3 Cubs are Rawlings Gold Glove finalists

Rawlings Sports, in an excruciatingly long Twitter process that took more than an hour to complete, has revealed the three finalists for Gold Glove awards this year.

The “finalists” are actually those who finished in the top three for voting that has already taken place. Last year, the winners were announced November 8, so I’d assume these winners will be announced a few days after the World Series ends this year as well.

Here are the Cubs who have received nominations this year:

Anthony Rizzo won the Gold Glove in 2016, his first.

Gotta say, i don’t really understand this one. Ben Zobrist played 81 games at second base this year, starting 65 of them. Here’s one possible explanation, though I don’t think it says that much:

And if you’re wondering, here’s the likely reason Javier Baez wasn’t included in second-base voting:

Javy played a lot of shortstop, filling in for Addison Russell, over the Cubs’ first 138 games this year, so he likely didn’t have enough innings at second base in 2017 to qualify.

I find myself surprised that Kyle Hendricks didn’t finish in the top three of voting for National League pitchers. Hendricks was excellent at fielding his position and he’s tops in all of baseball at picking off runners:

That review came on this play [VIDEO].

Lastly, Jason Heyward, who won his fourth Gold Glove last year, is a finalist again:

Remember, the voting has already happened, these aren’t nominees, but the players who finished in the top three of voting. Winners will be announced November 7; my guess is that Rizzo and Heyward will be Cubs winners this year.