Question - Rafael Palmeiro's Gold Glove in 1999

[Teflon]

Does anybody have any rememberance on how Rafael Palmeiro won a Gold Glove in 1999 while playing only 28 games on defense and spending 128 games at DH? This seems absurd but I don't recall criticism of the award at the time.

[nicksaviking]

Try this.

 

http://www.sbnation.com/2011/12/2/2604446/rafael-palmeiro-1999-gold-glove

 

Basically the only conclusion the author could come up with, was that the voters didn't realize he didn't play in the field that year and just voted for him based on assumption and past reputation.

 

I'd also venture it's possible the Russians hacked the GG voting that year.

 

Also funny enough, to find that old article I did google Rafael Palmeiro and "Gold Glove" was the third drop down choice, just as referenced in the article.

[ashbury]

There was huge criticism at the time.

 

^{_{/ ninja'd by nicksaviking}}

[nicksaviking]

 

There was huge criticism at the time.

 

^{_{/ ninja'd by nicksaviking}}

http://static.tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pub/images/7576b335562f42de6fb183c7218d66b8.jpg

[gunnarthor]

The sad thing is that Palmeiro was actually a pretty solid defensive first baseman but now people remember that (and the PEDS) instead.

[nicksaviking]

The sad thing is that Palmeiro was actually a pretty solid defensive first baseman but now people remember that (and the PEDS) instead.

And a pretty sweet Magnum PI mustache.

[jimmer]

 

And a pretty sweet Magnum PI mustache.

and the little blue pill...

[Eris]

Here is a decent article on the topic.  It doesn't really answer your question, but other have had similar quests to find an answer to this.

 

http://www.sbnation.com/2011/12/2/2604446/rafael-palmeiro-1999-gold-glove

 

Although the Palmeiro gold glove is particularly egregious, at least he was a decent first baseman when he played (either Doug Mientkiewicz or Tino Martinez would have been much better choices for the gold glove that year).  One of the worst examples was Derek Jeters undeserved gold glove in 2006.  Below is the link to fangraphs data (not sure if it gets through to the filter).  Jeter was close to the bottom on most defensive metrics except fielding % where he was 11.  At that time most of the good defensive SS were in the NL and no AL SS had exceptionally good defensive season, but still the voters gave it to one of the worst players at the position for the year.  

 

http://www.fangraphs.com/leaders.aspx?pos=ss&stats=fld&lg=all&qual=y&type=1&season=2006&month=0&season1=2006&ind=0&team=0&rost=0&age=0&filter=&players=0&sort=10,d

 

The Fielding Bible Awards were in part started to address the discrepancy between the gold glove winners and who the experts viewed the best defensive player at a position.  The first year for these awards was 2006 http://www.fieldingbible.com/the-winners.asp

 

http://calltothepen.com/2016/11/10/mlb-comparing-gold-glove-winners-to-fielding-bible-counterparts/

 

[spinowner]

 

The sad thing is that Palmeiro was actually a pretty solid defensive first baseman but now people remember that (and the PEDS) instead.

 

 

and the little blue pill...

These two items are related. One of the side effects of long-term steroid use is atrophy of the male gonads, which is how PED's lead to ED. It would be funny that he became a spokesman for Viagra if it wasn't sad.