Luis Arraez, Carlos Correa, and Max Kepler Named Gold Glove Finalists

[Seth Stohs]

Thursday afternoon, Rawlings Baseball announced the 2022 Rawlings Gold Glove Award Finalists. The Twins had three players named as finalists. See who else was named a finalist and discuss how many are deserving. 

Image courtesy of Mark J. Rebilas-USA TODAY Sports

Keep up with which Twins, if any, are named 2022 Rawlings Gold Glove finalists. The finalists are being announced by Rawlings, approximately 5 minutes apart, so this article will be updated over the next hour. So check back often. 

In September, Cody Christie looked at which Twins players were on pace to be a Gold Glove finalist. Today, we find out which players are finalists. 

NL Pitchers: Tyler Anderson (Dodgers), Corbin Burnes (Brewers), Max Fried (Braves)
AL Pitchers: Jose Berrios (Blue Jays), Shane Bieber (Guardians), Jameson Taillon (Yankees)

Twins fans got to see the incredible athleticism that Berrios brought to the mound during his years with the Twins. It wasn't until after last season that he was first names a finalist. Can he win his first Gold Glove this year?

NL Catchers: Travis d'Arnaud (Braves), Tomas Nido (Mets), JT Realmuto (Phillies)
AL Catchers: Sean Murphy (A's), Cal Raleigh (Mariners), Jose Trevino (Yankees) 

NL First Base: Paul Goldschmidt (Cardinals), Matt Olson (Braves), Christian Walker (Diamondbacks) 
AL First Base: Luis Arraez (Twins), Vladimir Guerrero Jr.(Blue Jays), Anthony Rizzo (Yankees). 

Luis!! Coming into the season, Luis Arraez didn't have a full-time position. In fact, he wasn't in the Opening Day lineup. Since then, he has been named an All Star, won the Rod Carew American League Batting Championship, and now he has been named a finalist for Gold Glove at first base. 

NL Second Base: Jake Cronenworth (Padres), Tommy Edman (Cardinals), Brendan Rodgers (Rockies)
AL Second Base: Andres Gimenez (Guardians), Jonathan Schoop (Tigers), Marcus Semien (Rangers) 

Jonathan Schoop has always been a solid defensive player, at least when he has played second base. The former Twins' defense has been acknowledged as a Gold Glove finalist. 

NL Shortstop: Ha-Seong Kim (Padres), Miguel Rojas (Marlins), Dansby Swanson (Braves)
AL Shortstop: Xander Bogaerts (Red Sox), Carlos Correa (Twins), Jeremy Pena (Astros)

The Twins star was a Gold Glove and the Platinum Glove winner a year ago. Can he repeat? Or will the kid who took his spot in Houston surpass him?

NL Third Base: Nolan Arenado (Cardinals), Ke'Bryan Hayes (Pirates), Ryan McMahon (Rockies) 
AL Third Base: Matt Chapman (Blue Jays), Ramon Urias (Orioles), Jose Ramirez (Guardians)

Twins fans may be a little surprised not to see Gio Urshela on this list. While he made a lot of very memorable, incredible plays, the defensive metrics are not quite as high on him. 

NL Left Field: Ian Happ (Cubs), David Peralta (Diamondbacks), Christian Yelich (Brewers).
AL Left Field: Andrew Benintendi (Royals/Yankees), Steven Kwan (Guardians), Brandon Marsh (Angels)

No Nick Gordon!?

NL Center Field: Trent Grisham (Padres), Victor Robles (Nationals), Alek Thomas (Diamondbacks) 
AL Center Field: Cedric Mullins (Orioles), Myles Straw (Guardians), Michael A. Taylor (Royals) 

Again, it's a case of too few games and too few innings in center field for Byron Buxton. If he qualified, he would likely win every year. Maybe. 

NL Right Field: Mookie Betts (Dodgers), Juan Soto (Nationals/Padres), Daulton Varsho (Diamondbacks) 
AL Right Field: Jackie Bradley, Jr (Red Sox/Blue Jays), Max Kepler (Twins), Kyle Tucker (Astros). 

