2012 Metric Gold Gloves

[Tyrus4189Cobb]

Gold Gloves were announced. Here's a chart comparing the various fielders (excluding pitchers) who performed the best at each position per fielding metric, where I assume the leader of a metric would receive a Gold Glove. I just want to here some input from the folks around here. Are the 2012 numbers reflective of the best fielders this year (I know 3-year numbers are suggested)? Which metric do you find to be the most accurate? Any you detest?

Though I specify the left/center/right fielders, some of these may group them as outfielders. All stats are based on Baseball Reference except Defensive Runs Saved and UZR, which is found on Fangraphs. I'm assuming Fangraphs' DRS is the same as the Fielding Bible's. For catchers, UZR isn't available so I put in CS%.

FP=fielding percentage
RF/9=range factor (per 9 inn)
DRS=defensive runs saved
TZR=total zone runs
UZR=ultimate zone rating (per 150 games). CS% for catchers
GG=actual Gold Glove winner

AL	   FP	                RF/9	             DRS	            TZR	            UZR	              GG
C	J. Molina (.994)	         A. Avila (9.16)	A. Avila (6)    	M. Wieters (9)	S. Perez (41.9%)	        M. Wieters
1B	M. Teixeira (.999)       A. Gonzalez (10.25)   Teixeira (17)	A. Gonzalez (14)	A. Gonzalez (16.6)      M. Teixeira
2B	D. Pedroia (.992)	        A. Casilla (5.33)	R. Cano (15)	D. Pedroia (11)	D. Pedroia (10.8)	         R. Cano
3B	A. Beltre (.974)	     J. Hannahan (3.02)	 B. Lawrie (20)	B. Lawrie (14)	Moustakas (15.2)	        A. Beltre
SS	J. J. Hardy (.992)  	B. Dozier (4.89)	B. Ryan (27)	J.J. Hardy (21)	B. Ryan (17.1)	       J.J. Hardy
LF	D. Jennings (1.00)	J. Willingham (2.13)	A. Gordon (24)	D. Murphy (12)	D. Jennings (20.2)    J. Reddick
CF	Gentry, Grandy (1)	J. Dyson (3.08)	D. Span (20)	M. Trout (13)	D. Span (9.6)	          A.Gordon
RF	B. Revere (1.000)	B. Revere (2.26)	J. Reddick (22)	A. Rios (22)	J. Reddick (20.4)	        A. Jones
						
						
						
NL	      FP	      RF/9	          DRS	       TZR	            UZR	              GG
C	B. McCann (.998)	C. Ruiz (9.76)	Y. Molina (16)	R. Hanigan (17)	R. Hanigan (48.5%)	Y. Molina
1B	G. Sanchez (.996)	G. Sanchez (9.89)	J. Votto (9)	A. LaRoche (13)	J. Votto (7.5)	A. LaRoche
2B	D. Barney (.997)	O. Infante (5.25)	D. Barney (28)	D. Barney (16)	M. Ellis (16.1)	          D. Barney
3B	A. Ramirez (.977)	P. Sandoval (2.89)	D. Wright (16)	C. Headley (10)	D. Wright (16.8)	C. Headley
SS	J. Lowrie (.980)	B. Crawford (4.81)	C. Barmes (13)	A. Simmons (16)	C. Barmes (15.3)	J. Rollins
LF	A. Soriano (.996)	A. Presley (2.06)	M. Prado (12)	M. Prado (16)	M. Prado (16.6)	C. Gonzalez
CF	J. Jay (1.000)	A. Pagan (2.70)	M. Bourn (24)	M. Bourn (38)	M. Bourn (22.5)	A. McCutchen
RF	C. Beltran (.991)	J. Heyward (2.30)	J. Heyward (20)	J. Heyward (23)	J. Heyward (22.1)	J. Heyward

[Tyrus4189Cobb]

I really hate this site's coding. Anyone know how to give it the ability to scroll horizontally?

[AstrosFan]

I'll give the coding a shot, although I probably won't have more success.

AL	FP	                RF/9	             	DRS	        TZR	            	UZR	              	GG
C	J. Molina (.994)	A. Avila (9.16)		A. Avila (6)    M. Wieters (9)		S. Perez (41.9%)	M. Wieters
1B	M. Teixeira (.999)      A. Gonzalez (10.25)	Teixeira (17)	A. Gonzalez (14)	A. Gonzalez (16.6)	M. Teixeira
2B	D. Pedroia (.992)	A. Casilla (5.33)	R. Cano (15)	D. Pedroia (11)		D. Pedroia (10.8)	R. Cano
3B	A. Beltre (.974)	J. Hannahan (3.02)	B. Lawrie (20)	B. Lawrie (14)		Moustakas (15.2)	A. Beltre
SS	J. J. Hardy (.992)  	B. Dozier (4.89)	B. Ryan (27)	J.J. Hardy (21)		B. Ryan (17.1)		J.J. Hardy
LF	D. Jennings (1.00)	J. Willingham (2.13)	A. Gordon (24)	D. Murphy (12)		D. Jennings (20.2)	J. Reddick
CF	Gentry, Grandy (1)	J. Dyson (3.08)		D. Span (20)	M. Trout (13)		D. Span (9.6)		A.Gordon
RF	B. Revere (1.000)	B. Revere (2.26)	J. Reddick (22)	A. Rios (22)		J. Reddick (20.4)	A. Jones
						
