A National Outrage I know I said yesterday that I wasn't going to get political here, but in light of what has happened, I think something simply needs to be said. The American people have been duped, bamboozled and misled, and I truly believe yesterday's events will lead to the downfall of the nation as we know it. Yes, that's right, Derek Jeter won the American League Gold Glove at shortstop. There are, as far as I can see, two positives that come along with this ridiculous situation. One is that you can cross "Gold Glove" off the list of things you give importance to, making statements like "he plays Gold Glove defense" utterly useless. Beyond that, this gives hope to people out there with dreams. Dream of being President of the United States? Want to marry a supermodel? You say you'd like to be in the movies? Personally, I'd like to be the GM of a baseball team. Normally I'd say you and I were probably out of luck, but the fact that Jeter can be given an award for being the dest defensive shortstop in the AL means pretty much anything is possible. Hell, I'm starting to think I have a real chance of winning the lottery, and I didn't even buy a ticket.
The problem with the SABR stuff is that it totally disregards clutch performances as tripe. I hate Jeter very much, more than I hate cancer, but I do think that he is a clutch player... and that he banged Mariah Carey... before she went crazy... I'm not sure he is gold-glove good, but there are guys like that picked for it from time to time...then once a guy gets one he is the favorite.
Not at all. I'm trying to say playing the game well doesn't make you an expert on it. Sure it does. Apply the same thinking to any other profession. Sports are not so vastly different that you wouldn't recognize Gretzky, Maddux, etc. as experts in their chosen field. It's like saying that film critics have the best expertise in making films because they don't make films. Or that Eric Clapton is not an expert on playing the guitar. I think in some respects you're not wrong, in the same idea that even though you're Roger Clemens doesn't necessarily mean you'd be a good pitching coach, or General Manager - because those positions require other affinities that aren't solely bouyed by Roger's ability to pitch. But I'm damn sure Roger Clemens can recognize a good pitcher.... Even those that aren't in the bathroom mirror every morning. I don't think you're wrong in saying that awards given out by players may have a political or popularity element to them, but certainly are not lacking the requisite expertise to base decisions on.
The problem with the SABR stuff is that it totally disregards clutch performances as tripe. I hate Jeter very much, more than I hate cancer, but I do think that he is a clutch player... I think I've posted the statistical and methodical debunking of "Jeter is clutch" article 3 or 4 times to Sportsfilter. I just can't be bothered to post it again. If everyone wants to believe that he's "clutch", I'm just going to give up and let them believe it. You can only pound your fists against a brick wall for so long. I'm trying to say playing the game well doesn't make you an expert on it. Sure it does. Then please explain the insane opinions of John Kruk, Harold Reynolds and Joe Morgan. Honestly, there have been enough documented cases of these gentlemen making stupid/biased/false statements about players/teams/stats that it boggles my mind that they can be considered "experts". Just because they you in front of a camera with a microphone, doesn't mean that you are an "expert".
You can only pound your fists against a brick wall for so long. Have you considered pitching for the Yankees?
i don't get why people are up in arms over a gold glove award. is it because it's derek jeter, the guy everyone loves to hate? it's not like he's the first "undeserving" player to get it. raffie played 28 games at first base in 1999 and somehow walked away with one. the fact that jeter got one of these this year shouldn't be a surprise, especially with the press he was getting on his improved defense and the hype behind "the catch" in the 7/1 game.
anyone who is banging Jessica Alba deserves some sort of an award.
it's not like he's the first "undeserving" player to get it. No, definitely not. Doesn't mean it's not silly, but you're quite right. It's just this, Raffie, et al keeps marginalizing what was an award with meaning. Or maybe I just thought it was when I was a kid and This Week in Baseball showed Ozzie Smith highlights for 28 minutes a week.
Then please explain the insane opinions of John Kruk, Harold Reynolds and Joe Morgan. and Tim "A walk is as good as a homerun" McCarver.
Or maybe I just thought it was when I was a kid and This Week in Baseball showed Ozzie Smith highlights for 28 minutes a week Yeah, maybe I just thought that too. On the bright side Manny Ramirez, instead of a gold glove nod, which would have exposed the whole thing as fraudulent, was given the Roberto Duran "Hands of Stone" award. Think of the Omar Vizquels of the world, what will they have left to live for if you give the gold glove to a big bat with an ok glove? Can't you hear little David Eckstein crying into his baby-sized hands?
I just want Jeter's life to get a little bit better than it is. He's had it pretty rough since breaking into the bigs and now he finally gets a bone thrown his way. Come on, give the guy a break.
Then please explain the insane opinions of John Kruk, Harold Reynolds and Joe Morgan. and Tim "A walk is as good as a homerun" McCarver. My answer would be twofold: 1) Hardly a random sampling of baseball brainpower. I say baseball players are experts at baseball and you pick the loudmouth retired media guys to refute it. 2) 'insane' is a complicated legal term. Not a medical condition. It also is misapplied often in cases where you simply don't agree with the alternate view. In Grum's case this would be a total lack of creedence given to any baseball idea that is grounded in a number to compare. Though in McCarver's case it's totally appropriate. Kruk and Morgan don't strike me as being total baseball idiots, though I often don't agree with them.
Sorry - should be "...lack of creedence given to any baseball idea that ISN'T grounded in a number to compare."
Just a few clarifications. First, from the article on NL Gold Glovers:
Gold Gloves, presented since 1957 by St. Louis-based Rawlings, are voted on by managers and coaches before the end of the regular season. They may not select players on their own team, and they vote only for players in their own league.
So a player's peers (i.e., other players) are not involved in the decision. Second, the difference between Rafael Palmeiro winning in 1999 is that he actually was a Gold Glove winner the prior two years -- so he acrtually was a good defensive player at one point, even if the voters screwed it up that year and voted him the winner based on past reputation.
and Tim "A walk is as good as a homerun" McCarver he meant 5 consecutive walks was as good as a homerun...
oops, I mean 4...duh?
come on Chris, fess up. Your last name is McCarver, right? ;)
oops, I mean 4...duh? 5, 4, he's still wrong.
oops, I mean 4...duh? Maybe you meant a 2 run homer.
could be worse, Deion Sanders could have dumped a bucket of ice water on me...and my 4 or 5 walks...
I think having a good bat will often win you a gold glove just by getting you attention. Look at all 18 gold glove winners this year. Those would be pretty damn impressive batting orders too.
