Second Base
Four-time Gold Glove winner Dustin Pedroia is another candidate whose inclusion seems to be based more on reputation than production. Lack of playing time should remove him from consideration in a season where injuries limited him to 105 games, while the 34-year old may be starting to lose a step on the field.
You wouldn’t necessarily know it from watching the highlight reels, as Pedroia is still more than capable of making some fantastic plays.
Yet the numbers show that he’s merely good, no longer elite, in the field.
Detroit Tigers second baseman Ian Kinsler is the heavy favorite to take home the award for the second consecutive year. His six defensive runs saved ranked second in the league at the position. Pedroia was below-average with -2 DRS, while Minnesota’s Brian Dozier was even worse at -4 DRS.
#Rawlings #GoldGlove Award Finalists – AL 2B – @Twins @BrianDozier, @tigers Ian Kinsler, @RedSox @15Lasershow pic.twitter.com/Y29glxtEBy
— Rawlings Baseball (@RawlingsSports) October 26, 2017
Kinsler and Pedroia tied for the league-lead at the position with 6.1 UZR. Kinsler led with 8.1 DEF, with Pedroia right behind him at 7.5 DEF.
The one significant advantage that Pedroia has is in fielding percentage. Kinsler committed 10 errors, tied for sixth most in the league at the position. Pedroia only made two errors, albeit with far less playing time. Yet Pedroia’s .995 fielding percentage was the best in the league among second baseman who started at least 20 games at the position. Dozier was next with a .993 fielding percentage, while Kinsler was far behind at .983 this season.
Pedroia and Kinsler are far ahead of Dozier in every advanced defensive metric. Kinsler has a comfortable edge on Pedroia in most of those categories and given the amount of time Pedroia missed, the Tigers second baseman should win in a landslide.
Predicted Winner: Kinsler