Rafael Palmiero's Phantom Gold Glove Revisited

[Nails86]

"Back with the Texas Rangers after five years in Baltimore, Palmeiro posted his highest slugging percentage (.630) and OBP (.420). His 47 homers and 148 RBI helped power Texas to the playoffs. Somehow the DH won the Gold Glove Award, despite playing just 28 games at first base. Nevertheless, the 34-year old was at his best with the bat."

Baseball-Reference.com

A Gold Glove at 1B after playing 28 games?? WHAT A JOKE!

How the HELL did the writers justify this or get away with it?

[CadensDad]

Only 47 homers?Roids didn't seem to do much

[Old_Style]

Only 47 homers?Roids didn't seem to do much

They do help you win Gold Gloves though.

[lastingsgriller]

i think you mean "Phantom"

[zepfan]

Wow, I thought the Gold Glove was a farce and I didn't even know about this. As if we needed any further proof.

[Pogotheostrich]

Newsflash: Sportswriters are lazy.

[Nerfherders]

I'm pretty sure Gold Gloves are voted on by Rawlings, and may not be the writers. Either way, for the most part it is popularity contest. If nobody goes above and beyond the player who's got voted on 5 times straight, then he gets the next one too. Maddux was the best defensive pitcher of his era, but I have a hard time believing he was still the best at the age of 40.

I remember when Palmeiro won with 28 games played at first. That one still has me stumped.

[Pogotheostrich]

I'm pretty sure Gold Gloves are voted on by Rawlings, and may not be the writers. Either way, for the most part it is popularity contest. If nobody goes above and beyond the player who's got voted on 5 times straight, then he gets the next one too. Maddux was the best defensive pitcher of his era, but I have a hard time believing he was still the best at the age of 40.

I remember when Palmeiro won with 28 games played at first. That one still has me stumped.

I checked and it isn't the writers. It is the managers and coaches.
I stand by my original comment.

[JTWood]

Wow... 28 games played, and the voting is by his peers???

See, this is why you could never require people to take a test before they're allowed to have kids.

We can't even get something this simple right!

[Ender]

Maddux was the best defensive pitcher of his era, but I have a hard time believing he was still the best at the age of 40.

I would disagree with this, he was still pretty much flawless last year. But yeah, McClouth won a gold glove last year and is a well below average CF. The voting is pretty much a joke.