Gold Gloves for Christmas

Only two SoxandPhils won Gold Gloves this year, meaning Chase Utley, Dustin Pedroia and Kevin Youkilis got hosed.

To be fair, Rob Neyer, whose assessments I trust on these things, said Jimmy Rollins didn't deserve his third straight gold glove and that Shane Victorino may not have earned his second trophy.

But being a partisan blog, we'll focus on the praise, such as these plaudits heaped on Utley followed by some backhanded love for Shane-O on the end:

This year, the voters returned to Hudson, once again spurning Utley, who still doesn't have a Gold Glove despite being arguably the league's top defensive second baseman for five seasons running. And not over the last five seasons; I mean in each of the last five seasons.

Who cares, right? Well, someday Utley's going to be on a Hall of Fame ballot, and at least a few voters will say, "Gosh, I love the guy's hitting stats, but why didn't he win any Gold Gloves?"

The answer isn't that Utley wasn't a great fielder; the answer is that the Gold Glove voters just weren't paying attention.

Speaking of which, I'm not sure what to say about Matt Kemp and Shane Victorino. Kemp gets bonus points because he's a good hitter and he's fast and he's got a good arm, with the only problem being that Kemp doesn't make a particularly large number of plays, which is sort of the point of the thing.

Victorino didn't make a great number of plays this season, either. But one can almost forgive the voters, because Victorino was solid last season (when he won his first Gold Glove) and even better in 2007 as a right fielder. Players typically peak early as fielders, but Victorino's (apparent) decline has been precipitous, and I have a hard time holding the voters responsible for tracking Victorino.

In the American League, the Red Sox were shut out, much to Neyer's consternation:

Shockingly, the voters selected MVP candidates Joe Mauer, Mark Teixeira, and Derek Jeter, all of whom were probably solid defensively but might not have been the best fielders in the league (my choices at those positions were Gerald Laird, Kevin Youkilis, and Elvis Andrus). At second base, the voters chose Placido Polanco because he made only two errors all season. Polanco is a pretty good second baseman, but nowhere near as good as Dustin Pedroia, who won the award last year (and, coincidentally enough, was also the American League's MVP).

Stupid Yankees. Speaking of which, I went Christmas shopping today. It was very sad and disturbing to see all the Yankees championship gear. Unlike the last two Christmases, there will be no championship garb under our tree this year, but we'll probably see some disgusting trinkets when we visit the family.

I'm pleased with my shopping. I have a feeling Santa will remember which team Christine roots for.

Today's news: Jason Varitek will be back to back up Victor Martinez. ... Some delusional Japanese media think the Red Sox offered Hideki Matsui a contract. I don't believe it for a moment. ... And, while Pedro Martinez remains on the back burner, the Phillies may target Fernando Rodney for the beleaguered bullpen.

Big trade speculation

After reading Jim Salisbury's very speculative piece that the Phillies may revisit the Roy Halladay trade negotiations, a thought occurred to me this morning: Might the Phillies package a deal around - gasp - Cole Hamels?

Management seems to be down on him, and including him in a deal would presumably mitigate the Blue Jays' demand for Kyle Drabek or one of the top outfield prospects.

Salisbury's story didn't mention this possibility, but while I was driving to work, Randy Miller, of the Bucks County Times, was on WIP with the same speculation I had. He had a couple of caveats, however, chiefly that if the Phillies acquired Halladay, they might have to cut payroll elsewhere, meaning Joe Blanton could be gone.

He did say the Phillies are fed up with Hamels for failing to develop a third pitch or learn from veteran lefties Jamie Moyer and Cliff Lee. He thinks they will definitely listen to offers for the 2008 NLCS and World Series MVP, although they will be quiet about it because these megadeals rarely pan out and the Phillies are worried about Cole's fragile psyche if he learns he was placed on the trading block.

It's an interesting thought. My gut reaction is I wouldn't do it, but the Phillies may have more insight on whether Hamels can fulfill his promise in Philadelphia. If he can't, there are worse replacements than Doc.

