Photo credit: @Athletics

By: Amaury Pi-González

The dictionary definition of “pillars” is a firm upright support for a superstructure.

The Matt Dudes are those pillars in the corners for the A’s superstructure. Third baseman Matt Chapman and first baseman Matt Olson won their first (of many in the near future) Gold Gloves for their defensive excellence. The A’s infield was one of the best defensively in the game, second-baseman Jed Lowrie, who enjoyed his best season ever, was the runner up to Ian Kinsley of the Angels and Red Sox for the Gold Glove at second base in the AL.

Chapman’s first Gold Glove came as he ended as #1 in all of MLB (at any position) with 29 defensive runs saved. Chapman is so good that he might also win the Platinum Glove Award, which is given each year to the best player in the Majors among all positions. In other words, the best fielder in baseball,period. Since he came to the A’s, we knew of his reputation with the Gold Glove and he showed it this 2018 season. Olson won it on his third season in the Majors and his first full year of play. Olson ended as #1 among all first basemen with 14 defensive runs saved.

While the A’s will announce soon where their new ballpark is going to be build in Oakland, the organization already building a solid team that won 97 games last year who advanced into the playoff as a Wild Card team. Two of those young stars have been awarded with respective Gold Gloves. Chapman and Olson have an innate ability for fielding. Those types of players are adored by pitchers, because they can do stuff with their gloves that pitchers appreciate and many times are the difference between a win or a loss.

Chapman and Olson, who are also very good friends, both deserve the award. Usually there is less controversy when it comes to fielding, and these two showed us why.