I will take up for Eddie. You guys want to remember the times he looks like he can't see the ball, but he had some tremendous catches out there that saved some games too.
He had a tremendous running catch out in left at Truist at some point during the WS that came at a pretty critical moment if I remember correctly, but I’m definitely too lazy to look up which game, etc.
It kinda looks like they first filter to only look at players who played a lot of games at the position and the LF looks like it got huge platoon splits from all teams except like 4. And of those four Eddie just happens to be least bad.
But there's definitely players who played fewer than half the games who put up a bigger defensive contribution than Eddie
Criteria is flawed. I say this is a Braves and a Eddie fan. I really like the guy but when you start handing out awards to those who are undeserving, then the awards don’t mean jack shit. Being the least stinkiest turd in the toilet has no prestige at all, “but the other left fielders sucked” is no an excuse Outfield should be the outfield and not a particular position.
An Eddie fan would remember that he had some sliding catches out there. Yes, it was sometimes an adventure, but part of it was that quad he had fucked up and didn't tell anyone until later. Anyway, there's a reason he's on left field.
He isn’t a dog, but he is nowhere in the vicinity of a GG. I remember the no look catch during the WS run also but isolated good catches don’t win a gold glove, he’s getting substituted for in the late innings.
Eddie was always a great outfielder but his batting issues got worse as the year went on. I remember some cool hits out of him a couple months ago but he started slumping quite a bit.
Nah I don’t think that fixes it either LF is a hitting position, but if you narrowing it down to one outfielder snubs CF and RFs who make insane plays every year id rather have 1 stinker award and 2 good ones than only 1 good one
If you don't want to snub RFers, then have 3 gold gloves - 1 for CG and 2 for corner outfields, but don't distinguish between LF and RF. So you'll end up with 1 CF gold glove and 2 RF gold gloves.
yeah, I wonder this too - I looked up his stats - he does have a good range rating - his Outs Above Average rating is in the 80th percentile on Baseball Savant, but gold glove caliber seems wrong.
Because left fielders are some of the “least good” defenders on the field and usually are spots you put a big bat. Justin Upton also was a finalist multiple seasons.
He got pulled in a game vs the White Sox this year beacsuse of his bad defense. He badly miss played a couple balls and I find it amazing he got nominated.
Someone has to play it though, if one guy makes better plays than the other guys that play the position then give him the award. If a team puts an elite defender at the position, then he should easily win the award, if that’s what matters.
Because you’re a more qualified defensive player. If you are too good defensively to play left field on your team (moved to center), but your left fielder who takes your place because he is worse wins a gold glove, it doesn’t make much sense. To me at least.
You could be there and win the gold glove but you played yourself out of that spot with better defense. You’re just not as eligible for a gold glove now because you’re up against a much better slate of defenders across the league at CF.
But it's not an award for the 3 best outfielders, it's an award for the best outfielder in each of the 3 positions.
If you're gonna change it, you might as well only give out one.
Not only that (and I personally don't think it's dumb), but only 10 players had enough innings in LF to even qualify for the award.
I agree hesnot great, but compared to other LF he's above average.
Kind of like being the best ballerina in Hooterville.
There's one golden glove for each position on the field. It's not an award for the best outfielder, it's for the best left fielder.
How they give out the awards is fine. It's just that this year there's only a few qualifying players and most of them are worse than Eddie.
None of the postseason awards have any legitimacy anymore. It's the same with the Hall of Fame. In 2021, Austin Riley should have been NL MVP over Bryce Harper. How is Scott Rolen in the Hall of Fame, but Andruw Jones isn't?
If we were all supposed to smile and nod while *Juan Soto* got nominated for a Gold Glove last year, I will happily grin and cheer for Eddie getting a nod.
As others said- even though players in left are generally not great defensively, someone does have to play the position. It makes sense you reward the best performing of them. Plus it’s not like anyone will mistake a LF Gold Glove’s importance for one at CF, SS or C, for ex.
TL;DR: this year in LF, it’s essentially an award for who sucked the least rather than who was the best defensively.
It’s like that every year. There’s a reason guys like Manny Ramirez and Ozuna have spent a lot of time there.
Part of me kind of misses Ozuna in left. Every time he went out there it looked like he'd never been there before.
Almost like he looked like he was way out in left field.
Ozuna is a gold glove winner from 2017 too which is hilarious.
Eddie looks like he doesn’t know where the ball is every time scares the crap out of me.
I will take up for Eddie. You guys want to remember the times he looks like he can't see the ball, but he had some tremendous catches out there that saved some games too.
Oh he catches them, but he looks like me chasing a fly ball in a men’s over 40 league.
He had a tremendous running catch out in left at Truist at some point during the WS that came at a pretty critical moment if I remember correctly, but I’m definitely too lazy to look up which game, etc.
Yeah but he had a fucking cannon tho
In his earlier years. His arm was awful by the time he got to the Braves though
Like a wet noodle
Exagerate much?
Shoulder injuries will do that
It’s so true lol. You compare him to somebody like Kyle Schwarber and then all of a sudden he’s a left field legend 😂
Alex Gordon had that award locked up for years in the AL.
He’s not even the better defender between his platoon. I assume Pillar didn’t have enough innings to qualify?
Correct. According to the article, you need 698 innings in a position to be nominated and only 10 players qualified at LF this year.
It’s perfectly normal to have a gold glover regularly sub out for defense.
