MLB: Early Season AL Gold Glove Predictions
This is a very interesting year for the Gold Glove voting because it could be peppered with new faces.
Many of the incumbents are facing injuries or regressing in defensive ability, so they may not be able to pick up another award.
The Gold Glove is normally an award that it is hard to first capture, but once a player has one, they can continue getting more for a while. Players like Torii Hunter and Ichiro Suzuki are players in recent history to bring home the award year after year. It was only in 2010 that Hunter's streak of 9 straight Gold Gloves came to an end.
Of the nine players presented with the award in 2010, my prediction has only one incumbent taking home another award.
Here are the predictions for this year's honors.
P: Mark Buehrle, Chicago White Sox
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You know that a guy can field when Baseball Tonight names the standard to grading the best defensive plays after you.
Buehrle ended the search for 2010's top play on Opening Day with an amazing glove flip between his legs after a liner up the middle kicked off his foot. He proceeded to help his cause all year with amazing plays throughout the year, on way to his second consecutive Gold Glove.
This year will be Gold Glove No. 3 after he does more of the same. He's as solid as anyone on the mound and won't lose his title.
C: Matt Wieters, Baltimore Orioles
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With Joe Mauer out with an injury that threatens to end his catching career, Wieters has a great chance to win the award this year.
Wieters has one of the quickest releases in the majors and has a strong arm to compliment it. He accomplished the rare feat of throwing Carl Crawford out twice in a single game, a performance that has only been achieved by Wieters and Gerald Laird.
Wieters has already thrown out 50 percent of base-stealers in 10 chances, a ridiculously high number. Granted, this is a small sample size, but Wieters has a cannon.
He is also incredible at making plays on runners coming to the plate. Adam Jones and Nick Markakis benefit greatly from his ability to block the plate with his large 6'5" frame and his natural ability to place tags better than most catchers.
While Wieters has not developed into the threat he will become at the plate, he has matured to become one of baseball's best defensive catchers in just three years in the league.
1B: Adrian Gonzalez, Boston Red Sox
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Adrian Gonzalez is nothing new to the Gold Glove award, but this is his first time vying for it in the American League. Gonzalez has already won the award twice in the National League.
In the early goings of 2011, Gonzalez is covering the bag better than anyone. His UZR ranks No. 1 among all first basemen at 3.5. He has played well enough to unseat Mark Teixeira as the best defensive first baseman in the AL.
Believe me, Gonzalez's glove played a major part in his getting a seven-year extension.
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2B: Dustin Pedroia, Boston Red Sox
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Pedroia is also a former Gold Glove winner, but not since 2008.
Pedroia is now back from his injury and playing back at his regular form. He plays second base very hard and dives for a lot of balls, which does wonders for his pitchers because the ball rarely makes it out of the right side of the infield.
Robinson Cano has a chance to take the award again, but Pedroia is a much better fielder and will likely take the award home again.
My dark horse pick to take the award is Ian Kinsler. Always in Pedroia's shadow, Kinsler is quickly bridging the gap in talent between himself and Pedroia.
SS: Elvis Andrus, Texas Rangers
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One word describes this award award going to this player: overdue.
The fact that Derek Jeter stole this award from Elvis in 2010 was nothing short of a travesty.
The year after Michael Young won the Gold Glove at short for the Rangers, Andrus pushed Young over to third without any competition because his glove-work was so advanced.
Andrus has great range and a great arm to go with it. His value up the middle is astronomical for the Rangers. The amount of hits Andrus has taken away is unbelievable.
This is the year for Andrus. The fallout from Jeter's win in 2010 was incredible. There wasn't this much dispute over voting since the 2000 presidential election. This time, the award will be given to the right player.
3B: Adrian Beltre, Texas Rangers
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Adrian Beltre is a top-notch defender year after year. He won back-to-back Gold Gloves in 2007 and 2008, but that was before Evan Longoria hit the scene. With Longoria out now, Beltre is still playing great defense, but doesn't have legitimate competition for the award.
Beltre has always moved very well around the bag and has been a hater of the protective cup because he feels that it hurts his range. That was his weakness in 2009, when he hit the DL after a bad hop caught him in the jewels and left him with swelling in his nether regions.
I can't tell you if he started wearing a cup, but it would take a freak accident like that to take down Beltre. He'll step up again and take back his award from his younger competitor.
OF: Denard Span, Minnesota Twins
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Denard Span is the league leader in UZR because of his incredible range. Span can cover ground with the best of them because he is incredibly quick and has great instincts for the ball off the bat.
Span frequently makes grabs at the warning track and wall and this range should earn him his first Gold Glove. He has consistently improved his play in the outfield to become a better defender, and it has shown early in 2011.
OF: Sam Fuld, Tampa Bay Rays
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Super Sam Fuld has been unbelievable in the field so far in 2011. After fading into obscurity with the Cubs, Fuld has burst onto the scene for the Rays following the departure of Manny Ramirez.
Fuld has a knack for making highlight reel plays all over the diamond. He has been No. 1 on Web Gems multiple times this year because he plays hard and sacrifices his body for the ball. Fuld's tenacity and speed make him a deadly asset in the outfield corners.
Fuld has no problem diving for a ball or making plays at the wall and can catch up to most balls in the gaps. His incredible plays have included catching a ball while tripping over the bullpen mound and making a no-look catch in the right field corner by diving next to the wall.
More plays like this are almost definite for Fuld because he is so aggressive and plays hard. Those are qualities that make him deserving of a Gold Glove.
OF: Nick Markakis, Baltimore Orioles
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Nick Markakis is another guy that has gone unrewarded for incredible performances. Markakis should already be an All-Star and a Gold Glove winner, but hasn't because he plays for the Orioles.
Markakis has one of the strongest arms in the majors. He leads the AL in outfield assists since 2006 with 60. Delmon Young is the next closest with only 48. He has been known to throw out the faster hitters, which has led runners to stop testing his arm as much.
Nick's play in right does not just stop with his arm. He has great speed and makes great diving plays. He also never gives up on a play. When Adam Jones bobbled a ball in an early season game against the Tigers, Markakis ran over and made the catch.
Nick's season highlight was an incredible game-saving catch against the Rays in game two of the season. With the tying run on first, Markakis saved Kevin Gregg by leaping at the wall to rob Ben Zobrist of a two-run double that would have tied the game.
These are just a few examples of Nick's majestic defensive play in right. If any Oriole should have a Gold Glove in the outfield, it should be Nick and not Adam Jones.
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