Three things in 2023 guaranteed: death, taxes, and Brenton Doyle winning a Gold Glove

Brenton Doyle will win the National League center field Gold Glove award and there's no statistic that indicates anybody else should.

Brenton Doyle makes (yet another) incredible play in the outfield
Brenton Doyle makes (yet another) incredible play in the outfield | Sean M. Haffey/GettyImages

After an incredible year in the centerfield, it is without a doubt Brenton Doyle has produced quite the resume to win a Gold Glove award.

Not only should he win the award, but he will win. There's no two ways about it. It can't possibly be anybody else. There's no other center fielder that comes remotely close in any of the major, important statistics - or even the minor ones. Take a look at where he ranks among National League center fielders.

Statistic

Number

Rank

% better than 2nd

Putouts

341

1st

5%

Assists

10

1st

25%

Outfield Arm

10

1st

75%

Defensive Runs Saved

17

1st

750% 😳

Ultimate Zone Rating

19.4

1st

253%

Defense

19.4

1st

181%

dWAR

1.9

1st

27%

"Nerd! I don't care about Ultimate Zone Rating or Defensive Runs Saved! Advanced defensive baseball metrics are stupid. I just use the 'eye test' and I know who is a good center fielder and who isn't. Even Rawlings says the award 'is not an award based solely on fielding metrics and statistics'."

Then feast your "eye test" on these.

So how could Doyle not win the award?

He's not on a winning team. Yes, that's clear, though that doesn't factor into voting.
He plays in a small market to which many people don't pay attention. Also true, but these are the NL managers and coaches voting so presumably they know who he is and what he's done.
It's not just votes, but also the SABR Defensive Index that factors into the winners. True again, and that's another statistical category that Doyle leads and is 129.1% better than 2nd as of August 31.

Those are all silly reasons to not award Brenton Doyle with the 2023 National League Gold Glove for center fielders and none of them should stop the managers and coaches from giving the award to Doyle.

We'll wait for the official announcement, of course, but fans are looking for any bright spot in an otherwise dismal Rockies season and a Brenton Doyle Gold Glove will certainly give them something to celebrate.

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