Did Tim Salmon Ever Win a Gold Glove Award? Examining the Defensive Skills of the Angels Legend

Tim Salmon affectionately known as “Mr. Angel” is one of the most beloved Los Angeles Angels players of all time. The Angels signed the right fielder in 1989 and kept him on the team for 14 illustrious seasons, making him an integral part of the franchise’s history. Salmon was known for hitting a lot of home runs and racking up high RBI totals. His great offensive numbers earned him six All-Star appearances and four Silver Slugger awards. But even though Salmon was clearly an elite hitter, defense was not seen as one of his main strengths. This begs the question – did Tim Salmon ever win a Gold Glove award for his work in right field for the Angels?

In this article we’ll take an in-depth look at Salmon’s defensive skills and Gold Glove chances throughout his career. We’ll examine his range arm strength, and overall fielding abilities to determine if he should have won any Gold Gloves or was wrongly passed over. We’ll also discuss some of the stellar outfielders Salmon had to outperform to earn the honor when he was in his prime.

Evaluating Salmon’s Defensive Strengths and Weaknesses

First, let’s objectively evaluate Tim Salmon’s talents and limitations as a defensive right fielder:

• Arm Strength: Salmon had an exceptionally strong and accurate throwing arm. His cannon of an arm deterred runners from trying to take extra bases on him.

• Range: Not the fastest runner, so his overall range was average at best. He struggled to cover ground on balls hit into the gaps.

• Routes: Salmon occasionally failed to take the most efficient routes to fly balls. This would occasionally lead to misplays.

• Hands: He had solid hands, rarely making errors on balls hit directly to him. Reliably caught routine flies and line drives.

Examining Salmon’s Gold Glove Competition

To win a Gold Glove, Salmon would have needed to beat out some stiff competition from star right fielders in the American League. Here are some of the standouts he was up against during his prime in the mid to late 1990s:

• Jesse Barfield – Won 2 Gold Gloves (2 as Salmon’s direct competitor)
• Jose Canseco – Won 1 Gold Glove (1 as Salmon’s direct competitor)
• Ichiro Suzuki – Won 10 Gold Gloves (3 as Salmon’s direct competitor)
• Jermaine Dye – Won 1 Gold Glove (1 as Salmon’s direct competitor)

As you can see, Salmon consistently went up against some lightning-fast right fielders with both incredible range and throwing arms. He definitely had his work cut out for him trying to surpass players like Ichiro and Barfield defensively.

Analyzing Salmon’s Realistic Gold Glove Chances

Now let’s dig into Salmon’s realistic chances of winning a Gold Glove during his Angels career. Based on a close look at historical defensive metrics and voting trends, here is my year-by-year breakdown:

• 1992-1996: Salmon was still early in his career. Barfield was in his Gold Glove prime.

• 1997-1998: Tony Phillips and Jose Canseco won GGs. Salmon’s defense still developing.

• 1999-2000: Ichiro arrived from Japan and immediately won the GG. Salmon stood no chance.

• 2001-2002: Jermaine Dye in his athletic prime wins the GG. Salmon slowing down at 34.

• 2003-2006: Vladimir Guerrero beats out Salmon late in his career.

Looking at Salmon’s direct competitors and his own defensive metrics, I don’t see any specific seasons where he was clearly robbed of a Gold Glove award. The winners in each year were elite defensive right fielders and superior to Salmon with the glove.

The Verdict on Salmon’s Gold Glove Chances

After thoroughly reviewing Tim Salmon’s defensive skills and stats compared to his American League right field peers, I can conclusively say he was never overlooked or snubbed for a Gold Glove during his Angels career. While possessing a cannon for an arm, he did not have the blazing speed, expansive range, and well-rounded defensive abilities of the very best right fielders of his era. Salmon made his name with his consistently great offense and run production. Although he provided the Angels with steady defense, Gold Glove honors were simply not realistic for him given the competition.

Salmon was appropriately recognized for his offensive skills with four career Silver Slugger awards. His lasting Angels legacy and impact came at the plate, not with the leather. And that’s perfectly alright – not all great players need to excel at every single facet of the game. Salmon utilized his strengths to be the best all-around player he could be for his team. For Angels fans, he’ll always be remembered for his clutch hitting, All-Star campaigns, and the classy way he carried himself on and off the field. The Gold Glove was one accolade that eluded this Halos legend, but his on-field success and community impact cement his status as an Angel for the ages regardless.