Rawlings Announce the All Time Gold Glove Team
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by Romiezzo
Here is the list:
Pitcher: Greg Maddux
Catcher: Johnny Bench
First Base: Wes Parker
Second Base: Joe Morgan
Third Base: Brooks Robinson
Shortstop: Ozzie Smith
Outfield: Willie Mays, Roberto Clemente, Ken Griffey Jr.
Willie Mays making that over-the-shoulder catch. Brooks Robinson barehanding a bunt. Roberto Clemente unleashing a rifle throw. All of these great plays, along with their fielding percentages, and most of all, their reputations, were the reasons why these nine players were announced to the All-Time Gold Glove Team. I am quite surprised that many people didn't show up on this list. For example, Jim Kaat, Ivan Rodriguez, Don Mattingly, Roberto Alomar, Omar Vizquel, Jim Edmonds, Andruw Jones, and Ichiro were not on the list, but I guess that's the way the chips fall, and you can have only one player for each position.
The most surprising name that any baseball would see on this list is Wes Parker. Many would've picked Doug Mientkiewicz over him (sarcastic, maybe), but West Parker IS considered an elite fielder, but how could you leave out Don Mattingly? He's a nine time gold glove winner. Are Yankee fans that ticked off about his "curse"? Keith Hernandez, an 11 time Gold Glove award winner, had less votes than a man who is not even remembered anymore. Wes Parker only had 6 Gold Gloves in his career, and you're telling me that all of these people prefer a 6 time Gold Glove winner over 11 and 9 timers? That's ridiculous.
Next you have Johnny Bench. Johnny Bench is a 10 time Gold Glove winner. Everyone who follows baseball right now should know who Ivan Rodriguez is and what he has done. He won 10 straight Gold Glove awards. Let's look at the stats, shall we? (Bench: 10 GGs, Rodriguez: 12... SO FAR, Bench: .990 Fielding percentage, Rodriguez: .991.) Those are the things that people base their votes on, usually. I base my votes on those two categories and errors per game. I take the number of errors that the player has at a position and I divide it by the number of games they played in that position. Bench won by a margin of .05, which is a lot. In conclusion, I would've went with Pudge because Bench got beat by Bob Boone, a man who had .08 errors per game, which is about .02 less than what Rodriguez has. Rodriguez is still tearing it up in the AL, and he's going to get more Gold Gloves.
At second base, you pick Joe Morgan? JOE MORGAN!? If you picked him just to convince people that he was a good player and you shouldn't judge him by his commentating, you're stupid. Does the name Roberto Alomar ring a bell? Bill Mazeroski? Ryne Sandberg? Frank White (maybe not)? They ALL have more Gold Gloves than Joe Morgan. How in the blue hell did he get this award. I have no clue. He's won a total of 5 Gold Gloves, which is the least amount of Gold Gloves won by anyone on the list.
I'm fine with just about everything else on the list. Maddux is probably going to be the man standing alone for the most Gold Glove awards by the end of his career. Brooks Robinson? He drew the highest vote total of any player with 61%. He won a record-tying 16 Gold Gloves at third base for Baltimore and was the MVP of the 1970 World Series, largely because of his diving stops, backhanded plays and accurate throws. There should be no doubt in anyone's mind, unless you're a biased Cardinal or A's fan who wants to tick people off and vote for Scott Rolen or Eric Chavez, or you don't know who Robinson is (very unlikely).
"It's something I'm very proud of," Robinson said. "I'm glad to see the defense get a little credit. Defense is what it's all about in every sport, but offense gets all the attention."
Ozzie Smith? He deserves it. Omar Vizquel? I don't know... yet. I don't think so. He was so entertaining at short, and made things look so easy over there, but I think it could've gone either way, when you look at the numbers.
"It truly is an honor to stand with the very best defensive players," said Smith, who won 13 Gold Gloves at shortstop. "With so many great players, it's almost impossible to pick the best at each position."
Parker got 53% at first base, and I don't know why, since hardly anyone knows him, and it was a vote based mainly on popularity, in my opinion.
"I'm thrilled to be recognized as one of those who worked hard at what is an under-appreciated skill," Parker said. "I'm particularly pleased to be the lone representative of the Dodgers and the only awardee who is not and will not be in the Hall of Fame. This is my Hall of Fame."
As far as the outfielders go, I'm pleased with the fans' decisions. Jim Edmonds almost beat Ken Griffey Jr. for the third spot, but Griffey Jr.'s 9% beat Edmonds' 8%, as he moved on with Willie Mays and Roberto Clemente, who definitely deserved to be there.
All in all, it was a great idea to announce an All-Time Gold Glove team, but in my opinion, it wasn't successful, because the more years that pass by, the stupider people get, especially with voting.
