Rockies trio among Gold Glove finalists

DENVER -- Another year, another National League Gold Glove Award nomination for Rockies third baseman Nolan Arenado -- who is going for his fifth in as many seasons. This year, he is joined by DJ LeMahieu at second base and left fielder Gerardo Parra, who also were announced as finalists Thursday.
The winners will be announced on ESPN on Nov. 7 at 7 p.m. MT.
Arenado, 26, already holds the NL record for Gold Gloves to start his career, and the Major League record for the beginning of a third baseman's career. Should he win this year, he'll be halfway to the Major League record. Outfielder Ichiro Suzuki began his career with 10 consecutive Gold Gloves with the Mariners.
• List of all-time National League Gold Glove Award winners
Already holding the Rockies' record for consecutive Gold Gloves, Arenado's next will tie the team's record for total Gold Gloves. Outfielder Larry Walker won five (1997-99, 2001-02). Other finalists at third base this year are the Pirates' David Freese and the Nationals' Anthony Rendon.
The award, presented by Rawlings, is the result of voting by managers in each league, plus a sabermetric component provided by the Society for American Baseball Research -- the SABR Defensive Index.
This year's Gold Glove Awards represent just one way the game's top performers will be recognized. Voting is underway now for the Esurance MLB Awards, which annually honor MLB's greatest achievements as part of an industry-wide balloting process. MLB Awards season will culminate on Nov. 17, when winners are announced live on MLB Network and MLB.com starting at 6 p.m. MT.
• Cast your vote for Best Defensive Player, more in 2017 Esurance MLB Awards
LeMahieu won a Gold Glove in 2014, and was a finalist last year. He is joined among second basemen by the Marlins' Dee Gordon and the Cubs' Ben Zobrist.

Parra, who won Gold Gloves with the D-backs in 2011 and '13, is joined in left field by the Reds' Adam Duvall and the Marlins' Marcell Ozuna.

As far as defensive runs saved is concerned -- a stat that attempts to measure overall effectiveness of a fielder -- Arenado and LeMahieu topped the Major Leagues at their positions.
Arenado's 20 DRS were four more than the Cardinals' Jedd Gyorko among third basemen, and LeMahieu's eight were two greater than the Tigers' Ian Kinsler. DRS measures most fielding plays, but is not applied when teams are in extreme defensive shifts.
Left field provided an interesting challenge, since for various reasons few players had what would be considered full playing time at the position. Duvall and Ozuna were the only ones in the NL, for example, with enough plate appearances to qualify for the batting title.
Ozuna led the position in DRS with 11, followed by the Cardinals' Tommy Pham (10), the Pirates' Starling Marte (9) and Duvall (8). Parra, who missed 28 games in June and July with a right quadriceps injury, finished with 4, eighth in the NL. Even with the missed time, Parra managed eight assists -- third in the NL behind Duvall's 15 and Ozuna's 10.