good Luck boys!