Thoughts on the 2009 Gold Glove Awards

The 2009 Gold Gloves were presented the other day.  Generally speaking, what struck me was this.  With an award that used to be awarded so traditionally, only two winners have more four to their credit.  Outfielders Ichiro Suzuki and Torii Hunter both have nine Gold Glove Awards on their mantle.  In case you’re wondering, they’re 6th on the all-time list for outfielders (they have six more to go to catch Roberto Clemente).

Some thoughts on a few of the Gold Glove award winners:

Ryan Zimmerman finally got his Gold Glove.  The cynic in me says that he finally hit well enough to deserve the award.  He hit better than David Wright who somehow got it the past two years.  Zim led the NL in assists and was 2nd in putouts.

While Jimmy Rollins won the Gold glove for shortstop, my vote would have gone to Troy Tulowitzki.  Tulo was in the top two in the league in fielding percentage, putouts, zone rating, total chances, and assists.  Rollins had the advantage of leading the NL in fielding percentage, an overrated stat, in my opinion. 

I’m a big Orlando Hudson fan.  Let’s get that out of the way.  But I was a bit surprised when he got the award this year.  It was his fourth one of his career but last year, due to his injuries, Brandon Phillips took it away from him.  Baseball is such a game of tradition.  Despite his deserving it, I wasn’t sure if the coaches would give it back to him.

I’ve been critical of Derek Jeter’s glove work in the past but word has it his fielding has really taken a turn for the better.  That and a slightly weak (Orlando Cabrera excluded) competition, Jeter deserved it this time.

Outfielder and Pitcher Gold Gloves… almost irrelevant in most cases.  in the cases they are relevant, they get ignored for those who are good with the stick. 

NL Gold Glove Award winners

AL Gold Glove Award winners

AL Gold Glove Awards announced

The Gold Glove Award recipients were announced yesterday.

The outfielders, Sizemore, Suzuki, and Hunter (who played for a different club) were identical from 2007.  On the other hand, the entire infield did a turnover from the year before with sole exception of 3B Adrian Beltre.

As a result, there were four first time winners in Joe Mauer, Carlos Pena, Dustin Pedroia, and Mike Young. 

A changing of the guard?

NL Gold Gloves announced

The NL Gold Glove awards were announced yesterday.

Not a lot of surprises.  Maddux won his 18th award in the year he plans to retire.  Rollins, Beltran, and somehow David Wright seemed to sneak in there again.  Nate McLouth won his first Gold Glove and first Pirate to do so since 1993 when Jay Bell did so.

I admit I’m not familiar with Adrian Gonzalez’ fielding exploits at first base.  Is he REALLY all that better than NL competition at his position?  Considering who’s out there, I wonder.  Except for first base, every NL player who won the Fielding Bible Award, also won a Gold Glove.  Albert Pujols won a FBA at first this year.

RIP Elmer Blasco, inventor of the Gold Glove

Gold_glove_award_eric_chavez

Elmer Blasco, who worked in marketing for Rawlings, passed away last Friday.  Blasco was responsible for inventing the concept of the Gold Glove Award. 

From the Daily Herald: 

"I felt that since we represented defense with our gloves we should do something to honor the best in that area," Mr. Blasco, a 50-year resident of Mount Prospect, told the Daily Herald in 1981. "And what better way than with a glove, a golden glove at that."

He was a graduate of the University of Illinois and won his own Gold Glove for his effort in creating the award.