While my perception was keen on the Hamels and Halladay speculation, I missed big time on the real implications behind the Red Sox announcing that Victor Martinez will be the starting catcher next year. That wasn't just about displacing Jason Varitek, but also signaling that V-Mart will not be at first base because the Sox may really go after Adrian Gonzalez.

It's no secret that the Red Sox have been looking for a corner infielder, especially with prospect Lars Anderson regressing this year, and the Padres are a team they have always been comfortable dealing with. Negotiations should go even better now that former Sox staffer Jed Hoyer is the GM in San Diego.

To further flame inane offseason SoxandPhils speculation is this tidbit that suggests the Red Sox may add nearly $50 million in payroll. I don't think there's that much talent available.

A tale of two veterans

Often in sports, we hear that teams show no loyalty to their aging players or that the players value money over team loyalty.

Granted, it's a rare example, but we never hear much praise when both team and player do right by each other. Tim Wakefield wants to keep pitching for the Red Sox. The Red Sox want to keep him on their team. Wakefield only cares about a contract that guarantees he'll stay in Boston as long as he's able to pitch. The Red Sox wanted a little monetary assurance in case he is unable to keep pitching at an All-Star level.

Hence, they scrapped the perpetual $4 million contract in lieu of a two-year guaranteed deal with incentives that could net Wakefield nearly as much as the original deal. Wake said he will retire after this contract:

They actually came to me with a two-year. We were wondering they were going to pick up the option again and this kind of negates that. I think this is a fair deal. If I’m healthy, I’ll be able to make about as much as I did the other years. In essence, they gave me a two-year deal and that’s a huge plus for me.

Things look less clear with another long-time Red Sox, Jason Varitek. The team, to no one's surprise, declined the captain's $5 million option. He has five days to decide whether to accept his $3 million option.

I was surprised that he did not accept arbitration last year; I would be shocked if he is stupid enough this year to let Scott Boras persuade him not to accept his player option to try to pursue a situation that pays more and offers more playing time. Unfortunately, unlike Wakefield, Varitek doesn't always do what's best for himself and the team, although the Globe said Varitek is "likely" to stay put.

If he does, he will not be the starting catcher, as the Red Sox made another expected move to pick up Victor Martinez's 2010 option:

"We're going to really look for Victor to be the everyday catcher next year," Epstein said. "What puts us in the best position to win is for Victor catching as much as he can. The spot we'll have available is for more of a traditional backup. We'll see what Tek's (Jason Varitek) decision is before we move forward. He's got five days to exercise his player option. You can always negotiate but in this case it's his decision to make."

Farewell Feliz, and A-Gon is gone

Christine and I were finishing dinner after a busy but enjoyable Sunday.

"Oh shoot, the blog," I said, remembering that I didn't have a post and that I'm not yet accustomed to the fact I can no longer just rely on game action.

"Don't worry, maybe something happened today," Christine said.

"Well, we didn't get a chance to answer Matty's question about Pedro Feliz, maybe I'll just make that the post," I said.

"Unless the Phillies have already announced a decision on his option," Christine said.

We both decided there was little chance of that happening on a Sunday. Oops: Phils decline Feliz option.

So, here's how we would have answered Matty's question whether we would pick up the $5.5 million option.

Christine is a definite yes because his defense compensates for his weak bat.

I don't mind Feliz at $5.5 million - that is what he is worth. But I probably would have taken the Phillies' tact: cut him loose and see if you can find a better option in what should be a deflated market with the economy. Besides, remember how Feliz became a Phillie? Nobody else wanted him. So if the Phillies don't find a good deal for a better third baseman, they can always go back to Feliz.

I think that's what GM Ruben Amaro has in mind:

"This doesn't preclude us from bringing Pedro back next season," Amaro said in a statement. "While this allows us to explore other opportunities, we will continue to keep the lines of communication open with Pedro and his representative."

