Cap'n Jetes G.G. Watch, Part 4
I've been cheating, and for that I apologize. This is my fourth post on this subject in roughly a week, and even though I've been numbering them, the titles have all been different. That's what happens when you're blogging off the cuff, I guess. Anyway, I think I've finally found the one I like. I think "Cap'n Jetes" is suitably irreverent, and I think the subject here really is the prospect of Jeter winning a Gold Glove.
Now, you might ask, "Who cares if he wins another Gold Glove? As long as the Yankees win, what's the difference?" I'm sympathetic to that angle, really I am. Unfortunately, as baseball fans we live in a world where it does matter who wins the Gold Gloves. I promise you, in 20 years I'll be writing about Jeter's greatness -- despite his ill contributions, defensively -- and somebody will e-mail me, or text me, or mind-meld me, something like this: "Hey Yankee-hater! How can you say that about Derek Jeter? He won three Gold Gloves! And he was one of six finalists on the All-Time Gold Glove Team!"
True enough. Much of the damage has been done already, especially to the credibility of the Gold Glove voters and whoever put together that all-time ballot. But just as we now recognize that Rafael Palmeiro shouldn't have won a Gold Glove when he played 28 games at first base, maybe someday we'll understand that Jeter's three Gold Gloves don't mean he actually was a good (let alone great) fielder. But before that happens, he has to not win his fourth Gold Glove. And as more pieces like this (from a Yankees fan, no less) show up, it's clear that perceptions really are changing, at least away from the field.
Rob Neyer