#MightyMax! After his defense has been snubbed in recent years, Max Kepler has been named a finalist for the AL Right Field Gold Glove. While he was unable to run during September, the defense he provided in right remained fantastic! 

NL Utility: Brendan Donovan (Cardinals), Tommy Edman (Cardinals), Daulton Varsho (Diamondbacks) 
AL Utility: DJ LeMahieu (Yankees), Whit Merrifield (Royals/Blue Jays), Luis Rengifo (Angels)

Daulton Varsho was named a finalist for the Gold Glove at two positions on the same day that the Twins named him the Dick Siebert Award winner for the Upper Midwest Player of the Year. 

There you have it. The finalists for 2022 Gold Glove Awards. 

The Twins have three Gold Glove finalists, Luis Arraez, Carlos Correa, and Max Kepler. How do you feel about that? Should others have been finalists? Should those three have been finalists? Share your thoughts below. 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

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[chpettit19]

This can't be real. Arraez and Vlad Jr? What are we doing here baseball world?

[Doctor Gast]

2 hours ago, chpettit19 said:

This can't be real. Arraez and Vlad Jr? What are we doing here baseball world?

1st I'd like congratulate Arraez, Kepler & Correa.

And Bogaerts at SS, What do they use to rank these players for GG?

[Reptevia]

Well, batting average always used to be a big part of it…

[Trov]

I though Arraez metrics were not good at first base, did they improve that much?  I know in the past offense played a huge roll, but I thought now they actually looked at the metrics. 

[jmlease1]

oof, guess they're struggling to figure out 1B defense? or maybe it was just particularly uninspiring this year?

Luis is weirdly a decent choice out of these finalists, but he only played 65 games there. Vlad played more games there, but wasn't terribly good, but was better than Rizzo? I guess it's better than the year that Palmeiro won it while spending 80% of his time at DH...

[Fire Dan Gladden]

Here is the process for determining the GG winners:

https://www.rawlings.com/gold-glove-criteria.html

[DJL44]

Arraez and Kepler would both be deserving.

[FlyingFinn]

As much as I bash Kepler's hitting, especially grounding into the shift, he is A+ in RF and deserves the gold glove.

[CRF]

Somebody must have bribed the committee. 

[tarheeltwinsfan]

4 hours ago, Fire Dan Gladden said:

Here is the process for determining the GG winners:

https://www.rawlings.com/gold-glove-criteria.html

Thanks Fire.

[tarheeltwinsfan]

Selected by managers and coaches. I'm impressed.

[tarheeltwinsfan]

Take the recognition and say, "Thank you very much."

[mikelink45]

ONCE AGAIN WE SAY - GOLD GLOVE IS MEANINGLESS.  RIDICULOUS. 

[AceWrigley]

Hmmm...  my defense calcs give the 1B Gold Glove to Paul Goldschmidt (STL) and Ryan Mountcastle (BAL), Luis very middle of the pack, but better than Miranda. Vlad for a GG . . . really? I've got Vladdy pegged for the worst "D" at 1B for any player playing more than 250 innings. Worst of the worst? Harold Ramirez (TBR).

[Danchat]

I could see Kepler winning it, but Arraez is a 'heck no', and Correa is a probably not.

[theBOMisthebomb]

8 hours ago, mikelink45 said:

ONCE AGAIN WE SAY - GOLD GLOVE IS MEANINGLESS.  RIDICULOUS. 

The process of selecting the winner seems like a good combination of old school and new school, at least on the face of it. Seven coaches from each team vote and they also use the ABR Defensive Index (SDI).

Voting Rules

The Rawlings Gold Glove Award® represents overall fielding excellence, and it is not an award based solely on fielding metrics and statistics, nor does it factor in offensive production.

Only the manager and six (6) coaches for each Major League Baseball team vote, for a total of seven (7) votes per team. Each person must sign the completed Ballot in order to be considered valid.

Managers and coaches cannot vote for their own players and can only vote for players in their own League.

Managers and coaches cast votes for players at particular positions, not in general terms; i.e. qualified LF instead of three general OF.

