Phillies Phun Phacts: Chase Utley Never Won a Gold Glove
WHAT IS THIS BLASPHEMY!!!
That’s right. In his 14 years as a major league baseball player, Chase Utley has ZERO Gold Gloves to his name.
How is that possible with all of the great diving catches, double-taking pump fakes, 110% hustle in ever game he ever played?
While it appears Chase has been robbed of a well deserved award, lets look at the second basemen who won the award during Chase’s prime.
The 2005 season was the first year Chase became a full time starter, as he started all 135 games he played in. Luis Castillo of the then Florida Marlins, committing seven errors to Utley’s 15.
Orlando Hudson would go on to win the award in back-to-back seasons. Hudson committed 25 errors combined in the 2006 and 2007 seasons. Utley would have 28.
Brandon Philips would then make his first appearance on the awards list.
Both Hudson and Philips would win multiple times during Utley’s prime, despite Chase having the best defensive WAR (wins above replacement) in the National League in 2008.
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Double digit errors consistently brought down Utley and his chances of winning a Gold Glove. In the eight seasons where he started over 100 games, Utley committed a whopping 107 errors. That’s an average of more than 13 a season.
Since 1960, only 16 times has a player with more than 13 errors won the Gold Glove. Bill Mazeroski accounts for 4 of those 13. Former Phillie Joe Morgan had two of his own.
And look at that, our old friends Ryne Sandberg and Davey Lopes also contributed to that stat. Lopes had 20 errors in 1978 yet somehow took home the hardware.
Craig Bigio, Tommy Helms, Félix Millán, Pokey Reese, Fernando Vina, and Orlando Hudson round out the list.
While the errors may be at fault, the outstanding plays he made should have won him at least one. The defensive WAR would have won him one if the stat was a bit more relevant in the early 2000’s.
Right now, Chase is second to only Mike Schmidt on the Phillies all-time overall and defensive WAR. Pretty impressive.
While Chase may never have won a Gold Glove, he certainly won our hearts.
I think I got something in my eye…