DETROIT >> Ian Kinsler’s glove may or may not be gold, but it is valuable.
The Tigers’ second baseman was voted the winner of the 2015 Fielding Bible Award for his position, the first time he’s taken home the honor.
A complete list of the 10 winners (unlike the Gold Glove, there isn’t one given out for each league) can be found on FieldingBible.com.
Kinsler finished second in the Fielding Bible voting in 2014, behind winner Dustin Pedroia, who also won the Gold Glove. Kinsler is a finalist for the 2015 American League Gold Glove at second base.
An alternative defensive award to the oft-criticized Gold Glove, the Fielding Bible Awards often match up consistently with the defensive metrics, and this year was no different, as all 10 of the award recipients led the league in Defensive Runs Saved.
Kinsler’s 19 DRS were more than double any other AL second baseman and his 2.5 dWAR (the defensive component of Wins Above Replacement) was third-highest among all AL players, and eighth-best in baseball.
The guy that might have the best seat in the house to watch him perform? The guy who plays behind him, in right field.
“He’s always impressive to me. I always give him props when he makes a sick play. There’s a lot of times I’m charging the ball, to throw a guy out at home, and Kinsler lays out and stops the ball. And I’m like ‘Ooof.’ I didn’t even think he had a chance at it and his glove just goes ‘wsssht,'” J.D. Martinez said.
“He’s awesome. I’m a fan of his. I tell him all the time. He’s just fun to watch. He’s one of those guys that’s good at everything. He picks up a ping-pong paddle, he’s good. He could sit there with a soccer ball and kick it up. Then he goes out on the field and he’s just fun to watch, especially being in right field where you get to see first-hand the plays that he makes. I’m thinking, ‘Where am I going to throw this ball’ and all of a sudden Kinsler comes out of nowhere and grabs it. So it’s fun to watch him.”