						
						
NL	FP	      		RF/9			DRS	       	TZR	            	UZR			GG
C	B. McCann (.998)	C. Ruiz (9.76)		Y. Molina (16)	R. Hanigan (17)		R. Hanigan (48.5%)	Y. Molina
1B	G. Sanchez (.996)	G. Sanchez (9.89)	J. Votto (9)	A. LaRoche (13)		J. Votto (7.5)		A. LaRoche
2B	D. Barney (.997)	O. Infante (5.25)	D. Barney (28)	D. Barney (16)		M. Ellis (16.1)		D. Barney
3B	A. Ramirez (.977)	P. Sandoval (2.89)	D. Wright (16)	C. Headley (10)		D. Wright (16.8)	C. Headley
SS	J. Lowrie (.980)	B. Crawford (4.81)	C. Barmes (13)	A. Simmons (16)		C. Barmes (15.3)	J. Rollins
LF	A. Soriano (.996)	A. Presley (2.06)	M. Prado (12)	M. Prado (16)		M. Prado (16.6)		C. Gonzalez
CF	J. Jay (1.000)		A. Pagan (2.70)		M. Bourn (24)	M. Bourn (38)		M. Bourn (22.5)		A. McCutchen
RF	C. Beltran (.991)	J. Heyward (2.30)	J. Heyward (20)	J. Heyward (23)		J. Heyward (22.1)	J. Heyward

Well whaddaya know. It worked.

[Tyrus4189Cobb]

How did you do that?

Anyone care to tell give their personal GGs?

[leewileyfan]

I am wrapping up my 2012 defensive evaluations and have just finished the CATCHER portion. My own metric, as yet unpublished, is explained on a number of threads here. To present CATCHER 2012 in full context:

Player name is followed by the metric Defense Rating [resembles Fldg %]. The next Rating is the League Average at the position. The Defense Runs +/- relate Player-to-League and further adjust for playing time, above average. GG in bold print.

NL Top 5:

Y. Molina .985 > .936 = 16.07 DR
C. Ruiz .973 > .936 = 8.99 DR
A.J. Ellis .961 > .936 = 8.12 DR
M. Montero .958 > .936 = 7.46 DR
"B." Posey .958 > .936 = 5.97 DR

AL Top 5:

S. Perez .975 > .930 = 8.24 DR
A.J. Pierzynski .943 > .930 = 3.81
K. Suzuki [both Leagues] .942 > .933 = 3.42 DR
J. Molina .946 > .930 = 2.90 DR
M. Olivo .946 > .930 = 2.80 DR

I'll post other positions as I finalize them.

[leewileyfan]

Metric Ratings, my metric, continued from Catcher above. Top 5 candidates players for 1st Base and 2nd Base [each League] are listed, as follows: [My GG selection in bold type]:

Player Name.....Defensive Rating.....Rating +/- DR to LG AVG....... +/-DR adj. Playing Time......K bias Adjustment

1B~NL

T. Helton .992; +11.08; +4.24; +4.18
J. Votto .970; +6.22; +4.44; +4.26
C. Lee .970; +4.77; +4.09; +3.37
C. McGehee .964; +4.71; +1.84; +2.03
A. Rizzo .951 +1.85; +0.93; +0.32

1B~AL

A. Gonzalez 1.1014; +12.23; +10.45: +10.27
C. Kotchman .997; +8.33; +6.31; +5.26
A. Lind .997; +8.29; +2.84; +2.63
*Morneau .964; +7.10; +4.28; +2.51
A. Pujols .977; +3.88; +2.71; +2.48

2B~NL

O. Infante .999; +16.74; +8.39; +8.42
A. Hill .977; +9.04; +8.29; +7.85
**D. Uggla .970; +6.58; +6.08; +6.08
D. Descalsco .976; +8.77; +3.76; +3.67
D. Barney .965; +5.00; +4.36; +3.01

2B~AL

A. Casilla .993; +13.35; +6.81; +4.90
J. Kipnis .965; +3.48; +3.08; +1.66
K. Johnson .964; +3.18; +2.57; +1.95
D. Pedroia .962; +2.43; +2.03; +1.81
R. Roberts .963; +2.77; +0.68; +1.37
R. Cano .955; +.004; +.004; +1.67

Footnoted[*] reflect the possible impact on defense ratings when pitching staff K numbers in a season are off-the-charts abpve or below League averages. In 2012, the MNT staff fanned 251 FEWER batter than the AL average, which distorts defense position players' opportunities to execute. I pursue this no further than special notation for the sake of addressing EQUIVALENCE. The asterisk for Dan Uggla is to highlight NO change for K bias, since the staff recorded exactly the LG average in that department.

