Who are the Favorites for the Fielding Bible and Gold Glove Awards (part 2)?

Picking up where we left off last week, here's a rundown of the best fielders at the remaining four positions: left field, center field, right field, and pitcher. (In the charts below, each player’s Defensive Runs Saved appears next to his name).

Left Fielders- Three-time Fielding Bible Award winner Carl Crawford of Tampa Bay is joined by Yankee Brett Gardner and D’Back Gerardo Parra at 14 Runs Saved, suggesting that the incumbent Crawford is the favorite to bring home the Fielding Bible Award. However, Gardner has rated well in both left and center since reaching the majors and should give Crawford a run for his money this year, and in years to come. Regarding the Gold Glove awards, it is unlikely that a left fielder will win the award this year (once again), despite how deserving Carl Crawford is. Last year I said that I’d throw up if Crawford didn’t finally win his first Gold Glove and that’s exactly what I did.

Center Fielders- Tigers' rookie Austin Jackson saved Armando Galarraga’s near-perfecto with a spectacular ninth-inning catch, and he tops our center field Runs Saved leaderboard with 21 Runs Saved. It’s possible (and hopeful) that Gold Glove voters will replace incumbents ATorii Hunter (who the Angels moved to right field) and Oriole Adam Jones (who had a down year defensively); if so, Jackson and Mariners' center fielder Franklin Gutierrez are deserving of the honor.

In the National League, Houston's Michael Bourn and Philadelphia's Shane Victorino defended their Gold Glove Awards well, but fellow incumbent Matt Kemp of Los Angeles did not, ranking dead last in Runs Saved at -15.

Right Fielders- Jay Bruce’s glove and arm (and of course his bat) helped propel the Reds into the postseason, but will it be enough to unseat two-time Fielding Bible Award winner Ichiro Suzuki?

Pitchers- Mark Buerhle has defended his first Fielding Bible Award well allowing only six stolen bases in twelve attempts, plus six pickoffs for the White Sox. Three other pitchers have one or two more runs saved than Buehrle, led by Blue Jay Ricky Romero with 10, but Buehrle is not likely to be unseated. Buehrle’s former teammate, Jon Garland (now with the Padres), has been excellent defensively for many years and is probably the favorite for the NL Gold Glove.