AL Gold Glove Winners

It's that time of the year again, here come the awards. The winners, the snubs, and ESPN analysts basing their opinions on the 2005 season are sure to cause plenty of drama, even though the first big free agent is yet to sign.
The American League Gold Glove winners read like this:

P- Mark Beuhrle
C-Joe Mauer
1B-Mark Texeria
2B- Robinson Cano
3B-Evan Longoria
SS-Derek Jeter
OF-Iciro Suzuki
Franklin Gutierrez
Carl Crawford

Many of these are pretty accurate, I mean for the love of any deity you care to mention ESPN called their top  play rating system the "Beuhrle Meter".Though among these are several omissions, that are nearly criminal, and a couple of players who probably got  an award based on reputation instead of performance. So here's a positional breakdown of the winners compared to their closest competition.

P-Beuhrle's only real competition were a couple of young guns in Rickey Romero, and Trevor Cahill. It really could have gone to any of them and no one would bellyache too badly. Point of fact is that Marky Mark didn't have an error all year, despite having plenty of chances and turning 4 double plays.

C- It was a tight race behind the plate, at least statistically Mauer and A.J. Pierzynski had almost identical stats, and former Georgia Tech standout Matt Weiters had an ever higher percentage of runners caught stealing. The only real beef about Mauer winning is that he only caught 108 games this year, though when you consider that neither A.J. or Weiters caught more than 127 that argument probably falls apart.

1B-The Yankee infield rake in the awards in this category, but none of them was a clear standout at their position. That couldn't be true than with Mark Texeria this season, he is extremely sure handed with only 3 errors all year (and that is very impressive) but his range was diminished and he has a fairly average arm. Rangier options like Daric Barton, and Carlos Pena would have to merit some consideration, and the strong armed Lyle Overbay took part in 139 double plays this year.

2B-Second base had several great candidates this year, perennial favorite Orlando Hudson, Mark Ellis, rookie Sean Rodriguez, Ian Kinsler and this years winner Robinson Cano. Cano is not a bad fielder, in fact he is very good, but he was probably not the most deserving candidate. Hudson and Ellis both post UZR's over 9 and neither had more than 8 errors(Ellis only had 3) Cano only had 3, but his UZR was a pedestrian -.6.

3B- This is perhaps the hardest position to pick a favorite;Adrian Beltre, Kevin Kouzmanoff, Jose Lopez, Evan Longoria, Michael Young, Alex Rodriguez, third is packed with good glove men. Longoria won, and deserved too but it would have been a bad pick had Beltre, Lopez, or Kouzmanoff won it.

SS- Jeter flat out stole this award, his range is rapidly declining (-4.6 UZR) he only had 6 errors but only because he doesn't get to as many balls anymore. Elvis Andrus, Alexi Ramirez, and Cliff Pennington all had great defensive years and were more deserving than the Yankee Capitan. 

OF- Crawford and Ichiro clearly deserved their awards this year, Crawford's 18.5 UZR and stingy 2 errors are fantastic, and Ichiro coupled a 15.6 UZR with a cannon for a left arm to capture his well deserved tenth award. Franklin Gutierrez, is a fantastic outfielder but I think there might have been a better choice. With an unbelievable 21.9 UZR, 12 outfield assists Brett Gardner was the most deserving Yankee player, yet didn't get the Gold Glove. It is probable that Gutierrez received his award as sort of a make up call from last season, when he clearly deserved one, but a declining Tori Hunter got it instead.


All of that being said here is the Tarpslides R-Us AL Gold Glove awards, if the recipients want I'll even write in down so they have have something to remember it by.

P-Mark Beuhrle
C- Joe Mauer
1B-Carlos Pena
2B-Mark Ellis
3B- Kevin Kouzmanoff
SS-Elvis Andrus
OF- Ichiro Suzuki
Carl Crawford
Brett Gardner