NL Gold Gloves
November 05, 2003
The Win Shares system was less successful in picking the NL Gold Glove team, agreeing on only 3 of the 8 non-pitcher winners. The main problem was the voters’ choice of four Cardinals (the fourth-worst defensive team in the NL, according to win shares) and no Dodgers (the best defensive team in the NL, worthy of 3 individual win shares).
NL Gold Glove team:
P - Hampton
C - Matheny
1B - Lee
2B - Castillo
SS - Renteria
3B - Rolen
OF - A. Jones
OF - Edmonds
OF - Cruz
Win Shares NL Gold Glove team:
P - no award
C - Brian Schneider
The choice of Matheny is an impossible one to justify, except on reputation. Either Schneider, Lo Duca, or Ausmus would have been a much better choice.
“He really has an idea of how to work a pitching staff. That’s his main concern, and whatever he does offensively is a plus. He throws well, he blocks balls in the dirt and he calls a very good game. I think a lot of their success as a staff is attributable to him.’‘
—NL coach , from ESPN.com’s “analysis.”
Calls a good game? Works a pitching staff? With that staff being successful? These are classic examples of what Bill James called bullsh*t dumps.
Statistically, it doesn’t hold up. St. Louis had the fourth-worst pitching staff in the league, and Matheny had a catcher ERA of 4.60, above that of both the league and St. Louis as a whole.
1B - Lee
2B - Alex Cora
Castillo finished 2nd.
SS - Cesar Izturis
Renteria, another reputation pick, finished 9th in the win shares system. Why so low? Among other reasons, St. Louis turned 10 fewer double plays than would have been expected.
3B - Adrian Beltre
Rolen finished 3rd.
OF - A. Jones
OF - Craig Biggio
OF - Cruz
Edmonds is a justifiable pick. He finished 11th, but played fewer innings than anyone who finished above him.
As a lifelong Dodger fan, I have to admit great dissapointment on the gold gloves. I know all these awards are quirky (Juan Gonzalez two time MVP, etc.) but come on. The Dodgers allowed the fewest runs in the league, and even away from Dodger Stadium I think they were second. Was it all pitching? What I really don’t get is that Cesar Izturis is FLASHY. I thought the voters loved that stuff. He looks as good as he is. Cora too-he’s lightning on the DP pivot. But anyway, I remember Bill James writing that the award voting is screwy—it’s whomever gets the most total votes, no majority needed. Is that still true? Oh I thought the Dodgers would salvage one measly positive from their season. Maybe Gagne will win CY Young…
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