Kolten Wong believes he deserves NL Gold Glove over Javy Baez

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Kolten Wong doesn't lack confidence, particularly on the defensive side of the ball, telling Derrick Goold of the St. Louis Post-Dispatch he thinks he should win the NL Gold Glove at 2nd base this year. 

“I think MLB should realize if I don’t win the Gold Glove there is something wrong with it,” Wong said. “It needs to be somebody who deserves it instead of a publicity contest. And sometimes you know that’s how it goes. I was disappointed last year. We’ll see. I’m not holding my breath if I’m a Gold Glove-winner or not. In my heart, I know I am.”

Wong has historical been a fine defensive 2nd baseman, but this season the advanced defensive metrics love him with 18 Defensive Runs Saved (DRS). Only Oakland A's 3rd baseman Matt Chapman has more DRS than Wong at the moment, and when he's making plays like these it's easy to see why he's having such a great year for St. Louis. 

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=M5-6JzfGVvM

However, there is a man in Chicago who's been doing nothing but make incredible plays on defense all year. You may have heard of him, he goes by El Mago. 

Baez hasn't been able been to capture a Gold Glove quiet yet, partially because he doesn't play one position consistently enough to be considered for one, but that hasn't kept Javy from making defensive highlights a must watch. He doesn't have the advanced DRS numbers on his side like Wong, he currently has a combined 8 DRS on the season from 2nd, SS, and 3rd, but ask any baseball fan who their favorite defensive player is most will say, Baez. 

It's hard to argue against Wong and his incredible season he's having defensively, but Javy being a human highlight reel may make this an interesting battle between two players playing on rival clubs fighting for more than just a Gold Glove but a divisional crown. At the very least, the two are locks to continue producing jaw-dropping plays in the field, and in that way, everyone wins. 

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