OAKLAND -- When it comes to deciding who the best third baseman is in baseball, it could make for an interesting debate.
But we can all agree the defensive edge goes to Matt Chapman, right? Right?! Well, maybe. He has some tough competition.
I asked him between himself, Rockies' third baseman Nolan Arenado and Astros third baseman Alex Bregman, who would rank at the top.
Stay in the game with the latest updates on your beloved Bay Area and California sports teams! Sign up here for our All Access Daily newsletter.
"Another one that just got thrown into our division, too, Anthony Rendon, but I've never seen him play -- I would probably say Nolan's probably got the edge right now," Chapman told NBC Sports California. "And then Bregman, because I've never finished in the top three of MVP like those guys have and I've never hit 40 home runs like they have."
"I might have the edge on defense a little bit, but Nolan's a combo of both."
Chapman admitted Bregman has the better bat.
Bregman's numbers have improved over the years and he posted a .296/.423/.592 line with 41 home runs in 2019.
Oakland Athletics
"I might have defense over [Bregman], but Nolan has both of us combined it seems like," Chapman said.
Arenado's resume is filled with five All-Star selections, seven Gold Glove Awards, three Platinum and four Silver Sluggers. He too, hit 41 home runs last season which tends to be a type of norm for him over his career.
So Arenado, Chapman's former teammate at El Toro High School in Lake Forest, Calif., wins in his eyes.
At least for now.
"I can hopefully give him a run for his money one day," Chapman said.
The new defensive stats certainly help Chapman's case. The OAA, or Outs Above Average, stat has been introduced to the world of baseball for stat nerds to salivate over.
Chapman ranks sixth in the metric, in all of baseball -- and you can learn more about that measurement, here. It's something the two-time Platinum Glove winner is curious about.
"It's cool to have that, but I think Defensive Runs Saved is number one," Chapman said.
He joked he only cares about a defensive stat where he's at the top.
"Maybe because I'm not first in that category, so I don't think it's worth, you know anything," Chapman laughed. "You know, if I'm not the best, then it's stupid."
[RELATED: Fiers looks toward future, past Astros scandal]
"I'm joking about that, but sadly, almost being truthful about that," Chapman said. "I need to know more about how they get that because I feel like I play so deep -- I don't dive on as many balls. I might have to play more routinely and it doesn't look like it's an above-average play just because it doesn't fit that criteria so I have to hear more about it, so defensive runs for me is a good checkpoint."
The A's led the league in DEF (Defensive Runs Above Average) last season with 42.9 and were 10th in DRS. Chapman alone ranked seventh in the league in DRS with 18.