SAN FRANCISCO -- The Giants got a good look this season at the two players battling Brandon Crawford for a Gold Glove Award. Both of the other finalists, Nick Ahmed of the Diamondbacks and Freddy Galvis of the Padres, are in the NL West, and regularly share a patch of dirt with Crawford during games.
Crawford has had a firm grip on the award since winning for the first time in 2015, but he faces a tough test this year. Ahmed, in particular, is a player Crawford has always noticed from the other side of the field. Ahmed has been watching Crawford, too.
When he visited AT&T Park with the Diamondbacks in September, Ahmed talked about what he's seen from the three-time reigning Gold Glove winner.
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"He's really consistent at making the routine play, first and foremost. He catches everything that's hit at him and makes accurate throws," Ahmed said of Crawford. "He's got the ability to make the great play -- the diving play or the sliding play. He's just a really heads-up player and puts himself in the right position.
"Although he's not the fastest guy, he's able to cover a lot of ground by being smart and anticipating what's going to happen. It's been fun to play against him."
Ahmed had a breakthrough season, hitting a career-high 16 homers. The defensive metrics say he has a good shot at unseating Crawford. Ahmed led the National League with 21 Defensive Runs Saved; Galvis was at seven and Crawford at six. When the SABR rankings, which make up a quarter of the vote, were released in August, Ahmed led NL shortstops with 11.7 SDI. Crawford was fourth at 4.9 and Galvis was ninth at 0.5.
The Gold Glove Awards will be handed out on ESPN at 6 p.m. Sunday night.