Image: Bob Levey / Getty Images

Check out the other 2023 Gallardo Awards here.

The M-SABR Gallardo Awards, originally conceived by alumni Cam Cain and Sahil Shah, are given to some of the worst performing players in their respective categories each season.

This is the first article in this year’s series, honoring the worst defenders in the American League. The Iron Pyrite Glove Award is made of fool’s gold, and mirrors MLB’s Gold Glove Award. The Tin Glove Award is given to the worst defender overall. It’s our Platinum Glove Award.

C – Martín Maldonado, HOU

Tin Glove Award Winner

In 2017, Maldonado managed to take home an American League Gold Glove Award, finishing with a league-leading 25 catching runs above average, according to the former Angels’ backstop’s Baseball Savant page. That season, Maldonado finished above average in framing runs and in his efforts to stop the running game.

Compiling a career .207 batting average with an OPS+ of 72, Maldonado’s strength has always lay in his work behind the plate. Across the league, he is seen as an elite defender and as a guy your pitching staff will benefit from.  

It is, to say the least, quite disappointing for Maldonado to not only grace the list of Iron Pyrite Award winners but also take home a Tin Glove Award for worst defensive player in the American League in 2023. The Astros backstop managed to tie 2021 Salvador Pérez for an all-time-low -18 framing runs (first recorded in 2015), a statistic which used to be his greatest strength. He proved to be average in both the base-stealing and blocking departments.

To make things even worse for the Astros staff, Maldonado led the league with 12 passed balls this season. This was his second-straight year leading the category, a signal that the newly-signed White Sox catcher might simply be unable to further manage his catching duties with substantial innings under his belt.

As a credit to Maldonado, though, he’s been reliable behind the plate for over a decade and has solidified his legacy as an elite defensive catcher. Oh, and he has a World Series ring…what more could you ask for?

1B – Vladimir Guerrero Jr., TOR

Vladdy went from first to worst, following up a Gold Glove with one consisting of fool’s gold. However, the pick of the litter at first base in the American League in 2022 was far from ideal, with Guerrero Jr taking home the award after posting -4 outs above average (OAA), per Baseball Savant.

In 2023, that OAA figure dipped to -13, a career worst since making the move to first base. There have been a lot of questions in the advanced baseball statistics world, though, about how representative defensive statistics such as OAA and defensive runs saved (DRS) are of a first baseman’s performance.

For example, a first baseman may be discredited in the OAA category for failing to convert an out on a ground ball a few strides to his right. On a different batted ball, though, a first baseman could save an out (and an error for his teammate) by picking a ball thrown on a hop and well off the bag. OAA doesn’t take any play concerning a first baseman’s primary function – to catch the ball and make an out at first – into account. 

So, Blue Jays fans could probably give more context to Guerrero’s value as a first baseman and whether or not he is deserving of an Iron Pyrite Glove Award. If, per se, he consistently saved his infielders from committing throwing errors throughout the season, then he may be undeserving of the award.

As it is, though, defensive statistics have yet to take shape — especially at the first base position –, and Vladimir Guerrero Jr. is unfortunately taking home the fool’s gold. Nonetheless, his value lay within his abilities at the plate, and Toronto is lucky to have one of MLB’s brightest stars.

2B – Adam Frazier, BAL

Adam Frazier’s defense has taken a step downward every season of his career. Though his value to a team has often been his ability to play multiple positions, Frazier has been utilized the past two seasons as solely a second baseman. This is fairly puzzling, as his numbers make it rather obvious that he has performed much better in the outfield than at second throughout his career.

Since being traded by the Pirates in 2021, Frazier has regressed significantly on both sides of the ball while being utilized as an everyday second baseman. With Pittsburgh, Frazier compiled a 105 OPS+ across six strong seasons, including a bid to the All-Star Game in 2021 before being traded. Since, this number has fallen to 87, a sign of regression for a player who is only 31 years of age.

Defensively, 2023 was Frazier’s worst season yet, finishing last amongst second basemen and fourth worst across the entire league in OAA (-15), per Baseball Savant. This is an extremely low value given the nature of the second base position in terms of range not being overly crucial. To put it mildly, Frazier rarely successfully fielded balls that were anything outside of routine.

Given Frazier’s declining value on both sides of the ball, it will be interesting to see if he can rebound in 2024. The second baseman was recently signed by the Kansas City Royals.

SS – JP Crawford, SEA

Crawford is yet another former Gold Glove Award winner (2020) to take home the Iron Pyrite. After being in consideration for the award in 2022, there was no denying this decision after a second-straight poor defensive season.

In 2023, the Mariners’ shortstop finished in the 12th percentile for fielding run value and in the 5th percentile for range, per Baseball Savant. Crawford also committed 14 errors at shortstop, which paled in comparison to Javier Báez’s league-leading 19. However, Crawford was less successful on low percentage plays whereas Báez thrived on them (though Crawford did make a few incredible ones).

If we’re comparing Crawford to Báez, though, I (as a Tigers’ fan) would sacrifice a flashy play for a few walks at the plate any day of the week. The Mariners’ shortstop had an extremely successful season at the dish, leading the American League with 94 walks and putting together a well-above-average .818 OPS.

