Angels’ Fielding Bible voting results

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The Fielding Bible Awards were handed out yesterday and the Angels came up empty for first place votes, but today, I have found the complete voting list. The Fielding Bible Awards in my opinion are better than the Gold Glove because there is actual math being done and looking at fielding charts other than just the eye test. The eye test is great, but when you have information that you can use, to justify why one player is better than another, you use it.

I will start at first base where Albert Pujols is up for a Rawlings Gold Glove, which will be announced Tuesday, November 4 at 5 p.m. According to the Fielding Bible voters, he was the fourth best defensive first baseman in the league, but the good news is he was first among American League players. Ten people vote, a collection of video scouts get one vote and then one vote goes to the fan poll. After all was set and done Pujols ended with 61 points, while the winner of the award was the Los Angeles Dodgers’ Adrian Gonzalez with 110 points. The second closest AL first baseman was Mike Napoli with 43 points.

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Moving around the infield and at second base Howie Kendrick made the list. He finished eighth in the voting receiving 36 points. The second base position has elite defenders and Howie Kendrick is honestly in the above average defender range, but Dustin Pedroia and Ian Kinsler are noticeably better, even using the eye test. A good showing for Kendrick who has ended up having a great season and people are noticing.

Kendrick’s double play partner Erick Aybar was voted to be the tenth best defensive shortstop in baseball among the voters. This is a fair grading after a down season on defense at a very tough position. He has lost a bit of range and that will hurt you in the metrics. Range is huge, especially for a shortstop and Aybar lost a step or two this season.

Mike Trout is up for multiple awards, but his defense in 2014 was hurt by having other great defenders on both sides of him. This is great for the Angels all-around but for Trout individually it hurts him with the metrics. A player like Billy Hamilton will thrive not only because he has great speed and range in the outfield, but also because his left and right fielders aren’t great ball getters in the outfield. For Mike Trout, Collin Cowgill spent some time in the outfield and Gold Glove finalist Kole Calhoun in right field for most of the season. This will hurt Trout because he can’t go get every ball like he did two seasons ago, but in my opinion the more ranging outfielders you can have, the better.

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In right field Kole Calhoun finished tenth in the voting. A player that got snubbed from the Gold Glove voting was Josh Reddick of the Oakland A’s and he finished third on this list. Among the players going against Calhoun for the Gold Glove, Rays’ Kevin Kiermaier was second on this list and Markakis was just ahead of Calhoun. Kiermaier is an amazing defender, but the innings were way down for him so he didn’t have as many chances. That makes me stray away from him a little bit, but the metrics love him and rightfully so.

For pitchers there are elite defenders, like Dallas Keuchel, Clayton Kershaw and Zack Greinke, but then it really falls off. It really comes down to just how many chances you get to field your position or cover the bag at first base as a pitcher. Receiving votes as an Angels pitcher was Garrett Richards. He received three votes and was the only Angels hurler on the list.

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