The Gold Glove finalists were announced yesterday and in a shocking bit of news: 0 Rays were among the finalists.
AL Gold Glove finalists, part 1, with no #Rays: pic.twitter.com/qgvObv1HB3
— Marc Topkin (@TBTimes_Rays) October 23, 2020
AL Gold Glove finalists, part 2, with no #Rays: pic.twitter.com/Z1Ylonb38l
— Marc Topkin (@TBTimes_Rays) October 23, 2020
That’s right, no Willy Adames who has dazled us with his glovework at SS in the postseason. Not Mike Zunino who lost time this year to injuries, but has shown how great he is behind the dish this October. And most egregious of all, not Kevin Kerimaier the very best defensive CF in all of baseball by every possible metric from eye test to cold hard data.
Travesty is not too strong a word for KK being excluded from the gold glove list.
Kevin Kiermaier saved 8.3 runs with his defense despite only playing 49 games.
— Michael Bradburn (@MWBII) October 22, 2020
Laureano: 4.0
Robert: 3.4
Buxton: 3.0 https://t.co/NtekuddBiH
I definitely would be curious to know the look on Kevin Kiermaier’s face when he saw the Gold Gloves finalist list
— Mark Simon (@MarkASimonSays) October 22, 2020
Interviewed him for 35 minutes earlier this year. He takes a lot of pride in his d and will outwardly say he thinks he is the best in the game
Defensive metrics, man. We’ve made some progress, but even the best d #s depend on ~1/3 of the chances a player gets on offense, of which maybe 2/3 don’t contain super useful information. Some metrics throw away shifts, about 1/3 of all plays. Now re-do it for a short season.
— Eno Sarris (@enosarris) October 22, 2020
Rawlings explained their changes to the selection process for the Gold Glove this year:
Explanation from @RawlingsSports on change in Gold Glove selection process this year, relying totally on stats with no manager/coach input: pic.twitter.com/iI7KrQs5NV
— Marc Topkin (@TBTimes_Rays) October 23, 2020
Rays News
- Rays pitcher Charlie Morton shoulders big game responsibility - Marc Topkin, Tampa Bay Times: Big Game Charlie F’n Morton looks to continue his postseason brilliance, facing the Dodgers for the first time since closing out Game 7 of the 2017 World Series.
- Brandon Lowe Finally Breaks Slump As Rays Even World Series - Tony Wolfe, Fan Graphs
- One of the very best all time Rays, BJ Upton, is throwing out the virtual first pitch for the Rays first “home” World Series game since 2008.
- Speaking of very best Rays, Randy Arozarena might be having (probably already is having) the very best rookie postseason of all time:
Randy Arozarena is having one of the greatest rookie postseasons we've ever seen. pic.twitter.com/T1NtL1Oha9
— MLB (@MLB) October 23, 2020
Who is Randy Arozarena?
— Infield Chatter (@InfieldChatter) October 22, 2020
By now you know the @RaysBaseball rookie has been the breakout star of the #postseason — no one has more hits, HRs or total bases.
But do you really KNOW him? pic.twitter.com/e4DbONSkWQ
- World Series 2020: How Brandon Lowe got his swing straightened out at exactly the right time - Jeff Passan, ESPN: Nothing could be bigger for the Rays than the DOG getting his swing back in order.
- The Rays pitchers have been striking out the best team in by K rate in all of baseball at a historic level.
- Does anyone have more fun than Adames? - Adam Berry, MLB.com: Willy Adames is clear and away the heart and soul of the Tampa Bay Rays.
- Wendle thankful for trade from A’s to AL champion Rays - Alex Didion, NBC Sports Bay Area: Joey Wendle still happy for his time in Oakland, but his key role on a World Series team has got to feel good.
- Blake Snell’s family, friends recount big night at the Series: ‘It was electric’ - Josh Tolentino, The Athletic: There are few things more heartwarming that stories of family getting to root on amazing debuts, but World Series debuts are even better.
- Castillo living his dream after tough journey - Juan Toribio, MLB.com: A closer look at one of the lead stallions in the Stable.
- #Shortstops: Rays Ring the Bell - Isabelle Minasian, National Baseball Hall of Fame: A fun walk down memory lane.
- Nick Anderson will close any inning and every inning:
Nick Anderson has a save this postseason. Also pitched in the 3rd, 4th, 5th, 6th, 7th, 8th & 9th
— Jayson Stark (@jaysonst) October 22, 2020
Only pitchers to do that in a postseason, from @StatsBySTATS:
Nolan Ryan, 1969 Mets
Don Gullett, 1970 Reds
Ken Clay, 1978 Yankees
Brad Peacock, 2017 Astros
Nick Anderson, 2020 Rays https://t.co/kesUjQrKFk
- The Shift May Have Cost the Braves a Pennant. Will It Cost Someone a World Series? - Ben Lindbergh, The Ringer: Fantastic read from Lindbergh about the shift, and some deeper thinking behind the strategy and process.