His efforts from the left batters box earned him a 16th-place MVP finish and solidified him as a key piece in the Mariners’ everyday lineup. Entering his age-29 season, the former first rounder has an important year up ahead; we will be looking to see some improvement defensively.

3B – Rafael Devers, BOS

So, to the surprise of very few, Devers brings up the rear in terms of American League first base defense. In 2023, he was, in short, well below average at his position. This is more of the same for the Red Sox third baseman, who has -24 OAA across seven seasons despite an unexpected 17 OAA season in 2019.

2019 is a clear outlier when taking a look at Devers’ Baseball Savant page, and his struggles on the defensive side of the ball have been apparent for much of his career. Devers has slow feet which pair with poor footwork and an average-at-best arm. Though he has surprisingly soft hands and fairly quick reaction times, this doesn’t make up for a pure lack of side-to-side agility.

Devers is a slugger, though, and it is safe to say that the Red Sox didn’t sign him to a 10-year contract extension before the 2023 season for his defense. This season was yet another 30-home run, .850+ OPS season for the smooth-swinging lefty, and his consistency leads us to believe that we won’t be seeing a decline in production from Devers anytime soon. 

Though defense is important and is worth taking the time to improve upon, there is a place for anyone in the MLB who can hit in the day of high-velocity, high-spin pitching. One of the league’s most pure swingers, Devers is a keeper, Red Sox fans.

RF – Kyle Tucker, HOU

Just as Guerrero Jr, Tucker won a Gold Glove Award in 2022 and followed it up with an inverse performance, bringing home the 2023 Iron Pyrite Glove Award for American League right fielders.

Outs Above Average, as previously described, is not a first base statistic and really doesn’t represent infielders in general all that well. However, when evaluating outfielders, OAA encompasses the majority of the job — determining how well does a player track down baseballs and make plays.

In this category, Tucker had finished above league average in each of his three full seasons in the league. Then 2023 came along, and the Astros’ right fielder finished with the worst OAA at his position in the AL (-6), per Baseball Savant. Tucker was also poorly rated in both the range and arm departments, areas where he had excelled in the past.

Tucker, as similar to players like Devers and Guerrero Jr, offers an immense advantage to his team with his abilities in the batters box. Another extremely consistent talent, Tucker led the American League in RBIs in 2023, while posting a 142 OPS+. He also took home a Silver Slugger Award and finished fifth in AL MVP voting.

This season has propelled Tucker to baseball stardom, so his defense should be less than worrisome. Even so, the Astros’ slugger has great athleticism and all the tools to perform well in right field. Expect a bounce back season from him defensively in ‘24.

CF – Adam Duvall, BOS

The second Red Sox player to grace our Iron Pyrite Glove Award list in 2023, Duvall is simply NOT a centerfielder. The Red Sox have some explaining to do, as there is no reason Duvall should have started 56 of his 79 games in center. Yes, injuries happen, but a slew of these decisions by the Sox (such as starting first baseman Bobby Dalbec at shortstop once!) led to their finishing as the worst defensive team in baseball.

Boston closed out the season with a staggering -50 OAA as a team, and the second-worst squad wasn’t really that close (Cincinnati at -36). Also, can someone explain to me how Kiké Hernández recorded 15 errors in just 86 games played?

In any case, I will give Duvall some credit. For a 35-year-old outfielder with a lengthy injury history, he held up well and actually moves at an above average speed, according t’o Baseball Savant. Nonetheless and expectedly, Duvall’s poor range doesn’t allow him to man a position where you’re required to cover the most ground.

Duvall finished tied for last in OAA among MLB center fielders (-3 with Athletics’ JJ Bleday). What was to be expected of him, though? Duvall nearly doubled his career innings played in center field this season as a 12-year major league veteran. This would be a tall task for anyone in his circumstance, especially when considering the substantial size and awkward shape of Fenway Park’s center field.

LF – Andrew Benintendi, CWS

Both Duvall and Benintendi earned Gold Glove Awards in 2021 for their strong performances in left field. Now, they each record their first Iron Pyrite Glove Awards for their poor defensive work in 2023. Benintendi finished the season trailing the American League with -11 OAA, a rather ugly figure for an outfielder.

When considering Benintendi’s career defensive statistics (on his Baseball Savant page), it’s clear that he has never really flashed the leather out in left field. Even in his Gold Glove season, Benintendi finished below league average in fielding run value due to his poor arm strength and accuracy. 

The merits of the Gold Glove Award have come under question in recent seasons due to selections like those of Benintendi. Even Iron Pyrite Award winner Juan Soto finished as a Gold Glove finalist in 2022.

Benintendi’s defensive performance in 2023 was his worst yet, though, and the same could be said for his offense. For the first time in his career, the White Sox outfielder finished with an OPS below .700 and managed only five home runs in 621 plate appearances.

Though Benintendi’s bat may be able to return to form, expectations for him on defense aren’t very high. He will need a big year with the bat to set his career back on path.

Categories: 2023 Gallardo Awards, Articles, Season Analysis

Tags: 2023 Gallardo Awards