Posnanski on the GG and Fielding Bible Awards

by Adam J. Morris on Nov 8, 2008 1:51 PM CST

I was going to stop talking about the gold glove picks, and in particular, Michael Young, but I saw this item and figured I'd make one last post.

Joe Posnanski, who is one of the balloters for the Fielding Bible Awards (and who is also one of the better baseball writers out there, I think) compares the FB Awards with the GG Awards and offers some commentary.

His take on the A.L. shortstop pick:

The Michael Young thing is, as mentioned, beyond explanation. He did not finish in the Top 10 in the Bible voting, and it’s worth pointing out again that I had never spoken to anyone in baseball who thought Young was a good defensive shortstop. This one just came out of nowhere*.

I thought this was worth mentioning because Posnanski has been (from what I've read of him) pretty level-headed and objective, but also because he debunks the argument that, well, the stat nerds who don't watch the game don't like him, but the managers, coaches, etc. all think he's great.

Maybe Posnanski just doesn't talk to anyone, or doesn't talk to the right people. But it seems pretty meaningful, to me, for someone like him to say point blank that he's never talked to anyone in the game who felt the GG winner was a good defensive shortstop.

Now, I'm done talking about it. Seriously.

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Nail in the coffin.

"He’s basically told himself unconsciously that he can’t be any good unless he catches 130 games a year. If he played with the baseball smarts of a guy like a David Eckstein, he’d maximize his talent and be an incredible player." - Andy Seiler, Texas Rangers Analyst

by inactive lsb user on Nov 8, 2008 2:00 PM CST reply actions

Hopefully so.

"The only good is knowledge and the only evil is ignorance."-Socrates

by slc ranger on Nov 8, 2008 2:27 PM CST up reply actions

I hope Ed is ok

"Colt mccoy sucks, mack brown needs to be fired." - Longhorn

by LSBUser on Nov 8, 2008 5:11 PM CST up reply actions

Yeah

But I’ve been trimming my nails ……….

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

by Ed Coffin on Nov 9, 2008 12:39 AM CST up reply actions

And now the coffin can't be lifted ...

because of the weight of all the nails.

by Athos on Nov 8, 2008 5:05 PM CST up reply actions

well someone voted for him.

by SteveP on Nov 8, 2008 4:01 PM CST reply actions

OT:

Why is Warner Madrigal still playing? Given his stellar performance in the Dominican League, isnt’ it about time to just give him the rest of the year off and tell him to come back to ST rested?

I guess his inning total wasn’t a whole lot this year but ML innings are more strenuous than minor league innings (where you aren’t getting your outs as easier).

""If they'd have told me you can make the team but you've got to shine the shoes, I'd have been there shining shoes." -Bradley

by ab03 on Nov 8, 2008 4:29 PM CST reply actions

relief pitcher

The fact that he is a relief pitcher makes me less worrisome about his innings. As long as he is working on improving his game he can pitch all year for all I care.

Bryan Smith (12:17:17 PM PT): Justin Smoak and Josh Hamilton. The AL West might just have found their Bash Brothers, v. 2.0.

by bigsteve on Nov 9, 2008 12:26 AM CST up reply actions

Can't we all just accept

that the gold gloves are a purely qualitative “I like how this guy handles the glove” award and stop hoping that there is any quantitative basis for who is picked. If a guy is exciting to watch (makes diving catches, has a great arm, chats with guys on the basepaths), then he gets the award. Kind of a “Most Popular Fielder” award – nothing more

I came to that conclusion a long time ago, and I stopped being resentful of the awards since I stopped having unrealistic hopes and expectations about them.

by JBImaknee on Nov 8, 2008 5:22 PM CST reply actions