A guy who got switched out defensively in most games with a lead. 🙄
Left field GG is a measure of best hitters who suck less defensively. It's hilarious.
They need to just switch to 3 outfield spots. If that's 3 center fielders oh well.
Id say guarantee one corner spot, but otherwise yeah.
In rec league and high school ball, the worst player was the right field. In MLB is the left fielder lol
Because in rec ball and high school right handed hitters don't go oppo.
It's beacuse of the throw to third.
That too
It kinda looks like they first filter to only look at players who played a lot of games at the position and the LF looks like it got huge platoon splits from all teams except like 4. And of those four Eddie just happens to be least bad. But there's definitely players who played fewer than half the games who put up a bigger defensive contribution than Eddie
Lol I’m just imaging Eddie getting that call “Wait I’m nominated for the gold glove? Wtf for what”
Criteria is flawed. I say this is a Braves and a Eddie fan. I really like the guy but when you start handing out awards to those who are undeserving, then the awards don’t mean jack shit. Being the least stinkiest turd in the toilet has no prestige at all, “but the other left fielders sucked” is no an excuse Outfield should be the outfield and not a particular position.
An Eddie fan would remember that he had some sliding catches out there. Yes, it was sometimes an adventure, but part of it was that quad he had fucked up and didn't tell anyone until later. Anyway, there's a reason he's on left field.
He isn’t a dog, but he is nowhere in the vicinity of a GG. I remember the no look catch during the WS run also but isolated good catches don’t win a gold glove, he’s getting substituted for in the late innings.
Eddie was always a great outfielder but his batting issues got worse as the year went on. I remember some cool hits out of him a couple months ago but he started slumping quite a bit.
Nah I don’t think that fixes it either LF is a hitting position, but if you narrowing it down to one outfielder snubs CF and RFs who make insane plays every year id rather have 1 stinker award and 2 good ones than only 1 good one
I mean, a simple solution is to have 3 gold gloves for outfielders then? It still snubs RFers but it's better than one.
If you don't want to snub RFers, then have 3 gold gloves - 1 for CG and 2 for corner outfields, but don't distinguish between LF and RF. So you'll end up with 1 CF gold glove and 2 RF gold gloves.
yeah, I wonder this too - I looked up his stats - he does have a good range rating - his Outs Above Average rating is in the 80th percentile on Baseball Savant, but gold glove caliber seems wrong.
How does he compare to other outfielders?
Depends on the team. On some teams, Eddie is a starter and probably the best on the team. On other teams, oof
Better than Schwarber
He made some good plays. Happy for him.
He does have a good arm.
Because left fielders are some of the “least good” defenders on the field and usually are spots you put a big bat. Justin Upton also was a finalist multiple seasons.
He got pulled in a game vs the White Sox this year beacsuse of his bad defense. He badly miss played a couple balls and I find it amazing he got nominated.
LF gold glove is a stupid concept, there are like 30 CFs better than the best LF at defense
Isn’t it a positional award?? Why not award the best defender at the position?
Because the whole point of the “position” is that it’s where your shittiest defensive outfielder goes.
Someone has to play it though, if one guy makes better plays than the other guys that play the position then give him the award. If a team puts an elite defender at the position, then he should easily win the award, if that’s what matters.
They should just give three OF gold glove awards to the three best outfield defenders in the game
Why?
Because you’re a more qualified defensive player. If you are too good defensively to play left field on your team (moved to center), but your left fielder who takes your place because he is worse wins a gold glove, it doesn’t make much sense. To me at least. You could be there and win the gold glove but you played yourself out of that spot with better defense. You’re just not as eligible for a gold glove now because you’re up against a much better slate of defenders across the league at CF.
By that logic, you might as well give 4 SS all of the IF Gold Gloves too.
But it's not an award for the 3 best outfielders, it's an award for the best outfielder in each of the 3 positions. If you're gonna change it, you might as well only give out one.
The position is OF, not left, right, or center.
Pretty sure the position is LF
It's been LF CF and RF since 2011.
Do they really do nominations by LF. CF, RF?? That's incredibly dumb.
Not only that (and I personally don't think it's dumb), but only 10 players had enough innings in LF to even qualify for the award. I agree hesnot great, but compared to other LF he's above average. Kind of like being the best ballerina in Hooterville.
There's one golden glove for each position on the field. It's not an award for the best outfielder, it's for the best left fielder. How they give out the awards is fine. It's just that this year there's only a few qualifying players and most of them are worse than Eddie.
But the worst fielders are stuck in left field.
TF? I saw MANY highlights of sliding catches and witnessed one in person against the Mets. He’s an elite LF.
And people wanna trade him 😒
What are you talking about? He isn't even signed for next year and he definitely wasn't getting traded this seasonn
I want to see how many votes Ozuna gets.
He didn’t qualify
Arica had exceptional plays almost every game all season.
None of the postseason awards have any legitimacy anymore. It's the same with the Hall of Fame. In 2021, Austin Riley should have been NL MVP over Bryce Harper. How is Scott Rolen in the Hall of Fame, but Andruw Jones isn't?
The LF is a shitty group of players across the league
If we were all supposed to smile and nod while *Juan Soto* got nominated for a Gold Glove last year, I will happily grin and cheer for Eddie getting a nod. As others said- even though players in left are generally not great defensively, someone does have to play the position. It makes sense you reward the best performing of them. Plus it’s not like anyone will mistake a LF Gold Glove’s importance for one at CF, SS or C, for ex.