NL &amp; AL Gold Glove Winners

Wright

Definitely the worst choice, IMO.

Also thought Tulo should've gotten some love, but I don't know how good Rollins is.

by ajohnst1 on Nov 6, 2007 5:49 PM EST reply actions

I'm an admitted Boston homer, but:

Shouldn't Crisp have gotten some love over one of the AL CFs?

I guess the important thing is that ACTUAL DEFENSIVE STATISTICS tend to agree he had a gold-glove-level season. As opposed to the gold glove voters, who look at their ballot and go, "David Wright. Now THERE'S a great player. Check."

by abbreviatedman on Nov 6, 2007 6:17 PM EST reply actions

I'm just glad

that Jeter didn't get it again. I can admit, even as a Sox fan, that he's a great, great player, but defensively? Not so much.

by abbreviatedman on Nov 6, 2007 6:19 PM EST up reply actions

wright

actual defensive statistics don't think Wright is that bad at 3rd either though,

http://www.hardballtimes.com/thtstats/main/index.php?view=winshares&linesToDisplay=50&orderB y=field&direction=DESC&season_filter%5B%5D=2007&league_filter%5B%5D=NL&pos_filter%5B %5D=3B&Submit=Submit

Should he have won the award over Zimmerman? No, but it's that hard to imagine with Rolen out most of the year and Zimm playing on a bad team.

Honestly, I see the GG as a MVP consolation prize amongst other terrible ways it's been given out lately. See Jeter getting another last year, Wright and Rollins this year, etc

by Dan @ Minor League Ball on Nov 6, 2007 6:22 PM EST up reply actions

Pedro Feliz!

Feliz is a terrible hitter, but he played a mean 3B this year. He actually may have saved countless runs with his defense.

by DrBGiantsfan on Nov 6, 2007 6:40 PM EST up reply actions

does that mean Holliday won the MVP?

by Bravesin07 on Nov 6, 2007 6:57 PM EST up reply actions

holliday as mvp

yea, I'm making that assumption with Rollins getting the GG at short over Tulo, Reyes and Vizquel

I could be wrong, but I'd put money on the rockies OF winning it after this

by Dan @ Minor League Ball on Nov 6, 2007 8:26 PM EST up reply actions

Mike Lowell and Coco

I think Coco deffinitely should have won a glove. Lowell although he started the season a little shaky with the glove finished off rock solid also.

Skip

by WWBL Commish on Nov 6, 2007 6:58 PM EST reply actions

Actually, now that you mention it

I'm shocked Coco didn't win. Not because I think he's great defensively (I'm sure he's fine), but because everyone knows that the Gold Gloves are a popularity contest wherein the player gets points for being good offensively, a big name, or playing in a big market.

by ajohnst1 on Nov 6, 2007 7:28 PM EST up reply actions

Wright is not the worst pick

Going through the Fielding Bible's scores, Wright was 6th in baseball at 3rd. That's certainly not awful. Not the best, and I'm not advocating that he win, but he's much better than given credit for, especially amongst Met fans. He seems to make errors at unfortunate times, and many are throwing too.

Rollins was ranked lower at short, Polanco was ranked lower at 2nd, Beltre was ranked lower at 3rd, Cabrera wasn't even ranked, neither was Hunter or Sizemore. That's mostly just the AL, i'm sure other NL players didn't fare as well either.

by andwoo on Nov 6, 2007 8:03 PM EST reply actions

CGrand

I'm suprised Granderson didn't get one. I didn't look up any numbers, but I feel that he had a better defensive season than Hunter. Hunter only wins one becasue of his reputation, he has been surpassed by both Granderson and maybe Sizemore.

by EarnYourStripes on Nov 6, 2007 8:04 PM EST reply actions

Wholeheartedly agree

Granderson did finish near the top of many D metrics and seemed like he had the hype around him to get it, but apparently the voters went with the usuals. Incidentally, while Granderson deserved it over Hunter (and Ichiro for that matter, though not by much), Pudge didnt deserve the GG over Johjima. There really was no good reason for that except reputation. I hope Pudge bounces back, but he was not his usual self this year at C.

by grozzy on Nov 7, 2007 12:16 AM EST up reply actions

heard

Johjima was terrible at handling pitchers. At least most Seattle fans are saying this.

by pedrophile on Nov 7, 2007 12:27 AM EST up reply actions

That was last year.

