1957 De facto AL and NL Gold Gloves

By JT 

Gil Hodges

In 1957 when The Sporting News (TSN) first awarded Gold Gloves (in cooperation with Rawlings) they did it for the Major Leagues only, not for the American and National Leagues as they have done ever since. 

Nineteen writers cast votes on the awards in 1957 and the full MLB Gold Glove team is listed.

However, if one breaks down the voting by league, AL and NL, you can get a reasonable view of who might have won if it hadn't been a full MLB poll.

Mays was unanimous and there was a three-way tie for NL pitcher (all three had one vote) but other than those two exceptions you can get complete teams.

In fact, three writers picked a centerfielder (we don't know who)as a right fielder, and another picked a centerfielder as a left fielder. Who was that? Mickey Mantle? Richie Ashburn? My money is on Mantle. But there is no way to ever know.

At some point using the modern fielding metrics we will examine how the writers did versus the "metrics" but for now, it's interesting to see perhaps Aparicio earned one extra Gold Glove or that Mickey Vernon perhaps got one in spirit, if not in reality.

Now for analyzing the selections it is much harder because in some cases some players with high totals in fielding runs (regardless of source) were not regulars or maybe didn't pass the "eye test". It's hard to know what first basemen saved runs by scooping up poor throws and also the various types of pitching staffs that gave players more or fewer chances, i.e. fly ball pitchers or ground ball pitchers or strikeout pitchers who gave out less of both. 

So, that said, Vic Power would likely be the best choice for the mythical American League Gold Glove at first. 

Don Blasingame likely has the best statistical season with the metrics and would be our mytical NL and MLB second baseman.

Gus Triandos likely "out-metriced" Loller. Roy McMillan didn;t have his best metric year, Gil McDougald (got three votes from the panel)  and Johnny Logan did a bit better but again, how can I know what happened better than the panel if there is not a big difference in the runs save?

Without much question, Roberto Clemente should have at least the NL right field spot. 

Charlie Maxwell got a couple votes from the panel and showed well in the metrics, better than Minoso, but there again, the "eye test" I am willing to bet was won by Minoso. Same with Mays over some with some better metrics in centerfield like Richie Ashburn and Bill Virdon.

So, put Power in for Mickey Vernon and Clemente in for Carl Furillo and I'd be good with the rest of the choices by the panel.  

You may disagree. Let me know what you think.