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Darwin Barney may not overtake Brandon Phillips to win a Gold Glove but a Fielding Bible Award says he's better.
Barney replaces Dustin Pedroia as the top second baseman in the majors, according to John Dewan and Baseball Info Solutions. He's the seventh different second baseman honored in seven years. The winners are chosen by a panel of ten experts, including Peter Gammons, Bill James, Joe Posnanski, Doug Glanville and Dewan. Says Dewan: “We ask them to use all the tools at their disposal to make their picks: both scouting and sabermetrics.'' Said Dewan on Barney: "Darwin Barney’s defense is a shining star in an otherwise cloudy season for the 2012 Chicago Cubs. After a nondescript debut at second base in 2011, when he saved only one run defensively, Barney led all second basemen in 2012 with 28 runs saved. This total led by a wide margin. He had a lot more runs saved than defending Fielding Bible Award winner Dustin Pedroia’s total of 11, a lot more than Robinson Cano’s 15, and a lot more than Brandon Phillips’ 11. Those three came in second, third and fourth in a vote that wasn’t close; Barney received eight of ten first-place votes. Barney’s vote tabulation of 96 points was only four short of perfection.''