Josh Q. Public: Now you can’t catch me. No, baby, you can’t catch me. ‘Cause if you get too close, you know I’m gone like a cool breeze. -Chuck Berry
Public Service Announcement: OK, here we go! Like the late great Harry Caray always says: “Hello again, everybody. It’s a bee-yooo-tiful day for baseball.” Defense, defense. Hold tight. Defense, defense. Fight! Fight! Fight! Flashing the old leather. Heard it in a glooove song, can’t be wrong. That’s what here to talk about today.
Who could forget Willie Mays. The Say Hey Kid. Who could forget the Catch. Jack Brickhouse couldn’t: “There’s a long drive way back in center field…way back, back! It is, oh, what a catch by Mays! The runner on second, Doby, is able to go to third. Willie Mays just brought this crowd to its feet with a catch which must have been an optical illusion to a lot of people. Boy!”
Third Base is My Home. Who could forget Brooks Robinson. The greatest all-time Oriole. The Human Vacuum Cleaner. Sixteen consecutive Gold Gloves. Like my main man Gordon Beard always says, Brooks never had a candy bar named after him. In Baltimore, people named their children after him.
Who could forget Ozzie Smith? The Wizard of Oz. Back flipping his way into our hearts. The best fielding shortstop I ever saw. Won the National League Gold Glove Award for defensive excellence at shortstop for thirteen consecutive seasons. A feat that has not been equalled. Go crazy folks, go crazy!
Who could forget Roberto Clemente? The only player to have ever scored a walk-off inside-the-park grand slam. He could flash the leather. No matter what the weather. He had his shit together, boyeee. A powerful arm. A cannon for an arm. A rocket arm. Vin Scully: “Clemente could field the ball in New York and throw out a guy in Pennsylvania.” Good night, Mary Edgerley, wherever you are.
Who could forget Jim Kaat. Kitty Kaat. Another Kaat with sixteen Gold Gloves. Kaat: “They give me this damned thing to me every year.” Holy Cow!
Who could forget Captain Carl. Carl Yastrzemski, Carl Yastrzemski, the man they call Yaz. What, you thought a Red Sox wasn’t gonna make it? You thought I said are you alright, Spider? Playing the Green Monster like nobody’s business. Chew on this sports fans: Gold Gloves for outfield play are handed out to any three outfielders, regardless of position. Year after year, three center fielders are awarded. In the forty-five seasons that Gold Gloves have been awarded, 135 have been given to American Leaguers. Just nineteen of those went to left fielders. Never more than one in any year. Of those, fifteen are accounted for by just four men. Minnie Minoso with three. Joe Rudi with three. Dave Winfield with two. And Captain Carl. Carl Yastrzemski with seven. How about that?
But just like Big Mac, I’m not here to talk about the past. I’m here to find out who are the best defensive players in the game today. This year’s Gold Glove Winners:
Catcher: Yadier Molina, Cardinals(1) Joe Mauer, Twins(1)
First Base: Adrian Gonzalez, Padres(1) Carlos Pena, Rays(1)
Second Base: Brandon Phillips, Reds(1) Dustin Pedroia, Red Sox(1)
Third Base: David Wright, Mets(2) Adrian Beltre, Mariners(2)
Shortstop: Jimmy Rollins, Phillies(2) Michael Young, Rangers(1)
Outfield: Carlos Beltran, Mets(3) Grady Sizemore, Indians(2)
Outfield: Nate McClouth, Pirates(1) Tori Hunter, Angels(8)
Outfield: Shane Victorino, Phillies(1) Ichiro, Mariners(8)
Pitcher: Greg Maddux, Dodgers(18) Mike Mussina, Yankees(7)
Public Spectacle:
Peace out homies. Six two and Even!
Need More? Adrian Beltre,Adrian Gonzales,Boston Red Sox,Brandon Phillips,Carlos Beltran,Carlos Pena,Cincinnati Reds,Cleveland Indians,David Wright,Dustin Pedroia,Grady Sizemore,Greg Maddux,Ichiro,Jimmy Rollins,Joe Mauer,Los Angeles Angels,Los Angeles Dodgers,Michael Young,Mike Mussina,Milwaukee Brewers,MLB,Nate McLouth,Philadelphia Phillies,Pittsburgh Pirates,San Diego Padres,Seattle Mariners,Shane Victorino,St. Louis Cardinals,Tampa Bay Rays,Texas Rangers,Tori Hunter,Yadier Molina
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Is there a better center fielder than Beltran? I DONT THINK SO ! He plays in Queens, along with gold glove third bagger David Wright. By Queens I mean one of the 5 and only 5 Boros. And yes, I figured I would stumble upon a Red Sox somewhere in this post..
why so pissed? you got two gold gloves. hoboken is more of a borough than queens. queens? really? since archie bunker died nothing goods come out of queens. as for th yaz, of course. spoiler alert. youk was robbed!
I dont know what pisses me off more, you passing yourself off as a New Yorker or you passing off Kevin Youkilis as robbed, 4 errors at 1st , not to mention 3 more at third to Calos Penas 2 .You wanna talk fielding percentage .998 for Pena 997 for Morneau and 966 for your boy. Man what a bostonian living in NJ HOMER…….
hey by the way, beltran is the best cf in baseball. bar none.