And that was mostly because he had conflicting theories on how the batter should have been pitched. He has conceded to the pitchers and their veteran-ness for the most part now, but I don't necessarily think they were right. Kenji was thinking outside the box, and that could have helped more pitchers if they would just open their minds and shut their mouths.

The Mariners preach traditionalism up and down the organization, and love to get guys who believe so too.

And boy does it drive me nutty.

by elrey34 on Nov 7, 2007 2:41 AM EST up reply actions

Andy Jones. Haha

I was embarrassed for him sometimes last year when he was in the field. He still has the GG talent but he is just plain FAT. Real bad choice.

The GG awards are so bad I don't tell people a guy is good defensively by saying, "He is a GG caliber fielder", I say, "He is great defensively".

These awards are such a joke. It makes me think that all "fielding greats" of the past where probably more popular than a great fielder. If I never saw a guy play but he has 6 GGs I can't even be sure that he wasn't a defensive liability.

ex. JETER

Make the world a better place. Punch Tim Purpura in the face.

by Shamus on Nov 6, 2007 11:31 PM EST reply actions

actually

Andruw shed about 15 pounds before this past season and in the field he looked better than he has in YEARS. He had regained some of his speed and still has BY FAR the best instincts in the game. Night in an night out he made plays that almost every other center fielder in baseball wouldn't have come close to getting but he doesn't make as many diving plays any more so fans don't think he is that good any more.

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by was385 on Nov 6, 2007 11:54 PM EST up reply actions

I disagree

I am sure you know what all the "fans" are thinking.

He is sluggish getting to balls, looks lackadaisical or bored, and is fat for a CFer.

I said he had the talent. But by no means is he putting great defensive effort on the field.

Just for reference because it was a very publicized catch. Do you think his "instincts" would have got him to the ball that Willy Taveras got to in the playoffs?

Make the world a better place. Punch Tim Purpura in the face.

by Shamus on Nov 7, 2007 12:53 AM EST up reply actions

Andruw won the GG and he deserved it

Not only did he finish tops of CFs on the plus/minus meter but he recorded 396 POs this year, his best since 2002. For comparisson:

Player POs
A. Jones 396
Hunter 387
Rowand 392
Beltran 381

Claiming Jones isn't currently amongst the top CFs in the game (and is debatably the best) is ignorant or lazy. Sure, he's no longer putting up seasons that rank in the top 10 defensive seasons by a CF in the history of the game. But he's at the top of the league, blubber or no. :-)

If you want to get on a Brave OF for winning an undeserved Gold Glove, criticize Francoeur. He's got better-than-average range for a RF and his arm is a cannon. I'm just not sure that's enough to put him ahead of the other elite CFs who didn't win a GG.

by mraver on Nov 7, 2007 1:43 AM EST up reply actions

Ignorant?

You are out of line. As soon as I get my hands on a spray chart I will feel better, but you thinking that Andruuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuu is the best CFer in MLB is f-in ignorant. Just because he caught a lot of balls doesn't mean he is the best. And considering he had only 3 assists in ALL HIS MIGHTY CATCHES tells me his fat ass wasn't in position in time to make a play after the catch.

I saw a fair amount of Andruuuuuuuuuuuuu this year and you telling me he was the best will never make me think that.

Do you even want Andruuuuuuuuu back on the Braves?

Make the world a better place. Punch Tim Purpura in the face.

by Shamus on Nov 7, 2007 4:02 AM EST up reply actions

I never said I thought he was the best

And I never said anyone was ignorant. But he's certainly among the best in the baseball, and to claim otherwise means you either haven't looked at the numbers ("lazy") or ignore them ("ignorant").

And for what it's worth, I'm glad the Braves didn't offer him a long-term deal (he's on the down-side of his eventually-HoF career and will cost a boatload) given that we've got good young (read: cheap) options in the system currently. His bat won't be missed, and pitching is clearly the bigger need at the moment.

