Gold Gloves

Award season started with the dishing out of some Gold Gloves. These are pretty stupid. On paper it would seem to make sense, but the continuing awarding of these to average or below average fielders based on some unfounded reputation really makes them borderline meaningless. Michael Young? C'mon. Carlos Pena won one and he seems like a fine choice but I wonder if the Rays didn't make the playoffs would Pena have been recognized enough to win the award? I've heard a few times that you have to hit to win a Gold Glove, and looking at these it's no different. The people that vote for this can't watch every fielder in baseball, so you have to do something to bring attention to yourself. Being a good hitter (Rollins), and/or having more attention in the postseason on you (Pena) will help get you the attention you need for people to notice your fielding. Kinda seems whacky, but I'm buying it. Does that mean they and the others aren't good fielders? Of course not. But are they the best fielders at their positions based on this year? Extremely debatable. But then again, all you heard during the Rays games this postseason was how Jason Bartlett was the Rays most valuable player and how his defense changed their team, and yet Michael Young won it over him? Does this mean announcers suck (McCarver), or just the award and the people that vote on it? Call it a draw.