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While Ernie Clement continues to take good swings during the Major League Baseball postseason, he is also in position to be acknowledged as one of the best fielders in the game.
The Brighton graduate is a nominee for an American League Gold Glove award at not one, but two, positions. No player from the Rochester area has ever been awarded a Rawlings National League or AL Gold Glove. The history of the award goes back to 1957. This season’s winners from both leagues are announced Nov. 2.
Clement, who helped the Toronto Blue Jays take a 3-2 lead over the Los Angeles Dodgers in the World Series on Oct. 29, is among the finalists at third base and in the utility category.
The Gold Glove winners are based on votes by managers and coaches, plus a defensive index put together by the Society for American Baseball Research, better known as SABR.
According to MLB.com, Rawlings and SABR came up with a different defensive formula for the utility players. There are three finalists at all nine positions and for utility players:
- American League third basemen: Jose Ramirez (Cleveland Guardians), Maikel Garcia (Kansas City Royals) and Ernie Clement (Toronto Blue Jays).
- American League utility finalists: Mauricio Dubon (Houston Astros), Daniel Schneemann (Cleveland Guardians) and Ernie Clement (Toronto Blue Jays).
Clement is one of six Toronto Blue Jays who are finalists for Gold Gloves, including first baseman Vladimir Guerrero Jr.
Kansas City Royals shortstop Bobby Witt Jr. and Athletics pitcher and former New York Yankee Luis Severino also are among the American League finalists.
Philadelphia Phillies first baseman Bryce Harper, Atlanta Braves first baseman Matt Olson, Mookie Betts with the Los Angeles Dodgers at shortstop and Chicago Cubs centerfielder Pete Crow-Armstrong are among the finalists in the National League.
James Johnson, who grew up in the city of Rochester, has worked as a full-time journalist covering high school sports for the Democrat and Chronicle since 1996. His career began as an intern during the summer of 1990, before the start of his senior year at Edison in the Rochester City School District. He has become a two-time winner of the Rochester Press-Radio Club’s Sports Media Excellence Award. Contact him at JAMESJ@Gannett or on X @JJDandC.
