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Matt Chapman of the A's was the best defensive player in the majors, according to the SABR index that counts for 25 percent of the Gold Glove vote.
Matt Chapman of the A's was the best defensive player in the majors, according to the SABR index that counts for 25 percent of the Gold Glove vote.
Photo: Brace Hemmelgarn / Getty Images
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![Brandon Crawford won Gold Gloves in 2015, 2016 and 2017. His streak came to an end in 2018. Photo: Ezra Shaw / Getty Images]()
Brandon Crawford won Gold Gloves in 2015, 2016 and 2017. His streak came to an end in 2018.
Brandon Crawford won Gold Gloves in 2015, 2016 and 2017. His streak came to an end in 2018.
Photo: Ezra Shaw / Getty Images
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![San Francisco Giants' Gregor Blanco, left, slides safely back into first as Oakland Athletics first baseman Matt Olson takes the pickup throw during the sixth inning of a Major League Baseball game, Sunday, March 25, 2018 in Oakland, Calif. Photo: Ross Ross / Special To The Chronicle]()
San Francisco Giants' Gregor Blanco, left, slides safely back into first as Oakland Athletics first baseman Matt Olson takes the pickup throw during the sixth inning of a Major League Baseball game, Sunday, March 25, 2018 in Oakland, Calif. lessSan Francisco Giants' Gregor Blanco, left, slides safely back to first as Oakland Athletics first baseman Matt Olson takes the pickup throw during the sixth in a Major League Baseball game, Sunday, … more
Photo: Ross Ross / Special To The Chronicle
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![ST. LOUIS, MO - SEPTEMBER 23: Brandon Crawford # 35 of the San Francisco Giants turns a double play over Patrick Wisdom # 21 of the St. Louis Cardinals in the seventh inning at Busch Stadium on September 23, 2018 in St. Louis, Missouri. (Photo by Dilip Vishwanat / Getty Images) Photo: Dilip Vishwanat, Getty Images]()
ST. LOUIS, MO – SEPTEMBER 23: Brandon Crawford # 35 of the San Francisco Giants turns a double play over Patrick Wisdom # 21 of the St. Louis Cardinals in the seventh inning at Busch Stadium on September 23, 2018 in St. Louis, Missouri. (Photo by Dilip Vishwanat / Getty Images) lessST. LOUIS, MO – SEPTEMBER 23: Brandon Crawford # 35 of the San Francisco Giants turns a double play over Patrick Wisdom # 21 of the St. Louis Cardinals in the seventh inning at Busch Stadium on September 23, 2018 … more
Photo: Dilip Vishwanat, Getty Images
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Photo: Brace Hemmelgarn / Getty Images
Matt Chapman of the A's was the best defensive player in the majors, according to the SABR index that counts for 25 percent of the Gold Glove vote.
Matt Chapman of the A's was the best defensive player in the majors, according to the SABR index that counts for 25 percent of the Gold Glove vote.
Photo: Brace Hemmelgarn / Getty Images
A Matt Chapman, Matt Olson Win Gold Gloves; Giants shut out
Like everything else about the 2018 major-league season, Sunday's Gold Glove Announcements brought to the East side of the Bay and disappointment to the west.
The A's, which surprisingly turned towards an American League wild card was fueled by a huge improvement in their defense, broke into 12-year drought for Oakland infielders when first baseman Matt Olson and third baseman Matt Chapman each won for the first time.
But the Giants were shut out for the first time since 2014.
Brandon Crawford's reigns as the National League Gold Glove shortstop after the last two years Nick Ahmed of the Diamondbacks.
Catcher Buster Posey, who won his Gold Glove in 2016 and was a finalist this year, lost in an injury to Yadier Molina, who won his ninth.
Marcus Semien and second baseman Jed Lowrie were finalists, too, but lost to Andrelton Simmons (Angels) and Ian Kinsler (Angels, Red Sox), respectively.
Chapman's win was hardly a surprise. The SABR Defensive Index, a compendium of stats that counts for 25 percent of the Gold Glove formula. A vote of coaches and managers counts for the other 75 percent.
He supplanted 2017 winner Evan Longoria, who was brought back by the Rays to the Giants in December.
Chapman should get some support in balloting for the Platinum Glove as the majors' best fielder. Voting runs through Thursday at rawlings.com.
Chapman said in a statement that he wanted to thank Bob Melvin and all of his coaches, but he gave a special shout to third-base coach Matt Williams, a four-time Gold Glover at the position, "who helped me reach the next level. "
Olson said in a conference call that all of Chapman 's Highlights helped him win, too.
"I definitely knew I had the potential to be a first-time winner, but not necessarily in my first year, especially because we do not get as much coverage as in other places," Olson said. "But as the year started to go on, I felt like I was playing well there, and getting more looks because of Chapman's defense, it all came together."
Chapman might have secured his Gold Gloves with a July 31 play in a home game against the Blue Jays.
Chapman was shifted into the hole when Yangervis Solarte slapped a groundball up the line. Chapman ran towards the bag, backhanded the ball and in one motion leaped and turned before heaving.
Oakland ended a Gold Glove drought dating to outfielder Josh Reddick's win in 2012. No A's infielder had won since 2006, when Eric Chavez grabbed the last of his six in a row at third base.
The A's haul reflects a significant improvement team-wide. In defensive runs saved, one of the stats used in the SABR index, they rose from 27th in the majors in 2017, at minus-44, to third best, at plus-61.
The Giants also had a significant increase, from minus-48 to plus-32, but not enough to help any individual win a Gold Glove.
Other AL winners were pitcher Dallas Keuchel, catcher Salvador Perez and Alex Gordon outfielders, Jackie Bradley Jr. and Mookie Betts. Winnener in the NL included pitcher Zack Greinke, first basemen Freddie Freeman and Anthony Rizzo – who tied for the honor, second baseman DJ LaMahieu, third baseman Nolan Arenado and outfielders Corey Dickerson, Ender Inciarte and Nick Markakis.
Henry Schulman is a San Francisco Chronicle staff writer. Email: [email protected] Twitter: @hankschulman
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