Dan Connolly

Manny Machado and Chris Davis make cut as Gold Glove finalists

By Dan Connolly

Posted on October 27, 2016

The Orioles under manager Buck Showalter have prided themselves in playing superior defense.

The proof often is in the hardware, and again the Orioles have a chance for multiple Gold Glove winners, something the club achieved from 2011 through 2014.

Rawlings Sports announced the Top 3 finalists for each defensive position in both the American League and National League on Thursday afternoon, and the Orioles have two that made the cut.

Third baseman Manny Machado, who has won the award in two of the past three seasons, is again a finalist. And he’s going against some familiar competition: Seattle’s Kyle Seager, who won it in 2014, breaking up a potential streak for Machado; and Texas’ Adrian Beltre, a four-time Gold Glove winner who twice captured the Platinum Glove for best defender at any position in the AL.

Machado, who won the Platinum Glove in 2013, gets the nomination despite starting 43 games at shortstop this season while J.J. Hardy was injured. In 114 games and 998 innings at third base, Machado made just seven errors in 329 chances.

Machado was the Orioles’ lone winner in 2015, but he could be joined by a teammate this season, as Chris Davis made the finalist cut at first base. He’s never won one, but he also was a finalist in 2013, when Davis was beat out by Kansas City’s Eric Hosmer.

Showalter said all season that he thought Davis should be a Gold Glove candidate, and now he is, along with Hosmer, who has won three straight at the position, and Texas’ Mitch Moreland, whom Davis once fought for playing time with the Rangers.

Hardy, who won three straight from 2012-14, was not a finalist at shortstop, losing out to Los Angeles’ Andrelton Simmons, Detroit’s Jose Iglesias and Cleveland’s Francisco Lindor.

Adam Jones, who won four Gold Gloves from 2009 to 2014, was beat out by three fellow AL East center fielders: Toronto’s Kevin Pillar, Boston’s Jackie Bradley Jr., and reigning AL Platinum Glove winner Kevin Kiermaier of Tampa Bay.

Second baseman Jonathan Schoop did not get a nod at an extremely deep position, nor did Houston’s Jose Altuve, who won it at the position last year. The three second base finalists are Detroit’s Ian Kinsler, Boston’s Dustin Pedroia and Seattle’s Robinson Cano.

Two-time winner Matt Wieters was not a finalist at catcher; those vying for that award are Los Angeles’ Carlos Perez, Detroit’s James McCann and Kansas City’s Salvador Perez.

Winners will be announced Nov. 8.