The Red Sox also declined an option on an infielder today, casting aside Alex Gonzalez. They too may bring back Gonzalez at a lesser deal.

Buh-bye, Brett

On July 24, 2002, Christine and I were honeymooning in Niagara Falls. (We took a real honeymoon in Hawaii the next year.) Also on that date, young Brett Myers tossed eight innings of two-hit ball to earn a win in his first major league start for the Phillies.

It was the first of 240 appearances (183 starts) for Myers as a Phillies. In all likelihood, he won't be making any more for the team as the Phillies say they're not bringing him back. Here's the good cop quote from GM Ruben Amaro:

Brett is one of our own. He was here 11 years. It's difficult to let a guy go, just like it was difficult with Pat [Burrell] last year. At the same time, sometimes you have to think about change, so we made the decision. Brett will have opportunities on another club. He's very versatile. He can be a starter or a reliever.

It's not surprising that Brett won't be a Phillie in 2010, but it's kind of odd that the Phillies would publicly sever ties so quickly, even though Myers has caused his share of trouble: the domestic assault charges, using a slur against a reporter, injuring himself in the bizarre SUV incident this year and, most recently, the Cole Hamels "quit" incident.

As Jim Salisbury wrote:

Though no one in the organization would explicitly say it, there were indications that the team had just had its fill of Myers, the club's top draft pick in 1999. The Phils might have put up with Myers' dramatics had he maintained the effectiveness that helped him win 25 games and post a 3.82 ERA in 65 starts over the 2005 and 2006 seasons, but a number of factors hurt his performance, especially the last two seasons, and exhausted the team's patience.

I ran hot and cold with Brett. He was young and immature, but had one of the most beautiful curve balls, a nice little lollipop that literally took my breath away at times. He was on the mound for the final out of 2007 and mostly selfless on the field.

He was one of the longest-tenured Phillies - only Jimmy Rollins has been on the team longer - and his closing comment shows he at least understand the Philly fans:

Myers said he would miss his teammates and thanked the fans, many of whom supported him through his rough times. After eight seasons in Philadelphia, he said, he knows how tough the fans can be, and he expects to feel some of that old tough love when he returns with another team.

"Hopefully, I'll be playing against the Phillies, and when I do, I want the roughest treatment the fans can give me - when I'm pitching," he said, laughing. "I'm an opposing player. You have to give it to me."

I hope the fans remember this quote and give Brett a loving boo before a standing ovation the first time he wears gray in Philly. But after that, respect his wishes and remember he's the enemy.

Other news: Shocker! Brad Lidge was pitching was loose bodies in his elbow; he's headed for the operating room along with Raul Ibanez and Scott Eyre. And Pedro Feliz may join Brett Myers on the Phillies kicked-to-the-curb list this off season.

[Photo credit: Associated Press]

Sun's out, we're off

There's not much going on today. The Phillies fans still mourn, and the Yankees will have their naseating parade to celebrate their epic, decade-long quest to buy a championship.

Christine and I took a day off and plan to enjoy this beautiful but cold November day with little focus on baseball.

Phillies fans who still need a little affirmation should check out this count-your-blessings piece by John Gonzalez. I usually don't care for Gonzo - except in Muppet form - but he did a good job with this one:

Nothing is guaranteed, of course, but it's really remarkable that in two years' time the Phils managed to end the drought and alter the way the fans think about sports. The reflexive pessimism that crushed so many souls for so many years has been replaced by genuine optimism - and for good reason. When you look at this team, there's no reason to think the Phils can't continue their astonishing run next season. Sure, the core group of players is getting a little older, and they could always use more pitching. But everything is relative. When you compare the Phils with the rest of the National League, you have to like their chances to push into the playoffs again.

Opening day is 150 days away.

