Machado and Simmons win Rawlings Platinum Glove Awards™
Combination of international fan vote and SABR Defensive Index elect "The Finest in the Field®"
NEW YORK, Nov. 8, 2013 /PRNewswire/ -- Rawlings Sporting Goods Company, Inc. a subsidiary of Jarden Corporation (NYSE: JAH), announced that Baltimore Orioles™ third baseman Manny Machado and Atlanta Braves™ shortstop Andrelton Simmons won the 2013 Rawlings Platinum Glove Award™ presented by the Society for American Baseball Research (SABR) in their respective Leagues. The winners were unveiled tonight during the 2013 Rawlings Gold Glove Award® Ceremony presented by Gold Sport Collectibles at The Plaza Hotel in Manhattan, where the game's defensive stars accepted their hardware from some of the baseball's greatest legends.
(Photo: http://photos.prnewswire.com/prnh/20131108/CG13331)
(Photo: http://photos.prnewswire.com/prnh/20130308/CG73226)
Simmons won the closest vote yet in the 3-year history of the Rawlings Platinum Glove Award, with first and third place separated by only 0.5 percent of the total vote. The second-year shortstop and first-time Rawlings Gold Glove Award winner edged St. Louis Cardinals™ catcher and 2-time defending Rawlings Platinum Glove Award winner Yadier Molina, 20.2 percent to 20.0 percent, with Milwaukee Brewers™ center fielder Carlos Gomez finishing third with 19.7 percent.
Machado, celebrating his first Rawlings Gold Glove Award, earned 24.9 percent of the overall selection tally, besting Boston Red Sox™ second baseman Dustin Pedroia (16.1 percent) and Baltimore shortstop and teammate J.J. Hardy (14.7 percent).
This year marked the third presentation of the Rawlings Platinum Glove Award presented by the Society for American Baseball Research, and the first year where sabermetrics was integrated into the selection process. In the previous two years, the Rawlings Platinum Glove Award winners were selected solely by fans via an online vote on Rawlings' website. The international fan vote remains an essential component to determine the Award winner.
"When we launched the Rawlings Platinum Glove Award fan inclusion platform in 2011, we knew that baseball fans worldwide followed all aspects of the game," said Kurt Hunzeker, senior director of brand marketing for St. Louis-based Rawlings. "They see the great plays on the field and follow with the same level of avidity the advanced statistics that highlight all factors that go into making a great play in the field. Their selection of Manny and Andrelton – the sabermetrically best defenders in baseball this year – as 'The Finest in the Field' only amplifies our new collaboration with SABR as an immediate and resounding success."
Both players led numerous defensive metrics categories, including the SABR Defensive Index (SDI). Machado's 32.4 SDI led all of baseball, with Simmons' 29.3 SDI pacing the National League™. The SDI accounted for approximately 25 percent of the Rawlings Gold Glove Award selection process.
"It's exciting to see the convergence of defensive metrics and fan voting," said Vince Gennaro, president of SABR and chair of the SABR Fielding Committee. "It shows that technology is allowing us to improve our measurement and that these measures are influencing fans' choices."
Voting began at the conclusion of the 2013 Rawlings Gold Glove Award Announcement Show presented by American Airlines on ESPN2's "Baseball Tonight" on October 29, 2013, and ran for one week. Fan discussion surrounding the Award on social media was fostered in part by some team's open campaigning for their nominee. ESPN's Karl Ravech and SABR's Gennaro announced the winners live on stage during the Hollywood award show format.
Molina and Texas Rangers™ third baseman Adrian Beltre each won the two previous Rawlings Platinum Glove Awards in each League.
The full list of SDIs for all qualified players eligible for a 2013 Rawlings Gold Glove Award will be available on Saturday, November 9, 2013, on SABR's website (www.sabr.org).
About the Rawlings Gold Glove Award® and Rawlings Platinum Glove Award™
The Rawlings Gold Glove Award® is a registered trademark and the Rawlings Platinum Glove Award™ is a trademark owned by Rawlings Sporting Goods Company, Inc. The awards are correctly identified as the Rawlings Gold Glove Award and the Rawlings Platinum Glove Award in their entirety. The name should not be shortened, abbreviated or otherwise misused. Proper identification of this service mark using the registration symbol and the Rawlings name is important to protect the integrity of the program and perpetuate this worthy tradition. For more information, please visit www.rawlingsgoldglove.com.
About Rawlings
Rawlings Sporting Goods Company, Inc. is an innovative manufacturer and marketer of sporting goods worldwide. Founded in 1887, Rawlings is an authentic global sports brand, trusted by generations of athletes from the sandlot to the pros. Rawlings' unparalleled quality and expert craftsmanship are the fundamental reasons why more athletes choose Rawlings, and why Rawlings is the Official Batting Helmet and Ball Supplier of Major League Baseball®, the official baseball of Minor League Baseball™ and the NCAA®, and the approved baseball, basketball, football and softball of the National High School Federation®. For more information, please visit Rawlings.com or by phone at (314) 819-2800.
About Jarden Corporation
Jarden Corporation is a leading provider of a diverse range of consumer products with a portfolio of over 120 trusted, quality brands sold globally. Jarden operates in three primary business segments through a number of well recognized brands, including: Outdoor Solutions: Abu Garcia®, AeroBed®, Berkley®, Campingaz® and Coleman®, ExOfficio®, Fenwick®, Gulp!®, Invicta®, K2®, Marker®, Marmot®, Mitchell®, Penn®, Rawlings®, Shakespeare®, Stearns®, Stren®, Trilene®, Volkl® and Zoot®; Consumer Solutions: Bionaire®, Breville®, Crock-Pot®, FoodSaver®, Health o meter®, Holmes®, Mr. Coffee®, Oster®, Patton®, Rival®, Seal-a-Meal®, Sunbeam®, VillaWare® and White Mountain®; and Branded Consumables: Ball®, Bee®, Bernardin®, Bicycle®, Billy Boy®, Crawford®, Diamond®, Dicon®, Fiona®, First Alert®, First Essentials®, Hoyle®, Kerr®, Lehigh®, Lifoam®, Lillo®, Loew Cornell®, Mapa®, NUK®, Pine Mountain®, Quickie®, Spontex®, Tigex®, and Yankee Candle®. Headquartered in Rye, N.Y., Jarden ranks #383 on the Fortune 500 and has over 25,000 employees worldwide. For further information about Jarden, please visit www.jarden.com.
About SABR™
The Society for American Baseball Research (SABR) is a non-profit organization dedicated to fostering research and disseminating the history and record of baseball. Founded in 1971, SABR has more than 6,500 members worldwide and has established itself as a vibrant baseball community and a premier distributor of ground-breaking baseball information. SABR features 61 chapters and 28 research committees, and produces three annual publications – two editions of The Baseball Research Journal and The National Pastime – in addition to other print and e-books. SABR also hosts annual events, including the National Convention each summer, and the SABR Analytics Conference in March in Phoenix. For more information about SABR, go to SABR.org.
SOURCE Rawlings
Share this article