How SF Giants' Bailey got even better as a defender and turned in one of the best defensive seasons ever
Briefly

How SF Giants' Bailey got even better as a defender and turned in one of the best defensive seasons ever
"Shortly after winning his first Gold Glove Award following the 2024 season, Bailey outlined his ambitions to Alex Burg. Bailey told Burg that one award wasn't enough. Neither was two. Neither was five. The conversion was, This isn't about winning one, it's about winning 10. It's about being, when you finish, being one of the best defensive catchers ever,' said Burg, the Giants' catching coach over the last two seasons and a candidate for new manager Tony Vitello's staff."
"That's what he wants. He wants to be not only the best defensive catchers, but he wants to be talked about with the greats. Your Yadi (Molinas), your Buster (Poseys), your Johnny Benches. He wants to be the best catcher ever, and he knows defense is the calling card right now. No matter how good he is, there's always a next level to get to. In his third season, Bailey found that next level."
"What I'm most impressed with is that he continued to push forward even after winning a Gold Glove in 24, said president of baseball operations Buster Posey, who won a Gold Glove in 2016. He didn't rest on his laurels of that success. There's an understanding that just because he did something well one year doesn't mean it's a given for the next year. He's definitely becoming an even more well-rounded defensive catcher."
Patrick Bailey won his second Gold Glove in his third MLB season and set a goal of reaching ten Gold Gloves to join the game's defensive greats. Bailey became the first Giants catcher to win multiple Gold Gloves and looks likely to earn a Platinum Glove. Significant improvements included better blocking of tough pitches and overall defensive growth. Only seven catchers have at least five Gold Gloves, and only Johnny Bench and Ivan Rodriguez reached ten. Team leaders praised Bailey's work ethic, refusal to rest on success, and clear focus on continual defensive improvement.
Read at www.mercurynews.com
Unable to calculate read time
[
|
]