You can't buy integrity

So the Yankees finally bought that World Series trophy that has alluded them for the past decade. Today crystallized why I can't stand the Yankees and their fans. First, there was the colleague who had to come in making sure everyone knew the Yankees won No. 27 - as if we all weren't well aware of it.

Then, a Deadspin commenter illustrated how obnoxious the Yankees fans are. They think they are better than everyone else, and they cannot just enjoy their championship. The commenter noted how when the White Sox won their title, their fans had a communal hug to enjoy the moment and remember all the painful years that preceded it.

You can replace the White Sox with the Red Sox, Phillies or even Angels, and the sentiment is still apt.

The Yankee fans, however, cannot enjoy their championship without expressing some false sense of dominance over everyone else. It's like they have some deep-rooted psychological problem they're overcompensating for. Or maybe they're jealous that their title carries none of the feel-good stories surrounding other recent champions.

You can buy a trophy, but you can't buy the pain, suffering and anticipation that makes it worthwhile.

Eric Wilbur has a nice satirical piece on the 2,992-day wait the Yankees fans have endured between their World Championships, which has cost more than $1 billion, perhaps up to $1.8 billion in payroll since 2000.

Actually, on second thought, it's disturbing because the Yankee fans who were quoted in other pieces don't seem to understand how stupid they sound:

These are the stories that infiltrate Yankee Universe today, tales of perseverance and dedication to a team that seemed destined never to win its 27th World Series.

"Being a Yankees fan is a matter of survival," former Cubs fan Chris McNally, told the New York Times. It is a statement that rings oh so true today, when the Yankees can call themselves champs for the first time since Obama took office.

Or, even worse:

"Grown men cried when the Yankees won it all for the first time in nine years," wrote the New York Post's Jay Greenburg. The deep, five-year wounds of 2004 have been healed.

Greenburg writes:

Behind the bleachers, Brennan Roe, 30, of Queens, had eyes almost as red as the Phillies uniforms or the blood spilled by Derek Jeter the night he ran head first into the third-base stands for a Red Sox pop foul, or from veins that were opened up in 2004 and probably weren't closed again until last night.

"I have seen him cry three times in 10 years," said Roe's wife Tara. "The first time was when Scott Brosius hit that home run in Game 4 in 2001, the second was on our wedding day and now tonight."

Yeah, it takes real heart to root for a $200 million team. Bringing us back to reality is Rich Hoffmann's eulogy-like piece on the Phillies season, "Manuel's teams never lack heart."

It's a must-read for downtrodden Phillies fans. It's a nice mixture of acknowledging the current pain, looking forward to the future and remembering the good times of the past few years:

But the truth is, Manuel has ridden herd on a revolution. Five years ago, this was not a likable team. Five years ago, this was not an admired franchise. Their reputation was for timidity. They lacked a personality. During his tenure, all of that has changed. He demanded only two things from them: that they play for nine innings and that they be themselves. The rest, he said, was on him.

"I'm sitting here today talking to you because I've got good players," Manuel said yesterday afternoon. "I always give them the credit. They have the best attitude I've ever been around. I've been in baseball a long time - best attitude, best chemistry I've ever been around. How much I put into it, I don't know, believe me. But I know this, I know that they've got a good way of seeing the game and doing what they want to do and how they play it. And that makes me proud of them."

Cholly says the Phillies will be back, and I believe him. I'd rather watch a team lose with heart than win with arrogance and bloated payrolls.

The Yankees are back on a pedestal, and Theo Epstein and the Red Sox could only watch:

"I've been watching, but pretty casually," Epstein said yesterday from his office at Fenway Park. "Like everyone else in the organization, though, most of our time these days is being spent planning for next season."

That plan was revealed somewhat today in the acquisition of OF Jeremy Hermida. It's not a huge move, but nothing to complain about. At worst, he's a fourth outfielder, but he's still just 25 so he could still fulfill the promise he showed a couple years ago.

More importantly, the move signals that 2009 is over. Our squads are focused on bringing us the SoxandPhils World Series in 2010.