Detroit Tigers’ Jhonny Peralta feels he deserves Gold Glove Award – MLB News
Jhonny Peralta has been selected as a candidate to win the Gold Glove award as the Detroit Tiger’s short-stop has given a terrific performance since the start of year.
Gold Glove Award is given to the top defensive player at each position in each league of American baseball. Winners of this year are expected to be announced at the start of next year.
Showing some great skills throughout the season, Peralta will be the first Tiger to win a Gold Glove award after Alan Trammell made this accomplishment back in 1984. Trammell won four Gold Gloves in five years time. Looking in complete control, Peralta made
fewer errors this season than Trammell ever did in 100-plus game season.
"It would mean a lot to me to win it," Peralta said. "I think I deserve it. I had a really good season. I made seven errors the whole year."
When Peralta was signed in by the Tigers, many questioned his range to play the short-stop role. However, he improved his range significantly with every passing game as the season progressed.
Peralta finished only second in the Major League list of those with fewest errors among everyday short-stops. Colorado's Troy Tulowitzki and Baltimore's J.J. Hardy are tied for the fewest errors among full-time short-stops with six errors each.
It should be noted here that errors can provide a partial guidance to fielding excellence. Official scorers, who issue the errors, may have different view on what constitute an error.
It is quite obvious that players with superior throw range will make more errors than those with inferior range. A short-stop with more range is expected to make more errors as he can throw the ball wildly on occasions. However, despite increasing his range
considerably, Peralta's frequency of errors stayed the same as he committed only one error in the last two months of the regular season and none in the playoffs.
The Gold Glove Award is not necessarily presented to those with fewest errors per position as otherwise there would not be a requirement for voting. Team managers and coaches in each league play an active role in Gold Glove winner selection.
Larry Bowa, an MLB analyst, stated that he has been impressed by Tigers’ short-stop Jhonny Peralta, who made only seven errors during the 2011 season.
"The big thing I look at is routine plays. The great plays you make in one year can be counted on two hands. What I look at is whether you make the routine play when the ball is hit to you with the bases loaded.”
It will be interesting to see if Peralta manages to win the coveted Gold Glove Award this year for his outstanding performance for the Detroit Tigers at the short-stop position.
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