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NEW YORK -- Florida has not had a Gold Glove winner since Mike Lowell and Luis Castillo were at third base and second base, respectively, for them in 2005.
But with the type of season Gaby Sanchez and Omar Infante are having, infield coach Perry Hill said he wouldn’t be surprised if either one becomes the next Marlins player to earn baseball’s highest defensive honor.
Sanchez leads National League first basemen in fielding percentage (.997) with just three errors in 917 chances. Infante ranks second among NL second baseman with a .990 fielding percentage (five errors in 507 chances). Only the Reds’ Brandon Phillips has been cleaner among NL second basemen with four errors in 507 chances (.992).
“The things he does over there are unbelievable,” Sanchez said of Infante. “People don’t realize some of the plays he makes are incredibly hard. He makes them look so easy, they look routine.”
Sanchez, who made 11 errors in 1,196 chances as a rookie last season (that ranked 12th among NL first basemen), said Hill worked with him vigorously during spring training to improve his footwork.
“I think he’s just more comfortable now,” Hill said of Sanchez. “He puts himself in a better position to field balls, puts himself in better position to catch balls.”
The Marlins rank third in the NL and sixth in the majors in fewest errors with 58 in 108 games. The team’s .985 fielding percentage is the highest it has been since the club finished fourth in the majors in 2004 with a .986 fielding percentage and just 86 errors. Florida was 26th in the majors last season with 123 errors and has been 26th or worse in errors each of the past five seasons.
“I think the group has done well, but there’s still a lot of work to be done,” Hill said. “We believe we can have the best defense in baseball. If that’s not your goal, then you shouldn’t be around.”
But with the type of season Gaby Sanchez and Omar Infante are having, infield coach Perry Hill said he wouldn’t be surprised if either one becomes the next Marlins player to earn baseball’s highest defensive honor.
Sanchez leads National League first basemen in fielding percentage (.997) with just three errors in 917 chances. Infante ranks second among NL second baseman with a .990 fielding percentage (five errors in 507 chances). Only the Reds’ Brandon Phillips has been cleaner among NL second basemen with four errors in 507 chances (.992).
“The things he does over there are unbelievable,” Sanchez said of Infante. “People don’t realize some of the plays he makes are incredibly hard. He makes them look so easy, they look routine.”
Sanchez, who made 11 errors in 1,196 chances as a rookie last season (that ranked 12th among NL first basemen), said Hill worked with him vigorously during spring training to improve his footwork.
“I think he’s just more comfortable now,” Hill said of Sanchez. “He puts himself in a better position to field balls, puts himself in better position to catch balls.”
The Marlins rank third in the NL and sixth in the majors in fewest errors with 58 in 108 games. The team’s .985 fielding percentage is the highest it has been since the club finished fourth in the majors in 2004 with a .986 fielding percentage and just 86 errors. Florida was 26th in the majors last season with 123 errors and has been 26th or worse in errors each of the past five seasons.
“I think the group has done well, but there’s still a lot of work to be done,” Hill said. “We believe we can have the best defense in baseball. If that’s not your goal, then you shouldn’t be around.”
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