Hilo’s Kolten Wong has a flashy, new honor to show major league teams: a second Gold Glove.
Less than a week after the Cardinals made him a free agent, Wong repeated as the National League’s Gold Glove second basemen, beating the Cubs‘ Nico Hoerner and the Pirates‘ Adam Frazier for the award.
Wong had to be considered the favorite entering Tuesday’s announcement by Rawlings. The 30-year-old Kamehameha alum led qualifying NL second basemen in defensive runs saved (6), defensive WAR (4.5), ultimate zone rating (7.5), double plays turned (29) and double plays started (14) and made just two errors, joining Fernando Viña as the only St. Louis second basemen to win two Gold Gloves.
The Cardinals declined Wong’s $12.5 million option last week amid what is anticipated to be a brutal market as clubs face lost revenues because of the coronavirus pandemic.
“Such a punch to the gut,” Wong told the St. Louis Post-Dispatch. “I gave my heart and soul to the organization. Working my way up, learning, going back to the minors, and then to battle, to work, to figure things out, and to fight my way back up — that was everything to me. I know I can be better. And just as I’m starting to figure out what my game brings to this new age of baseball.”
The Post-Dispatch has reported the Angels are among the clubs that have shown interest in signing Wong, who said he “absolutely” would welcome a conversation with the Cardinals about a return and is “not closing that door.”
“That was shocking to me because I get it, I get what the season was like,” Wong said. “If they wanted to restructure my contract because of COVID-19, I’m in. Let’s have that talk. If they want to backload my deal, OK, let’s talk. I understand this is a business, and I’m still open to it. Keep that door open while looking at others. I love being a Cardinal. I was there for seven years, and I’ve done so many things with that organization. It’s where I wanted to finish off, in St. Louis.”
Earning his first Gold Glove was Rangers’ third basemen Isiah Kiner-Falefa, a Mid-Pacific (Oahu) alum.
Also, Colorado Rockies third baseman Nolan Arenado won his eighth consecutive Gold Glove and right fielder Mookie Betts snared his fifth in a row, his first with the World Series champion Los Angeles Dodgers after four with Boston.
Kansas City Royals left fielder Alex Gordon also won his eighth Gold Glove — and fourth straight — in his final major league season.
Chicago Cubs first baseman Anthony Rizzo earned the honor for the third straight year in the pandemic-shortened season and fourth time overall. He was joined for the first time by Cubs shortstop Javier Báez.
Cincinnati catcher Tucker Barnhart won for the second time and first since 2017.
St. Louis left fielder Tyler O’Neill, Atlanta pitcher Max Fried and San Diego center fielder Trent Grisham were first-time winners in the National League.
Gordon and Cleveland catcher Roberto Pérez were the only players to repeat in the AL. They were joined by seven first-time winners, including Indians second baseman César Hernández, Seattle first baseman Evan White and shortstop J.P. Crawford, Texas right fielder Joey Gallo, Chicago White Sox center fielder Luis Robert and Los Angeles Angels pitcher Griffin Canning.
The 36-year-old Gordon announced his retirement in September. He joined Hall of Fame outfielder Roberto Clemente and first baseman Wes Parker (both in 1972) as the only position players to win a Gold Glove in their last big league season, according to Sportradar.
Gordon, Hernández, White and Wong earned $18,519 bonuses, prorated portions of $50,000. Arenado and Robert earned $9,259, prorated portions of $25,000, and O’Neill earned $3,704, a prorated portion of $10,000.
Perez’s 2021 salary escalated by $250,000 to $5.75 million, and Barnhart’s by $250,000 to $4 million.
Because of the shortened season, the awards were based on the Society for American Baseball Research’s Defensive Index. From 2013-19, the index was about 25% of the total, with the rest voting by major league managers and up to six coaches per team.