However, EQUIVALENCE in a mathematical sense called for more convoluted adjustments which exceed the value of the adjustment as I see it:

1. A discepancy like 251 is a real outlier, especially if it is compounded by comparing, say a SS from such a team with one whose pitchers fanned 251 MORE than the League average. Now you're at a spread of 502 K's.

2. Exaggerated as this may seem, those K discrepencies are SHARED among all position players on the defensive team, shares based upon batted ball opportunity normally experienced at each position. In the extreme case above [502], I would have 1B getting a 9% share, or 45 total plays. However, we then must revert to 45 "plays" and how the team/player getting or losing adjusted shares actually performed with batted balls.

3. What I have done in the final column in the selections above is adjust DR by .1065, the value of a K as shared by position with team +/- difference from average. The .1065 is derived from countless positional applications, by nature of plays at position, spread through each player's input lines. [I'd have been just as happy with .11, rounded up].

[leewileyfan]

Rather than piecemeal this, here are my metrics's ratings for 2012 Gold Gloves in the A.L. only. I expect to have the N.L. done within the next week.

Players are listed by Defense Runs playing Rate, then DR adjusted for actual playing time. I generally pick the player in the DR adjusted for playing time column.

Top selections are listed for each position with my GG choice in bold typeface. [Sorry for the rotten alignment. On my monitor it look grand.

Catchers:

Player........Rate DR.........Playing Time Adj. DR

Perez, S. 20.4...............................9.2
Molina, J. 8.0...............................3.9
Olivo, M. 8.6...............................3.7

1B:

Gonzalez, A. 14.5.............................12.4
Kotchman, C. 10.6...............................7.9
Morneau, J. 9.4...............................3.6

2B:

Casilla, A. 15.1..............................7.1
Johnson, K. 4.9..............................4.0
Pedroia, 4.2..............................4.0

3B:

Moustakis, M. 7.4..............................6.7
Hannahan, 7.0..............................3.5
Inge, B. 3.5..............................1.6

SS:

Hardy, J.J. 9.9..............................9.8
Dozier, B. 13.1..............................6.6
Ryan, B. 7.1..............................5.7

LF:

Gordon, A. 21.8............................15.8
Willingham, J. 14.0..............................9.8
Robinson, T. 21.8.............................5.5
Viciedo, D. 11.4..............................8.6

CF:

Span, D. 16.6.............................12.3
Jones, A. 12.1.............................12.1
Dyson, J. 23.3.............................11.1

Here it's a toss-up, with Jones certainly worthy as a contender based on playing time.

RF:

Rios, A. 14.7..............................13.8
Reddick, J. 15.1..............................12.2
Rivere, B. 19.5...............................9.5
Cruz, N. 9.1...............................8.0

[leewileyfan]

Here are the ratings my defense metric generates for 2012 in the National League. Leaders at each position are listed as to rate [+/-] defense runs based on individual player data; +/- defense runs which dilutes the rate of performance number to actual playing time as percentage of all team innings at each position. The GG "winner" is usually the player with highest defense runs based on playing time.

Catchers:

Player....................................Rate: DR........................Playing Time: DR

Y. Molina........................19.7...................... ............19.5
Ellis.........................................14.8 ..................................11.7
Montero....................................13.6... ...............................11.1
Ruiz.........................................11.6. ...................................8.1

1B

Helton........................................9.5. .................................3.6
Votto................................4.6............... ...................3.1
Lee............................................3.2 ...................................2.7

2B

Infante........................................17. 1................................8.6
Hill...............................................9.4 ................................8.6
Uggla............................................6 .9................................6.4

3B

Sandoval.......................................4.5 ................................2.6
Headley...............................3.0................ ................2.9
Freese...........................................2 .3................................2.0

SS

Janish............................................ 9.3................................2.9
Simmons........................................8.9 ................................2.6
Crawford..............................5.3................. ...............4.0
Lowrie............................................ 6.1................................3.3

LF

Soriano...............................14.4............... ...............11.7
Victorino........................................1 6.1...............................4.6
Braun............................................. .5.9...............................5.4
Presley........................................... 11.2...............................4.7
Bay............................................... .16.8...............................5.3

CF

Ruggiano........................................15 .3...............................4.3
Pagan....................................8.5........... ....................7.4
Jay............................................... ...7.1...............................4.9
Bourn............................................. .4.4................................4.0

RF

Heyward...............................18.8............... ...............17.2
Werth............................................. 20.2...............................8.4
Stanton........................................... 14.8.............................10.5