Zimmerman, who won the award last season for the first time, appeared to be favored to earn the nod again, but he faced a deep field of fellow third basemen that included Rolen, the Phillies' Placido Polanco, the Mets' David Wright and the Padres' Chase Headley.
Rolen earned his eighth career Gold Glove, though his first since 2006. The 35-year-old enjoyed a stellar comeback season in Cincinnati, committing only eight errors while posting a .977 fielding percentage. Zimmerman committed 17 errors with a .951 fielding percentage.
Zimmerman, though, had a better case through advanced fielding metrics. He bested Rolen in Ultimate Zone Rating (13.9 to 10.6) though Headley led all NL third basemen in that category with a rating of 16.5.
The nine NL winners, one for each defensive position, are...
C: Yadier Molina, Cardinals
1B: Albert Pujols, Cardinals
2B: Brandon Phillips, Reds
SS: Troy Tulowitzki, Rockies
3B: Scott Rolen, Reds
OF: Carlos Gonzalez, Rockies
OF: Shane Victorino, Phillies
OF: Michael Bourn, Astros
P: Bronson Arroyo, Reds
Only three of the 18 Gold Glove winners between both leagues played for teams with sub-.500 records: the Astros' Bourn and the Mariners' Ichiro Suzuki and Franklin Gutierrez.
17 comments:
And his day will be thoroughly ruined when the new jersey he's given to model tonight doesn't fit.
Adam Dunn owes Ryan big-time!
oh, i'm sure that new natinals jersey will be a fine fit...
No love for the sad sac Nationals.
Rolen, schmolen. Let's see if Craig Stammen can pull off the Silver Slugger for pitchers:
http://tinyurl.com/2dzvpso
I guess Mark made the case yesterday that Zimm should win because he won before and didn't do anything to screw it up. but a 7 time Gold Glover changing leagues and playiing a lot due to his offance, trumps all that.
I think Zimm is very good, but my eyes tell me he played better last year than this year.
If Nick Johnson had been the Nats first baseman last season, Zimmerman would have won the Gold Glove. Of course Nick probably would have spent at least half the season on the DL if he had been a Nat. As it was, he missed just about the entire season with the Yankees.
I did not see that coming. That said, Scott Rolen had an unbelievable year and congradulations to him.
The sidearm throwing style has made him look erratic a lot more this year. Dunn or not, there have been lot of high or wide throws--enough that many of us have commented on it this year. He's awesome, and there is no one else I want playing 3B for the Nats, but this seems fair to me. If he shows more consistency next year on the routine throws, not just on the highlight-quality plays, and he'll be back. If anything, it restores a little faith in the award for me to see he did not automatically win it.
On another note, Bryce Harper is 2 for 4 with 2 triples today. And Sammy Solis pitched 5 solid innings giving up 2 hits, one a solo homer.
The minute Derek Jeter won a gold glove the entire process became irrelevant and subject to ridicule so I wouldn't worry about Zim losing out to Rolen at all. Rolen once was the standard by which all 3rd baseman were measured but that was a few years ago and over the course of last year Zim gos to MANY balls Rolen didn't and everyone including Rolen knows this.
On Harper; I have to admit that he's doing way better than I expected (.357 OPS .1098; don't have the OBP) although it's only on 28 AB's. I thought he would be at Hagerstown in 2011 but maybe Potomac is not as much of a reach as I first thought.
Chase Headley must have wheels on his cleets, to have that UZR. I'd never seen a third baseman with Zim's range before--guess I'd never been to a Padres' game.
Either he or Zim should have won the Gold Glove. Rolen was on a division champ, big deal--nuff' said.
Rizzo wouldn't be too far off, by starting Oppo Boppo at Harrisburg. Way he's going in the AFL, he'll be smokin' AAA baseballs by the end of July--put that in the Nats' bank!
Yeah, I don't think there is much room to doubt Harper's bat. Yes he is still a young guy but his power in the box is unrivaled.
Harper will keep on learning pitchers and pitches. University league pitching is a long way from what he will see in the Bigs.
But its obvious that he already has batting instincts and discipline that puts him ahead of many hitters in the current Nats lineup. He doesn't need to learn how to hit, he merely has to take advantage of the opportunities of adapting and learning 'who' is throwing 'what', and get practiced at it. I think that he will surprise us all, at how quickly he goes through the minors.
I was at the AFL game today and things are looking up for the Nats. Harper has incredible bat speed and a real cannon in right. 2 triples today! Solis looks good too. His team has won all 5 of his AFL starts and he's 3rd in the league in innings pitched. He was at 93 mph in the fifth inning. Things are looking up for the Nats!
Rodney, his team has won all of Solis's starts because it is a ridiculous offensive powerhouse, not because Solis has been a great pitcher for them (he hasn't). I swear they average like nine runs a game, and that's without Harper in the lineup.
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