Also, Ichiro is the best CF in the game. Has been for a few years now, even if he was mostly over in RF for that time.

by mraver on Nov 7, 2007 7:25 AM EST up reply actions

it's okay

he just wish he had AJ patrolling CF for his team for the last 10 years.

by dalamchops on Nov 7, 2007 9:50 AM EST up reply actions

heck yeah

If Andy Jones was in CF for the Stros the last 10 years they would have been in the playoffs the last 10 years. And won some titles.

Make the world a better place. Punch Tim Purpura in the face.

by Shamus on Nov 7, 2007 12:12 PM EST up reply actions

re:

Quote: Just because he caught a lot of balls doesn't mean he is the best.

What kind of balls are you talking about because isnt the point of defense to (as Mariano once yelled)... CATCH THE BALL! I understand saying that assists come into the equation some, but they have very little value to a defensive evaluation compared to balls caught. Andruw doesnt always look like he's a plus cf but that's because his most amazing work is typically done before the camera is on him. Sure his speed is probably below average for a cf now, but he makes up for it and then some in his reads.

I'll also add this, the 3 best OF in the AL this year were (in order) Ichiro, Granderson and Crisp and the gap after that was considerable. Those 3 guys played some absolutely amazing cf this year.

by jspearlj1 on Nov 7, 2007 7:54 AM EST up reply actions

to be fair

andruw did play behind a pretty flyball-oriented pitching staff, so that will inflate his putout totals. smoltz is about average, hudson is a groundball guy, and chuck james & buddy carlyle are flyballs-only. not sure about the rest of the cast revolving through the 5th starter position.

by jpahk on Nov 7, 2007 10:17 AM EST up reply actions

Well

He's pretty consistently ranked at the top of the list for CF put outs going back to 1996, so unless FB pitchers just gravitate to the Braves, it's still a stat in Andruw's favor.

It's certainly plausible that the Braves do stack the deck with FB pitchers because of Andruw. But what does that tell you? A smart, well-run organization that sees Andruw play CF day in and day out builds its pitching staff around his defensive skills.

Sounds like a pretty strong vote of confidence to me.

by Yakker on Nov 7, 2007 12:35 PM EST up reply actions

Sadly

there was no rest of the cast

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by was385 on Nov 7, 2007 4:08 PM EST up reply actions

Why no love for

Yadier Molina?
I mean, seriously...

by brak60 on Nov 7, 2007 9:45 AM EST reply actions

re

Yady is good, but it probably comes down to offense. Seems (unfairly) that is plays an increasing roll in these.

Martin is a stud defensively though, so its not like the pick of david Wright over say a Ryan Zimmerman

by ScottAZ on Nov 7, 2007 10:00 AM EST up reply actions

Orlando Cabrera?

I think there is a SS in Toronto that would disagree.

by pedrophile on Nov 7, 2007 9:51 AM EST reply actions

yeah

but you can't have expected macdonald to get any love from the voters. nobody's ever heard of him.

by jpahk on Nov 7, 2007 10:18 AM EST up reply actions

it's so obvious

it's a popularity contest. The GG is a joke. Whoever is now voting shouldn't be allowed to vote.

by pedrophile on Nov 7, 2007 7:42 PM EST up reply actions

+1000

John McDonald is God. I truly believe that. There's no one in baseball even close to as talented as he is.

by bleedjaxblue on Nov 7, 2007 1:09 PM EST up reply actions

Adam Everett

is just as good, but they've both been head and shoulders above everyone else at SS.

McDonald was robbed (along with Pujols, Crisp, Granderson, Inge, Tulowitzki, Hill, Feliz, and Brynes); even playing just 60% of the time (which is why he wasn't even considered, I think) he had more defensive value than any other SS.

by Eric Van on Nov 8, 2007 2:46 AM EST up reply actions

Everett

I think Everett gets to more balls in better position to make an out than any other SS. But Tulo's highlights show he has the skill-talent to make unconventional plays. As far as most BIP I would take Everett over any other SS.

Make the world a better place. Punch Tim Purpura in the face.

by Shamus on Nov 8, 2007 4:10 AM EST up reply actions