Rangers' Gentry earns honors for defense

Outfielder Craig Gentry took home the Rangers' Wilson Defensive Player of the Year award on Thursday, handed out to the top defender on each Major League club.

It was the second year of Wilson's awards, which are determined by using a formula that balances scouting information, sabermetric analysis and basic fielding statistics.

Gentry this year committed just two errors in 102 games and also had seven outfield assists. According to FanGraphs, he saved 12 runs with his defense from center and left field, which was second among his Rangers teammates behind only fellow outfielder Leonys Martin, who had 14.

Gentry's UZR (ultimate zone rating, which combines arm strength, double plays turned, range and errors) was 14.3, best on the team.

The awards program consists of each league's best defensive player, the best defensive team in each league and the best defensive player on each team. Boston's Dustin Pedroia was named the American League's top defender, while the Royals took home the AL team award.

The GIBBYs trophy for Defensive Player of the Year will be awarded as part of the 2013 Greatness in Baseball Yearly Awards, which are based on voting by media, front-office personnel, MLB alumni and the Society for American Baseball Research, as well as fan balloting on MLB.com.

Through Sunday, Dec. 1, fans will be able to cast their ballots at MLB.com for the year's top defensive star, with no individual league affiliation.