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Kevin Kiermaier broke the single season DRS record in 2015

Kevin Kiermaier was also the unanimous Fielding Bible Award winner for Center Field

By Daniel Russell
Kim Klement-USA TODAY Sports

Perhaps you are here because of the headline. Thank you for joining us, allow me to ask you a question:

Remember when Andrelton Simmons burned down the internet is 2013 when he just could not be stopped defensively? Kevin Kiermaier was better.

His 42 DRS is the highest performance ever posted in a single season, according to Defensive Runs Saved. That Simmons guy had 41 in 2013, and also had the second most DRS in 2015 with a mere 25. Kiermaier nearly doubled that figure.

I'm not sure the "Most Ever" or "in the history of this statistic" aspects really sunk in during the regular season, but it sure feels right. You don't run on the Outlaw.

In other defensive news, Kevin Kiermaier was the unanimous Fielding Bible Award winner for Center Field in 2015.

Here's the write up from the Fielding Bible, courtesy of Marc Topkin:

Rays CF Kevin Kiermaier was the unanimous winner of The Fielding Bible award for center fielders in a vote of 12-member panel, having set a record with 42 Defensive Runs Saved.

Here is what author John Dewan and the panel wrote:

"Kevin Kiermaier did what no other defensive player has ever done. He recorded 42 Defensive Runs Saved, the highest total since Baseball Info Solutions developed this metric in 2003. "The thing that sets Kiermaier apart from all other center fielders is his ability to range deep in center stealing doubles and triples right and left," says Dewan. "The metric that really highlights this is: he saved an incredible 65 bases on the plays he made compared to an average center fielder. That's a lot of dead doubles and triples!"

The gold glove is next.

Only one Rays outfielder in their long history of great defenders has ever won for their outfield performance, and that was Carl Crawford in his contract year back in 2010.

That season Crawford was an All-Star, a Gold Glove, and a Silver Slugger on what looked like the best team in baseball. He posted 8 DRS that season.

Kiermaier was a finalist for the award last season for his performance in Right Field, although with only a half a season's worth of work at that position, he'd eventually lose to Nick Markakis's arm.

This time that award will be his.

The award show is Nov. 10 on ESPN at 7:00.

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