Eligibility for a Rawlings Gold Glove Award closely follows qualification standards set forth in MLB Rule 10.22 (Minimum Standards for Individual Championships). Only players listed in the resource guide are eligible for a Rawlings Gold Glove Award at the specific position listed. For rules on player qualification for a particular position, please see the “Notes & Glossary” section of the resource guide. Qualified players are sorted in alphabetical order.

The votes are confidential between Major League Baseball and Rawlings Sporting Goods Company, Inc.

SABR Defensive Index

The SABR Defensive IndexTM (SDI) is a measure of the number of runs saved by a player's defensive performance over the course of a season, compared to the average defensive player at that position. The SDI combines measures from six (6) different defensive data sources and includes factors that rate the defenders arm strength and accuracy, range and his sure-handedness, along with the number of “excellent” and “poor” fielding plays he makes. The SDI also incorporates a rating for a player's ability to turn double plays (2B and SS), fielding bunts (primarily P, C, 3B, and 1B) and scoops of throws in the dirt (1B). For catchers, blocking balls in the dirt and stolen bases/ caught stealing are also included. For pitchers, the SDI includes his ability to hold runners on base and control the running game.

A positive SDI number indicates that a player was above average compared to other players at his position this season. Conversely, a negative SDI number means the player performed below the league average at this position this season.

[TopGunn#22]

I'm with Mike Link on this one.  I know offensive stats have ALWAYS found their way into this calculus.  How else can you explain Rafael Palmiero winning one when he was the Orioles primary DH years ago??  But the Arraez nomination just floors me.  He's basically still learning position.  Would anyone ever confuse Luis with Hrbek, Mattingly or Wes Parker ?  Luis had a great year with the bat.  An "O.K." year with the glove.  Not bad, but not Gold Glove worthy.  That's my assessment after watching 160 of the Twins 162 games this past season.

Happy for Max.  He deserves it.  Correa is a premium glove at SS.  He should be there because few are better throughout ALL of baseball.  Watch Bogaerts win it.  That would be laughable.

[Dave Overlund]

So they use the SABR Defensive Index, which has Rizzo as the third-worst 1B in the American League at -2.5? Got it. 

[tarheeltwinsfan]

1 hour ago, TopGunn#22 said:

I'm with Mike Link on this one.  I know offensive stats have ALWAYS found their way into this calculus.  How else can you explain Rafael Palmiero winning one when he was the Orioles primary DH years ago??  But the Arraez nomination just floors me.  He's basically still learning position.  Would anyone ever confuse Luis with Hrbek, Mattingly or Wes Parker ?  Luis had a great year with the bat.  An "O.K." year with the glove.  Not bad, but not Gold Glove worthy.  That's my assessment after watching 160 of the Twins 162 games this past season.

Happy for Max.  He deserves it.  Correa is a premium glove at SS.  He should be there because few are better throughout ALL of baseball.  Watch Bogaerts win it.  That would be laughable.

Hrbek, Mattingly and Parker are not eligible for a Gold Glove this year.

[Minny505]

21 hours ago, Trov said:

I though Arraez metrics were not good at first base, did they improve that much?  I know in the past offense played a huge roll, but I thought now they actually looked at the metrics. 

Arraez's metrics are rather amazing at 1B.

Of the three Twins players, he likely has the highest odds of emerging the victor, particularly if voters pro-rate a bit to give him credit for a full season, considering the circumstance in which he became the team's 1B.

[peterukavina]

Max might have a chance.

[Riverbrian]

So with the defensive weighting that is done. 

Arraez WAR 56.8

[h2oface]

These awards are a joke. Arraez? It is like when Dozier actually won a GG. Comical.

And have you seen on the official Twins page that Correa wins almost all of them that weren't pithing? What a suck up. If Correa would have been producing in the first half of the season ... then we might have been up to 20 games over .500 instead of peaking a 11. Total suck up joke. Awards are worthless and all about markenting and not about actual important performance, especially in at bats that really counted.

[Seth Stohs]

AL 1B: Vlad Guerrero 
AL SS: Jeremy Pena
AL RF: Kyle Tucker

Arraez, Correa and Kepler were robbed!!!  Or not. I don't know.