Fist Pump Brings Home the Gold

Ok, so you're a professional baseball player or manager. It's that time of the year, when everybody gets together and puts in for the player-selected awards (read: Gold Glove). You know what you're talking about, right? I mean, cmon, you play the game. Right? Your eyes should tell you everything you need to know, because you're a baseball man. Baseball men are never *cough* wrong.

Below are the 2006 fielding statistics for 2 American League shortstops. One of them one the Gold Glove, the other didn't.

G PO A E DP FP lgFP RFg lgRFg RF9 lg RF9 GS Inn
Player 1: 150 214 381 15 81 .975 .970 3.97 4.02 4.14 4.49 149 1292.3
Player 2: 111 163 305 7 68 .985 .970 4.22 4.02 4.36 4.49 110 966.3

Player 1 has a clear advantage in only one category: innings played (1292.3). Player 1 is by no means a bad player. In fact, he appears to be just above average in all categories except his RFg (range factor per games played). Still, in this situation he's not the best player, is he? Player 2 clearly has higher ratings, and absolutely trounces Player 1 in both RFg and RF9. The number of games he played shouldn't affect anything, should it? This is just a reflection on that player's overall defense, right? (See: Palmeiro, Rafael and "28 games at 1B for a Gold Glove") This is a no brainer. Player 2, hands down.

Good thing you and I aren't professional baseball players or managers. We might actually make the right decision. Player 1 is the Gold Glover for 2006, Derek Jeter, and Player 2 is our own Alex Gonzalez. This isn't a matter of Red Sox/Yankee bias, it's a matter of fact.

Maybe I shouldn't get all huffed and puffed over the fact that the best fielding SS I've ever seen in my short time got the short end of the stick for what, in the end, is a meaningless award. Maybe I shouldn't devote 20 minutes to writing an article when I should be getting some needed sleep. But I can't help it. It just pisses me off.

Derek Jeter is a great player. Hands down, no bones about it. If he played for the Red Sox, I'd be super pumped. He's probably going to win the MVP award this year, and though I really think Joe Mauer deserves it more for playing the most demanding field position and having to maintain his offensive output in a lineup with the likes of offensive powerhouses like Jason Bartlett and Nick Punto to back him up, Jeter more than did his part. He hit for average, power, scored runs, and stole a crapload of bases. He's a great player, and he's playing in a great lineup.

But he's never been a great shortstop. His plays are occasionally flashy, and he's consistent, but half the shortstops in the National League are better fielders. The fact that he received the Gold Glove this year, when Gonzalez both statistically and visually proved to everyone that he was the better defensive player, is just testament to the fact that people believe the hype.

Isn't it strange that the Red Sox had the best infield in baseball, but had no Gold Glovers? Isn't it weird how Derek Jeter continues to get the awards, despite having the Official EA Sports All-Star Playstation Lineup batting around him? Or how about that some people think it's sacriledge to even mention the fact that he doesn't do everything well, like *cough* defense. He's not bad, just not superb.

Gonzalez was superb.

Way to go guys... no wonder you all voted for Bush...