Dickey, Pillar have golden opportunity
The Blue Jays may no longer be in the running for baseball’s most important trophy, but two of their players are up for some individual hardware this season.
Knuckleballer R.A. Dickey and centre fielder Kevin Pillar were announced Thursday afternoon as nominees for the Gold Glove award at their respective positions.
Dickey, who won his first Gold Glove in 2013, had the third-most defensive runs saved among American League pitchers this season, while allowing just two stolen bases against and picking off four baserunners. The 41-year-old free agent is up against Houston’s Dallas Keuchel and Detroit’s Justin Verlander.
Pillar, who was a runner-up for the award last season, finished second in defensive runs saved by a centre fielder this season behind the reigning winner, Kevin Kiermaier of the Tampa Bay Rays. Kiermaier is nominated again this year, as well as Boston’s Jackie Bradley Jr.
Handed out by Rawlings, the glovemaker and sporting goods company, since 1957, the award is voted on by major-league managers and coaches, who are not allowed to vote for their own players.
Since 2013, Rawlings has also incorporated the Society for American Baseball Research’s Defensive Index — an advanced metric measuring defensive value — when making its decisions.
The winners will be announced on Nov. 8.