BOSTON, MASSACHUSETTS – SEPTEMBER 20: Jackie Bradley Jr. #19 of the Boston Red Sox returns to the dugout during the seventh inning against the New York Yankees at Fenway Park on September 20, 2020 in Boston, Massachusetts. (Photo by Maddie Meyer/Getty Images)
The center fielder for the Boston Red Sox was upset that he wasn’t named a Gold Glove finalist on Thursday.
With the 2020 MLB season reaching its conclusion, managers and coaches around the league begin voting for the Rawlings Gold Glove Awards. On Thursday, the finalists for every position in the AL and NL were announced. In regards to the best center fielder in the AL, the players who received the most votes include Ramon Laureano of the Oakland Athletics, Luis Robert of the Chicago White Sox and Byron Buxton of the Minnesota Twins.
Jackie Bradley Jr. of the Boston Red Sox was surprised and a bit peeved that he wasn’t even named a finalist. So, he decided to air his grievances on Twitter, expressing doubt about the selection process.
Bradley ranked as one of the better center fielders in the AL
Bradley replied to a tweet from Sam Dykstra, a reporter for MiLB.com, who brought up that he actually tied with Robert in seven outs above average (OAA), the most for any outfielder. Yet, Bradley didn’t even make it to the final three.
However, the voting process has changed this season, because of 2020. Due to the campaign being reduced to 60-games, the qualification process relies on the SABR Defensive Index (SDI). To elaborate, all infielders and outfielders must have participated in at least 265 defensive innings this season, per Rawlings.com. The SDI results won’t be released until the company reveals the Gold Glove winners on Nov. 3. If that’s anything to go by, Bradley didn’t receive a rating higher than the finalists.
Normalcy was thrown out the window this year due to the ongoing spread of the coronavirus. That, in turn, forced Rawlings to alter the qualification process due to the significant reduction in games. Even so, Bradley feels he should have gotten some recognition from the coaching staffs across the league. Expect the impending free agent to use it as motivation next season, wherever that may be.