The Gold Glove award winners were announced this week. There were no New York Mets players included. Before you see red, there are a few things I would like to point out.
First, we knew it was headed this way when the finalists came out – only Tomas Nido was amongst the finalists, and he was up against Realmuto who deserved the award and won it. My post on October 24th discussed the finalists and some Mets that should have made it but didn’t. https://macksmets.blogspot.com/2022/10/paul-articulates-give-these-gloves-some.html
Second, it really doesn’t matter. Individual awards are great, and reflect great performance by a player. However, teams can still play very well without any award winners as long as they field very competent players in every position. I believe that the Mets have done this, and it was a key contributor to their 101 win regular season. Here is my proof:
• In 2022, the Mets ranked second in MLB for the fewest errors (67) just behind the Cardinals who had 66.
• In 2022, the Mets were tied for second in MLB team fielding percentage at .988 just behind the Cardinals, who had a .989 fielding percentage.
• Like the advanced stats? The Mets were 7th in MLB as a team for Outs Above Average (OAA) with 12. They only trailed ARI, SD, HOU, STL, CLE, and NYY.
• The above statistics contributed to a Mets team that was 7th in MLB with the least earned runs (570) behind some very successful teams this year – LAD, HOU, NYY, TB, ATL, CLE.
In the 2022 season, the Mets had one of their best defensive efforts in recent memory. The defense kept them in many games that would have been lost by less capable teams. Pitchers survived innings when a slick double-play wiped the bases clean in front of a power hitting opponent. Big innings were minimized by sound fundamental play by Mets defenders who hit the cutoffs and threw behind runners taking wide turns. Nido was a gold glove finalist, but both he and McCann were effective in minimizing opponents’ running games.
Individually, there were several standout defensive players that were worthy of mention:
- Luis Guillorme, who I believe should have been the gold glove winner as a utility player had only 3 errors all season playing excellent defense at three different infield positions.
- Francisco Lindor played 161 games at short with very solid, dependable play and great leadership of the infield. The only noteworthy error he made all year was slamming a hotel door on his finger in LA which caused him to miss his only game of the season.
- Brandon Nimmo has expanded his range and defensive prowess on a yearly basis. His leaping over-the-fence grab of an otherwise home run against the Dodgers was a top highlight this year.
- Jeff McNeil played left field like he has played there for his whole career. Jeff McNeil played second base like he has played there for his whole career. He has also played a capable RF.
- Starling Marte was new to the right field position this year. He played it like he was always a right fielder. His range and arm were difference makers for this team. Some of the metrics, like DRS were unfavorable, but I believe those were skewed by the many games he played hurt with groin or hamstring injuries that limited his usual mobility.
- Taijuan Walker has the best pickoff move in baseball among right handed pitchers in my humble opinion. I really enjoyed watching runners walking away from first shaking their heads after being picked off when they knew it was coming.
There is still room for improvement. The infield corners were not strong points in the Mets’ defensive game. Pete works hard at improving but the numbers aren’t there yet. Eduardo Escobar looked like he was capable at third, but the numbers tell a different story, particularly the advanced metrics that scored him 33rd among 3rd basemen in a 30 team league.
The bottom line here is that although a Gold Glove award is nice to have, it is not essential to team success. The Mets have built a strong defense that is right for this team in their home ballpark. Attention to the bats and the pitching is the right priority.
P.S. Kudos to Andres Gimenez, former Met who won a Gold Glove with the Cleveland Guardians. I always thought that kid would go far.
12 comments:
They never gave these things out in the Central Park Fast Pitch leagues I played in, and excelled at third.
My nickname in those days was "Clete" for my defense.
(wish they called me Brooks)
I would have been bummed if I lost one of these but, in the end, was to be the last team standing.
You don’t have to get all defensive here, Paul, and hopefully you will flawlessly field any questions that come up.
I did a little homework before my phone interview with Jeff McNeil in May 2018. He was, as I found out, primarily a CF in college, and he told me in the interview that despite only playing in the infield to that point in the minors,playing in the outfield would be no problem. Jeff, as it turns out, excels at all things.
It was a great fielding team.
Mack Robinson…it has a ring to it.
Boyer you that good, Mack? I'm impressed. Played a little 3rd in my day as well.
