Confirmed: Michael Young wins the Gold Glove

by Adam J. Morris on Nov 6, 2008 3:40 PM CST Comment 23 comments

T.R. Sullivan confirms that Michael Young has won the gold glove for shortstop in the A.L. this year.

Over at the DMN blog, Evan Grant doesn't understand why Rangers fans are complaining about this rather than celebrating it.

My response to that question is that, quite simply, the award is a joke. It is hypocritical to bitch about Nate McLouth winning a gold glove, or for Derek Jeter to win a gold glove, and then not do the same thing if Young wins it.

Yes, it wasn't a great year for shortstops, and yes, Young wasn't bad this year. He wasn't good, either, but he wasn't terrible, and appears to grade out to be average to a little below-average.

A player who, generally speaking, has been a bad defensive shortstop, and who this year improved to average, does not deserve a gold glove award. And if I were to ignore the merits of the decision and just say it is great because Young is a good guy and a Ranger, then I forfeit any right to ever criticize the people who voted for Shannon Stewart for MVP a few years ago, or who voted for Rafael Palmeiro as the gold glove first baseman a few weeks back.

The reality is, this award is often given to either 1) whomever has a good reputation who has won it before, or 2) someone with good offensive numbers who didn't embarrass himself defensively out there.

Young won the award because he is a recognizable name with a good reputation around baseball who had a great fielding percentage this year, not because he's the best defensive shortstop in the A.L.

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Comments

if the award is a 'joke'

why are so many people wasting their time talking about it.

let’s concentrate on more trade rumors!

Jindal '12

by Longhorn on Nov 6, 2008 3:47 PM CST reply actions 0 recs

Who would you suggest have won it?

I don’t think MY, but I’m curious. No one stands out to me.

by BuckyB on Nov 6, 2008 4:00 PM CST reply actions 0 recs

i disagree

look at kinsler

by Save us on Nov 6, 2008 5:08 PM CST up reply actions 0 recs

You'd rather the defender

not have the range to even knock down the ball than have him get to more balls than the average player and commit a few more errors? That’s just stupid.

I'm undefeated in fights. Have I been in any? No. Thats because people know my f'ing status. Don't mess with the elite. - Miles

by Dirk Diggler on Nov 6, 2008 5:55 PM CST up reply actions 0 recs

no i'd rather have a player who makes the routine play and not cause unearned runs

and you not thinking the Rangers need pitching is just stupid

by Save us on Nov 6, 2008 7:57 PM CST up reply actions 0 recs

Find a post of mine

where I said the Rangers don’t need pitching — you can’t do it.

By having a player that only makes routine plays, that means you’ll allow more hits. That can lead to runs just as easy as an error can.

I'm undefeated in fights. Have I been in any? No. Thats because people know my f'ing status. Don't mess with the elite. - Miles

by Dirk Diggler on Nov 6, 2008 9:15 PM CST up reply actions 0 recs

no fielder just makes routine plays

by Save us on Nov 6, 2008 9:26 PM CST up reply actions 0 recs

Hardy

All things considered.

"He uses statistics as a drunken man uses lamp-posts... for support rather than illumination." - Andrew Lang (1844-1912)

by Ed Coffin on Nov 6, 2008 4:39 PM CST up reply actions 0 recs

Ed's flashing back

to the “Good Ol Days” when the Brew Crew was an American League team.

Nolan Ryan is the Greatest Pitcher ever, because Google says so.

"BTW I’m officially welching ab03. Yeah I planned too all along, but I figured I’d try to get off the hook with double or nothing first."- Sharky

by DJCahill on Nov 6, 2008 4:42 PM CST up reply actions 0 recs

Actually humor

Hardy may have had better defense than Rollins, Adam suggested trading for him. no AL shortstop looked good enough for a GG, so “write him in”.

"He uses statistics as a drunken man uses lamp-posts... for support rather than illumination." - Andrew Lang (1844-1912)

by Ed Coffin on Nov 6, 2008 4:46 PM CST up reply actions 0 recs

I just assumed

it was from your days in the ’60s when you were tuning in, turning on, and dropping out.

Nolan Ryan is the Greatest Pitcher ever, because Google says so.

"BTW I’m officially welching ab03. Yeah I planned too all along, but I figured I’d try to get off the hook with double or nothing first."- Sharky

by DJCahill on Nov 6, 2008 4:49 PM CST up reply actions 0 recs

I wish

The 60’s were a strict military and defense contract blur for me. I’ll never know what I missed :-)

"He uses statistics as a drunken man uses lamp-posts... for support rather than illumination." - Andrew Lang (1844-1912)

by Ed Coffin on Nov 6, 2008 5:01 PM CST up reply actions 0 recs

Not sure you missed all that much

those hippie chicks looked like they would have stunk something fierce.

Nolan Ryan is the Greatest Pitcher ever, because Google says so.

"BTW I’m officially welching ab03. Yeah I planned too all along, but I figured I’d try to get off the hook with double or nothing first."- Sharky

by DJCahill on Nov 6, 2008 5:04 PM CST up reply actions 0 recs

Three guys I could support.

In order. . .

1. Marco Scutaro: He was close to the best shortstop, but in limited time at the position. Thing is, his time was limited because he was busy being awesome at every other position on the infield, too. He’d get my vote, but if you’re looking for a full-time shortstop, you look elsewhere.

2. Mike Aviles: I think he was the best shortstop, though he also played a shortish season. I could see passing him based on that.

3. Orlando Cabrera: If Scutaro and Aviles didn’t play enough, O-Cab did. Down year for him, but bad year for shortstops in general. Among full-time, full-season shortstop, he was probably the best.

I can’t see an argument for any other than those three. And there are a few other guys who also go ahead of MY.

by philkid3 on Nov 6, 2008 5:13 PM CST up reply actions 0 recs

I have no idea of the credibility of this website (which a Lone Star Ball reader found and posted about first)

lol

by philkid3 on Nov 6, 2008 4:51 PM CST reply actions 0 recs

Congratulations Golden Face!!!

the only problem is now it’s going to be 1000 times harder to get him over to third base. “I’m the best shortstop in the league, why should I?” he says

Steal Home R.I.P. 9/10/08

by LAMuscleFag on Nov 7, 2008 12:12 AM CST reply actions 0 recs