The Worst Gold Glove Winners of the Last Ten Years

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The Gold Glove is the one award at the end of the baseball season that really highlights the defensive side of the game. For other MLB awards such as the MVP, it can factor in defense, but it also can sometimes be overlooked. The Gold Glove is the award that wants to look strictly at and award the best defenders at each position in baseball. However, there’s one big problem. Sometimes the Gold Glove isn’t given to the best fielder. And sometimes, they were given to some of the worst defenders. That’s what I want to explore. I’m taking a look at some of MLB’s Worst Gold Glove Winners in the last decade and trying to figure out why those players came away with the award. Is it because of reputation? Offensive stats? Are other players playing multiple positions? Volume? Perhaps it’s all of the above.
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Thanks to this YouTube Channel for preserving baseball broadcasts that I was able to utilize for this video!
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Music Used (In Order)

[JacobCarter-vfzp]

Another thing to note about Hosmer’s award in ’17 is that Joe Mauer actually led AL first basemen in OAA, DRS, and UZR, but wasn’t even a finalist for the award. Don’t know that it’s crazy important in the context of his career, but he was my favorite player growing up and it would’ve been cool for him to win it at a totally different position.

[joelnelson]

It is so weird to me that so many Royals like Hosmer and Perez won so many awards due to previous wins influencing voters despite lackluster fielding, yet Lorenzo Cain, another Royal, had one of the most incredible defensive careers out in CF yet never won when he was in KC and only got his first Gold Glove in 2019 with the Crew

[smoceany]

palmeiro won a gold glove at first base with only 28 games there

[TheNookOfficial]

Still beyond baffled at Juan Soto landing as a Gold Glove finalist in 2022

[ABrandNewBallGame]

I'm starting to regret that I wasn't more specific with the video title because a lot of people seem to have missed when I said I was only covering players in the last ten years. That's my bad. Regadless, all the responses mean a lot, even if its critcism!
Edit: I’ve decided it would be better for me to change the title of the video, so I’ve done that.

[dannyserrano]

The mario super sluggers music was killer

[GitzenShiggles]

A very well researched and presented analysis. Nicely done.

[chrisweidner]

Sadly, all too often it has been a popularity contest. Often going to the best hitter or biggest name. A guy getting a gold glove after only playing 28 games. Madness.

[ajjdgjtmgedvnmtmek]

Personally I think a big issue with positional players is that players might be really good in one position but qualify in a different position. As an example, take 2023 LF finalist Daulton Varsho. Qualified in LF with 817 innings there out of 1279, the rest in CF. Has great year stats with 11 OAA (T-18th overall) and 29 DRS (1st overall) total. But despite playing about 2/3 of his innings in LF, he only generated 1 OAA and 11 DRS in LF. With half as many games in CF, he generated 10 OAA and 18 DRS. He was a way better player in CF than LF.

Another finalist in LF, Steven Kwan, is arguably a better LF player. In 1352 innings, all LF, he generated 9 OAA and 16 DRS. That's a lot more OAA per inning and a little less DRS per inning if we just look at performance in LF and leave out Varsho's performance in CF.

That said, I'm personally rooting for Varsho because he's a below average hitter while also being league leader in DRS this year and having the third highest dWAR in the league. Seems like the right kind of guy to win a Golden Glove, and it might get him some longevity. That said, Kwan already got one his rookie year so like you say the incumbent effect might mean he gets another.

[luscorpio]

Just came across your channel. Very good video ! Looking forward to more.

[vince]

I’m so glad I can say I was here before you had 500 subs when u start averaging millions per video

[GeekoTreecko]

Hold up i hear dragon roost Island during that adam jones bit. A man of culture i see

[christiankaufman]

You forgot all of Derek Jeter’s gold gloves

[dafttassia]

Rafael palmeiro won a gold glove despite only playing 28 games at first base

[benana]

Great video and rito village background music is peak

[peaceofyoshi]

The Royals in particular are interesting because in '14 & '15 they prided themselves as such a great defensive team and I think that reputation just followed them throughout the years, even when they were bo longer good.

I guess it kind of balances out though, cause no Royals were nominated this year despite a couple being deserving(mainly Witt Jr obvs).

[andrewsells]

Gold Glove is probably the worst about wrongful winners, but I feel like it’s going to be a lot better with all the new stats

[MrPopFizz]

Arenado is great but he benefited from the ‘you’ve won before’

What about a video of the worst silver sluggers?

[jptheredsoxfan]

Came for the baseball content

stayed for the super mario RPG battle music