Buster Posey is one of the 2015 Wilson Defensive Players of the Year
Posey was voted the top defensive catcher in baseball. There's a distinct lack of Brandon Crawford with these awards, but we'll get to that.
By Grant Brisbee@GrantBrisbee Nov 11, 2015, 4:46pm PST
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Buster Posey did not win the 2015 Rawlings Gold Glove. Buster Posey will eventually win a Gold Glove. Both things can be true. Yadier Molina's soothing mind powers and clutch hypnotism are too strong for voters to overcome. As a consolation, though, Posey was named the Wilson Defensive Player of the Year at catcher.
The difference between the Rawlings award and the Wilson award? The Wilson award is the only MLB-sanctioned award. It's true! The Gold Gloves are an independent award. Of course, I'm a Mizuno man, myself. Had the neon-green batting gloves in little league, you should have seen it. Low crouch, pretending I was Rickey, and then zoooooooom. Except I wasn't fast. But you should have seen it.
Also, the Wilson awards are based at least partially in stats, which they did before Rawlings did the same.
Founded in 2012, the winners are determined using a formula that combines traditional defensive stats with advanced metrics, as well as the data logged by the baseball experts working for the scouting service Inside Edge.
And according to their secret sauce, Buster Posey wasn't just the best catcher in the NL; he was the best catcher in baseball. Which is an idea I can get behind.
As to Brandon Crawford? Well, he didn't win. His baby-with-the-one-eyebrow won, Andrelton Simmons. If there's a saving grace to that, it's that Simmons won the award for the best defender in baseball, regardless of position. That's a fine defender to lose to. And while I'm not thinking that Crawford isn't worthy of his Gold Glove, I also think it's reasonable that Simmons wins a Best Defender in the Universe award. It's that close. Both players are that important, defensively.
But I'm pretty sure that Posey is one of the most complete catching packages in baseball. Strike-stealing hands. Strong arm. Occasionally imperfect with the balls in the dirt, but Giants pitchers SURE DID A LOT OF THAT last year. Defensive and pitch-framing stats loved him. As such, here is Buster Posey, recognized by one measure as the best defensive catcher in baseball.
I'm okay with that.