Ex WCBS TV anchor Jim Jensen was the pitcher
Ex Yankees Arturo Lopez on short
Ex Yankee Duke Carmel on first
Couldn't play HS
Parents died
Had to work
I think Clete is pretty good.
Mack:
Is it still possible that the Mets could make a deal with Cincy for Alexis Dias, brother of Edwin? Alexis is a really good closer for Cincy and having Edwin and Alexis here could be something great to see. The reason I ask, is because the first attempt by the Mets has failed to acquire him. But Cincy does have possibly the very worst rotation I have ever seen in modern day baseball. So, I was thinking why not offer to Cincy Chris Bassett plus maybe some cash for Alexis Dias and someone else. Perhaps like a Ryan Nutof from the Louisville Bats.
Cincy's record in 2022 was absolutely horrible.
They need a serious blood transfusion and Bassitt could be that. I just am not a big Chris Bassett fan. I felt that his last regular game Braves outing and then his playoff Padres outing were so poor that it made him look like he "could not rise up" to the big game outings and it really does worry me with him going forward. A lot fat pitches he left up in the strike zone that Mack and I could have hit out I bet.
2023 It does make sense.
1. Maxwell Scherzer 2. Carlos Rodon 3. Noah Syndergaard (goes against the top MLB starter in baseball today Justin Verlander in game five of ASG) 4. Taijuan Walker 5. David Peterson 6. Carlos Carrasco
Mack:
Can you believe that with Atlanta and the Mets ahead of them that the Philadelphia Phillies are in the World Series? They ended up 12 games back of tied Braves and the Mets.
Since you are a native New Yorker too. I think Thib's at NYK will soon be gone. He has the talent there now Mack, but has no idea at all how to put it all together to make it work optimally. It is a maximally athletic team, and Jericho and Cam would make it even better if starting. Perhaps like this...C Jericho Sims PF Randle SF Barrett PG Brunson SG Reddish
Does Adding Another Veteran Monster Bat For 2023 Left Field and DH Make True Sense For This Team
This topic will be debated on NY radio most of this early offseason.
But for me, I would not bring in any outside bats unless it is to possibly replace Daniel Vogelbach, a career .218 BA hitter at the DH. Daniel was "not good" in the playoffs this season. However, he was not the only Mets' batter to be that way. But it made me lose substantial confidence in Daniel's big game effectiveness in critical situations.
Instead...
The Mets do have some very good and interesting younger players getting ready for 2023. 3B Brett Baty for one. His MiLB stats indicate that he is ready for here and I look forward to seeing him out there. Ditto with Francisco Alvarez behind the Mets' dish. Both will be fine once they finish "growing out their proverbial MLB legs" sometime early on 2023.
But after these two exciting new Mets players, they have three other younger players who need to be given consideration for beginning their own careers in 2023. Namely OF Jake Mangum, INF/OF's Mark Vientos and Ronnie Mauricio. Hopefully, all three of these players will see some AFL playing time in left field to help them be ready for a new challenge come ST.
Theoretically, the Mets could choose one for left field and another player for the DH spot. Wouldn't that be something?
Good stuff here........funny what a competent and professional manager/staff can accomplish when you focus on fundamentals.
They tend to translate into a team that wins, IMO.......what's funny (and not in a humorous way) is that the Phillies were seen as a dumpster fire early in the year (defensively), yet they had a managerial change and seems to figure out their issues (mostly).
It will be interesting to see what 2023 brings for both franchises.
In response to the Diaz comment, I think it would be a great selling point to keep Edwin in NY if we go get his brother. I'm just not sure I would offer Bassitt because of two reasons: 1) It would have to be sign-and-trade because he is one of the free agents; 2) He's not as bad as his last two playoff starts. Both he and Scherzer got hit hard in the ATL series and in the playoff start. But you can't assume that's because he doesn't have the mental toughness to "rise up" or you would have to make the same statement about Scherzer - and we know that's not true as he has a championship pedigree. Both Max and Chris are cerebral pitchers who use a bunch of different pitches to outsmart their opponents. Late this year, they may have outsmarted themselves and used an approach that played right into their competitors' hands.
So let's go get Alex Diaz and try to keep Chris Bassit around. If we can get Rodon on the staff, then maybe offer Peterson for Diaz.
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