A glance at why Brandon Crawford was nominated as ESPN.com's defensive player of the month in May. (0:59)

San Francisco Giants shortstop Brandon Crawford won his first Gold Glove last season. He may be an even better defensive player in 2016.

Crawford won voting among ESPN.com writers, researchers and analysts for ESPN Stats & Information and Baseball Info Solutions as the Defensive Player of the Month for May.

Crawford finished the month with six defensive runs saved, second among shortstops to Zack Cozart's eight, but Crawford beat Cozart and others on the ballot because he was significantly better at making the really good play and avoiding mistakes.

Most Defensive Runs Saved 2016 Shortstops (Through end of May) Brandon Crawford Giants 12 Nick Ahmed Diamondbacks 9 Zack Cozart Reds 8 Andrelton Simmons Angels 7

Crawford had 13 "good fielding plays" (think Web Gem-caliber) and only two "defensive misplays and errors." His ratio of good plays to misplays and errors was 6.5-to-1 (best among shortstops who played at least half of their team's games). The average ratio for a shortstop during the month is 1-to-1.

Crawford's ability to avoid mistakes in 2016 has been remarkable. He had one error and three "defensive misplays and errors" in his first 52 games. The previous three seasons, Crawford averaged between 32 and 38 misplays and errors per 1,000 innings. This season, he's on track for nine in his first 1,000 innings.

Twenty-three shortstops already have nine this season. None of them have even played 500 innings in 2016 (Crawford ended the month with 446).

Brandon Crawford has almost completely cut mistakes out of his game. ESPN Stats & Information

"I think I've done a good job of not trying to do too much," Crawford said prior to Wednesday's game against the Atlanta Braves. "In the past, I might get to a ball and I don't have a play, but I try to make a throw anyway and I'll throw it into the stands if I don't have a play. [Now] I'm holding onto it if I don't."

Crawford also noted this success was because of pregame preparations with bench coach Ron Wotus, who positions the team's infielders.

"We bounce ideas or comments off each other, just to get a better read for what each hitter is going to do," Crawford said "If we don't agree, which doesn't happen often, we go to the starting pitcher that day and get his opinion."

Crawford's in-game decision-making relies on a number of things, including reading swings. The thing a fan should watch is the hitter's front shoulder.

"If a guy's front shoulder is flying open, he looks like he's going to be a pull guy, maybe I'll shift myself to the pull side or I'll react quicker pull side," Crawford said. "If he's a guy keeping shoulder closed and trying to go the other way, maybe I'll cheat that way."

If there's any question as to how much ground Crawford covers, consider this stat. Crawford, Francisco Lindor and Eduardo Escobar are the only shortstops who have a positive range rating on balls hit in the shortstop-third base hole and balls hit up the middle (in other words, they're turning an above-average rate of outs on those balls). Most shortstops are good going one way or the other, but not both.

Crawford didn't make a lot of super-flashy plays, but he demonstrated his range best in a 1-0 win over the San Diego Padres on May 23, retiring Derek Norris once on a ground ball up the middle, then again on a grounder deep in the shortstop-third base hole. He made both plays look relatively easy, though there was work involved in getting to both balls.

Crawford has also excelled at turning the double play, though he was surprised to find that out ("I would've thought our numbers were down this year because of the new rules and replay").

Baseball Info Solutions tracks double-play conversion rates (double plays turned divided by chances to turn a double play as a fielder or pivot man). Crawford's ranged from 61 to 71 percent the last four seasons. His 2016 rate through the end of May was 75.5 percent, fourth-highest among shortstops.

So between mistake avoidance, range and double-play success, Crawford may be the perfect defensive shortstop. One major-league scouting director said, "He makes every play. He's so steady and reliable, but the same time, the athleticism and range is there for the spectacular as well."

We'll leave the last word to Wotus, who speaks of his shortstop with great respect.

"'Craw' always had great game awareness and the ability to make plays," Wotus said, "but he is committed to improving his game and has harnessed his talent, and it shows in his consistency of play."