The Big Lead

MLB News: Social media offers savage dunks on Yankees' Gold Glove Award finalist

By J.P. Hoornstra

Oct 14, 2024; Bronx, New York, USA; New York Yankees outfielder Juan Soto (22), outfielder Aaron Judge (99) and outfielder Alex Verdugo (24) celebrates after defeating the Cleveland Guardians in game one of the ALCS for the 2024 MLB Playoffs at Yankee Stadium.
Oct 14, 2024; Bronx, New York, USA; New York Yankees outfielder Juan Soto (22), outfielder Aaron Judge (99) and outfielder Alex Verdugo (24) celebrates after defeating the Cleveland Guardians in game one of the ALCS for the 2024 MLB Playoffs at Yankee Stadium. / Vincent Carchietta-Imagn Images
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The Gold Glove Award finalists were announced Tuesday by Rawlings, the glove manufacturer which sponsors the award.

"Finalists" is a bit of a misnomer. The winners of each award have already been determined. Tuesday's announcement is effectively designed to inspire debate and discussion. Social media, as it always does, took the bait.

One choice in particular seemed to stir the most backlash: Juan Soto, the New York Yankees' outfielder who is about to become a very wealthy man. Soto improved his defense markedly in 2024, his free agent walk year, eliciting plays like this that he never made in Washington or San Diego:

That play happened to come on Opening Day. Did it prevent teams from trying to take extra bases from him the rest of the year? It's possible.

Of course, it's also possible that Soto's first outfield assist of the season stuck in the minds of Gold Glove voters (in other words, MLB managers and coaches) all season long and catapulted him above and beyond what his raw talent in the field suggests he deserved.

After all, well ...

Others seemed to agree with the sentiment.

Even Tom Tango, the Senior Data Architect for MLB Advanced Media — he's intimately involved with all things Statcast — points out that Soto is punching above his weight in a group with Wilyer Abreu, the Boston Red Sox's rookie right fielder.

Soto might be the third-place finisher in this race by default as much as by merit. The corner outfield positions often feature a rotating cast of characters. Defense is an afterthought.

To be fair, Soto did place third in the most recent SABR Defensive Index (SDI) rankings. The composite stat is used to determine about 25 percent of the final voting. But two other advanced metrics — Defensive Runs Saved (DRS) and Fielding Run Value (FRV) — differ wildly in their evaluations of Soto.

DRS likes Soto's arm and his ability to make high-leverage plays, but his range (or lack thereof) essentially reduces him to an average fielder. FRV rates Soto below average.

SDI does not, but evidently neither does the eye test from the coaches and managers.

I've always found the Gold Glove process to be a bit dubious. While BBWAA voters are constantly referring to their eyes and statistics to compare players — a mandatory step in the process of voting for the MVP, Cy Young and Rookie of the Year awards — managers and coaches do not. Their job is to coach. A fielder can make one amazing or horrible play against their team, and it's likely to stand out in their mind all season. It's human nature.

Defensive metrics are notorious for telling different stories, and it's clear Soto is far from a complete fielder. He's an easy target to dunk on. Also, he's a Yankee, which instantly makes him a tad more hatable.

The hunch here is Soto finishes second or third in the final tally and we all forget about this by Nov. 3, when the winners are announced.

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