Ranking the 5 Biggest Surprises of the 2014 MLB Gold Glove Awards

Major League Baseball's Gold Glove Awards aren't super sexy.

Even with the sport's increased focus on run prevention and sabermetricians' ever-advancing attempts to quantify defense, these honors don't get the same amount of attention, recognition and/or hype that comes with the other individual awards, like Most Valuable Player, Cy Young and Rookie of the Year.

That doesn't mean there isn't at least some discussion about selections and snubs.

OK, so the debates over the top defensive players probably aren't the most heated ones around, but if there's one thing the Gold Glove honors are always good for—even more so than MVP, Cy or ROY—it's the element of surprise.

These can come in two forms: the "who-should-have-won-instead" category and the "who-the-heck-is-that-guy-who-won" category.

With the 2014 Rawlings Gold Glove Awards having been announced Tuesday evening after being selected from three candidates at each position in both leagues, let's hit on the five biggest surprises.

Before getting to that, however, here's a quick primer on some defensive metrics that will come into play on the following pages, as described by FanGraphs:

• Ultimate Zone Rating (UZR): "puts a run value to defense, attempting to quantify how many runs a player saved or gave up through his fielding prowess (or lack thereof)."
• Defensive Runs Saved (DRS): "rates individual players as above or below average on defense; much like UZR, players as measured in 'runs' above or below average."
• Defense (Def): "measures the number of runs above or below average a player is worth when combining their fielding runs and positional runs."

No. 5: Baltimore Orioles' Nick Markakis Wins for AL Right Field...

Before Baltimore Orioles fans start to hate—and that's coming in a moment—this isn't a knock on Nick Markakis, who is a very fine right fielder.

Rather, this is about recognizing just how much better Kevin Kiermaier of the Tampa Bay Rays was in 2014.

Among AL right fielders, Kiermaier tied for the most DRS with 14 and racked up the highest UZR (16.0)—and he was a rookie who didn't start playing regularly until June.

No. 4: ...And Teammate Adam Jones Wins for AL Center Field

On one hand, this isn't a surprise because Adam Jones won his third straight Gold Glove and fourth of his nine-year career. On the other hand, Jones' defense has been both overrated and propped up by his offense in the past.

That's another way of saying the O's center fielder won this one with his bat and name more than with his glove.

Of the three nominees, the best choice—if we're focusing solely on defense, as is the point—would have been Jackie Bradley Jr. The Boston Red Sox's defensive wizard dwarfed Jones in both DRS (14 to 2) and UZR (15.9 to 8.3), but he also happened to hit under .200, as David Laurila of FanGraphs points out.

The NL, meanwhile, got it right in center by giving the award to Juan Lagares of the New York Mets, who isn't anybody's idea of an offensive performer and who actually played fewer innings in the field (945) than did Bradley (1,012).

For what it's worth, Leonys Martin of the Texas Rangers, whose 15 DRS led all AL center fielders, also had a very strong case to be one of the three finalists, perhaps even over Jones. And then there's that Lorenzo Cain fella, who (gasp) wasn't even nominated.

No. 3: Milwaukee Brewers' Jonathan Lucroy Doesn't Win for NL Catcher

Yep, even with all the expected backlash and hate comments from Yadier Molina supporters and St. Louis Cardinals fans, we're saying it: The Gold Glove for NL catcher belonged to Milwaukee's Jonathan Lucroy.

To state the obvious—and perhaps attempt to quell the oncoming riot—Molina remains the best all-around backstop in the sport for everything he does in each facet of the game. On defense, specifically, this is his seventh straight season winning this honor.

Lucroy, though, had the slightly better DRS (11 to 8) and the best overall Def rating among NL catchers (16.6 to Molina's 14.6).

And remember: Molina missed the better part of two months—and 40 games—after thumb surgery in July, playing in just 110 total. As great as he is, the Cardinal won this one on reputation, while Lucroy arguably was the better—and inarguably the healthier—candidate.

If you're looking to direct your anger and fury for this call, that's fine. But know that you'll have to point your venom in more than one direction.

As David Cameron of FanGraphs writes: "Jonathan Lucroy got screwed out of a Gold Glove in the same way he screws opposing hitters out of pitches that should be called balls."

No. 2: Kyle Seager Wins for AL Third Base

Kyle Seager is a darn good third baseman, so it's nice to see the Seattle Mariner get some due for his D.

That doesn't make it any less borderline shocking that this glove of gold didn't go to either Josh Donaldson of the Oakland Athletics or Adrian Beltre of the Texas Rangers.

The former not only topped all major leaguers at the hot corner—and finished fifth overall—with 20 DRS, he also won the esteemed Fielding Bible Award as the No. 1 third baseman in both leagues.

The latter, meanwhile, is a flat-out stalwart with four of these in his cupboard, to go with a pair of Platinum Glove Awards as the best overall defensive player in his league in 2011 and 2012.

Seager was mighty lovely with the leather, too, putting up 10 DRS and 10.6 UZR, but he was chosen over two absolute powers.

No. 1: Colorado Rockies' DJ LeMahieu Wins for NL Second Base

More like DJ "LeMa-who" right?

LeMahieu is easily the least known player to snag a Gold Glove this year, but given his hands, that's exactly the right way to put it.

To be clear: This is not the wrong choice, as LeMahieu topped all NL keystoners in DRS (16), UZR (10.7) and Def (12.7). It's just an unexpected one to the casual fan, who may have never even have heard of LeMahieu or seen him play.

Then tack on the fact that a no-name with a meager .675 career OPS who is in his fourth season of relative anonymity as a Colorado Rockie was, of all people, the one to prevent the much more recognizable Brandon Phillips from what would have been his fifth award.

C'mon, that's a surprise. However, given that, it was the right call and a pleasant one.

Defensive statistics are accurate through the 2014 season and courtesy of FanGraphs and Baseball Info Solutions unless otherwise noted.

To talk baseball or fantasy baseball, check in with me on Twitter: @JayCat11.