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Atlanta Braves Gold Glove nominees come up empty: The complex voting process explained

By Fred Owens

The Rawlings Gold Glove Awards signify defensive excellence. Paty Atlanta Braves winners include Ender Inciarte, Nick Markakis, Andrelton Simmons and Jason Heyward. DIGITAL IMAGE. Mandatory Credit: Tom Hauck/Getty Images
The Rawlings Gold Glove Awards signify defensive excellence. Paty Atlanta Braves winners include Ender Inciarte, Nick Markakis, Andrelton Simmons and Jason Heyward. DIGITAL IMAGE. Mandatory Credit: Tom Hauck/Getty Images /
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Comparing methods – Rawlings Gold Glove Award®

According to the website, the first Rawlings Gold Glove Awards originated in 1957.

"Rawlings Gold Glove Award® is presented annually to 18 Major League Baseball players, one for each position, in both the National and American Leagues.  (In 1957, only nine players received the award.) These outstanding players are selected as the best fielding players at their respective positions by Major League coaches and managers prior to the conclusion of the regular season. Managers and coaches may not select players from their own club and only vote for players in their own league."

Rules for player qualification are spelled out on the Rawlings website,

  • All pitchers must pitch at least 142 innings through game 142
  • A catcher must have played in at least 71 games through game 142
  • All infielders and outfielders must have played in the field for at least 713 total innings through game 142 or roughly 7.5 a game in 2/3rds of the first 142 games
  • All infielders and outfielders with at least 713 innings played qualify at the specific position where he played the most innings.

This year Atlanta Braves game 142 took place on September 6.

In 2018 Jason Heyward played 851 innings in right-field, but those innings did not take place before team game 142. As a result, Heyward didn’t qualify for the Gold Glove in right-field won by Atlanta Braves senior outfielder, Nick Markakis.

The voting rules also have nuance.

  • The Rawlings Gold Glove Award® is not based solely on fielding metrics and statistics, and offense isn’t a factor.
  • Only the manager and up to six of the coaching staff from each team gets a vote. Voters must sign their ballot.
  • Managers and coaches can’t vote for their players and may only vote for players in the same League.
  • Players are voted on at the position where they qualified – LF, CF, or RF, not OF.
  • The votes are kept confidential

Note on errata: The Rawlings page linked contains sourcing errors, which I corrected in my list. I’ve contacted Rawlings about those errors.

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