Gold Glove History
Schmidt, Maddox dominate Phillies winners; no one in 2020.
Because of the compressed 2020 season, Gold Glove Award qualifications were amended to rely solely on the SABR Defensive Index™ (SDI). To be considered, pitchers must have pitched at least 50 innings, catchers must have played in at least 29 games and infielders/outfielders must have completed at least 265 defensive innings.
The Award for defensive excellence was originated in 1957 by the Rawlings Sporting Goods Company. Managers and coaches were polled at the end of the season, humans judging humans.
In 2011, Rawlings first began highlighting the top-three defenders at each position. Then in 2013, Rawlings added a sabermetric component to the selection process, as part of its collaboration with the Society for American Baseball Research (SABR). The winners were calculated based on a combination of managers/coaches and SABR.
The Phillies were shut out this year, didn’t even have one player in the top three selections at each position. Last season Aaron Nola (P), J.T. Realmuto © and Bryce Harper (RF) were among the NL finalists. Realmuto won the Award. Those who watch know Realmuto is the best defensive catcher in the league, no matter what SDI spits out of a computer. Another example of the human element being taken away from baseball.
Year By Year
1963 SS Bobby Wine
1964 SS Ruben Amaro
LHP Bobby Shantz
1966 1B Bill White
1972 SS Larry Bowa
1975 OF Garry Maddox
1976 Maddox
3B Mike Schmidt
LHP Jim Kaat
1977 Maddox
Schmidt
Kaat (2)
1978 Maddox
Schmidt
Bowa (2)
C Bob Boone
1979 Maddox
Schmidt
Boone (2)
2B Manny Trillo
1980 Maddox
Schmidt
1981 Maddox
Schmidt
Trillo
LHP Steve Carlton
1982 Maddox (8)
Schmidt
Trillo (3)
1983 Schmidt
1984 Schmidt
1986 Schmidt (10)
1998 3B Scott Rolen
1999 C Mike Lieberthal
2000 Rolen
2001 Rolen (3)
2005 OF Bobby Abreu
2007 SS Jimmy Rollins
OF Aaron Rowand
2008 Rollins
OF Shane Victorino
2009 Victorino
2010 Victorino (3)
2011 3B Placido Polanco
2012 Rollins (4)
2019 C J.T. Realmuto
