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Crede for the Gold Glove


Gregory Pratt

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Good article about Crede's defense: http://chicago.whitesox.mlb.com/NASApp/mlb...t=.jsp&c_id=cws

 

The campaign for Joe Crede to win a Gold Glove at third base for the 2006 season already has begun after just seven games.

"If Joe Crede doesn't win a Gold Glove, there's something wrong," said White Sox catcher A.J. Pierzynski of his close friend and teammate. "He should have won one last year.

 

"No offense -- I guess [Oakland's Eric] Chavez won. But if there's a better third baseman out there, I haven't seen him yet. Chavvy is great, but Crede -- the plays he makes and when he makes them -- he's unbelievable."

 

Pierzynski had plenty of evidence to back up his point from the past two games alone. Crede helped Mark Buehrle out of trouble Sunday in Kansas City by starting an around-the-horn double play with two men on base in the seventh and the White Sox leading, 2-0, making a slick short-hop pick of Angel Berroa's grounder.

 

In the ninth inning of that 3-1 victory, Crede also made a diving stop to his left of Emil Brown's one-out grounder and threw out the speedy left fielder by a step or two.

 

Brown reacted in a sort of angry shock, stunned that Crede even got to the ball. That assist followed a diving catch of Mike Sweeney's leadoff line drive to third off Bobby Jenks, causing the closer to credit Crede with his first save of the year.

 

On Monday in Detroit, Crede set the tone early, just as much as Freddy Garcia's solid starting effort. With Ivan Rodriguez on second and two outs in the first inning, Magglio Ordonez chopped a grounder down the third-base line that appeared headed to the corner for a run-scoring double.

 

But Crede caught the ball on a flat-out sprawl, straightened himself up quickly and threw out Ordonez, with a little help from Paul Konerko on the other end. Crede even made the highlight film with a rather unorthodox, and unofficial, assist to himself on a Placido Polanco line drive in the fifth.

 

Crede stopped the line drive with the top of his glove but didn't make the catch, as the ball hung in the air. Crede quickly snatched the baseball with his bare hand for the third out.

 

"I caught that one high in my glove and my glove kind of gave a little," said a smiling Crede. "I actually thought that I caught it. I looked at Freddy and he was looking in the air. I looked up and there it was. I was at the right spot at the right time."

 

There were quite a few of those right moments for Crede on defense in 2005, as he finished with 10 errors overall, and was tied with the Yankees' Alex Rodriguez for third behind Texas' Hank Blalock (.973) and Boston's Bill Mueller (.972) with a .971 fielding percentage among American League third baseman.

 

His slick glovework and timely hitting had many selecting Crede as the White Sox overall postseason Most Valuable Player. Crede's 2006 production has just started to take off over the past couple of days, much like the rest of his team, as his first home run of the season won Monday's game for the White Sox.

 

Regardless of his offense, though, Crede's defense is always superbly steady, if not steadily spectacular. It's Gold Glove-caliber play, if not yet deemed worthy enough to win the award.

 

"I mean, it's not something that's paramount to me," said Crede of winning the Gold Glove Award. "The ultimate goal is to win this thing again and to win this division first.

 

"We stressed defense a lot in Spring Training and a lot last year. You try to limit your mistakes. Make the routine plays, that's the main thing they are telling you."

 

"Any time you are out there, you want that ball hit to you," Crede added. "It's all about confidence. Once you get it going, it all falls into place. I don't know what it is. It's a matter of being in the right spot at the right time."

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QUOTE(Soxfest @ Apr 12, 2006 -> 07:56 AM)
Crede could but I would be suprised, he not the media guys pick not glamorous enough for them :rolly

I don't know. I think the long hair, the small town guy thing... he might become a media darling, assuming the Sox are in contention all year and in the media's foreground.

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QUOTE(Gregory Pratt @ Apr 12, 2006 -> 08:02 AM)
I don't think that argument stands to scrutiny. Are you telling me that Eric Chavez has some glamorous appeal to him?

 

As we saw last year, Gold Gloves are basically issued on name recognition/appeal. For example, Hunter won over Rowand and Kotsay, playing less than 100 games. Under those circumstances, I have no idea what either Rowand or Kotsay could have done to won it last year. Similarly, I just don't think Crede has the name recognition to beat out A-Rod or Chavez, unless they are both absolute butchers in the field this year and Crede has another stellar defensive year.

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Crede will also have to hit to get recognition. After his performance in the post season, there are a lot of eyes on him. If he can play solid defense and improve enough on offense to stay in the highlight reels, he could win. It's easier to repeat as Gold Glover than to win the first time. Just ask Raphael Palmeiro who won at first base without actually playing first base.

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QUOTE(Athomeboy_2000 @ Apr 12, 2006 -> 08:14 AM)
THe gold glove has basically become.... Pretty good Glove with a VERY nice bat. It's more about bat and glove than pure glove. :(

And thats why Chavez has won it year after year, he is head and shoulders above crede in the hitting dept, and I still think they are fairly even with Chavez getting the nod historically in the defense dept.

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Hitting has become way to valued in the Golden Glove. I think it has become almost 70/30 in favor or hitting. If I was picking the bext thrid baseman in baseball, I'd take A-Rod everytime. But I'd love to platoon them, and take Crede on D and let Alex hit for him. Take a little off the top of A-Rod hitting and Crede fielding and viola! you have Chavez.

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QUOTE(Texsox @ Apr 12, 2006 -> 08:39 AM)
Hitting has become way to valued in the Golden Glove. I think it has become almost 70/30 in favor or hitting. If I was picking the bext thrid baseman in baseball, I'd take A-Rod everytime. But I'd love to platoon them, and take Crede on D and let Alex hit for him. Take a little off the top of A-Rod hitting and Crede fielding and viola! you have Chavez.

Hitting should have zero to do with the Gold Glove.

 

That Raffy GG when he barely played 1B was embarrassing. How anyone could look themselves in the mirror and call themselves a "Sports Journalist" after making that vote is beyond me.

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He has been getting a lot of love on baseball tonight if that means anything. During the KC game his plays were like number 4 and 2 on the top 5 web gems. Than he wasnt a web gem but they showed his KC plays and tiger plays on defense and HR on baseball tonight on Monday.

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QUOTE(Allsox @ Apr 12, 2006 -> 10:11 AM)
Hate to say it but Joe's not going to win it with Alex Rodriguez and Eric Chavez at the same position....

And considering that ARod isn't that great of a defensive 3b, that tells you all you need to know about how that award is chosen.

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QUOTE(Balta1701 @ Apr 12, 2006 -> 11:07 AM)
Joe Crede has far more competition for the gold glove from Chavez than our shortstop does from anyone.

 

If you ever wanted evidence that the gold glove is a joke, go ask Derek Jeter.

 

^^^^^^^^^^ Jeter's glove is overrated IMO

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QUOTE(Balta1701 @ Apr 12, 2006 -> 11:14 AM)
And considering that ARod isn't that great of a defensive 3b, that tells you all you need to know about how that award is chosen.

 

What are you basing that on? Range? Errors? Arm? I don't see him very often at third, but I did watch him a great deal when he was with the Rangers and thought he was solid at SS. I assume he hasn't dropped off that much at 3rd and in NY.

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QUOTE(Texsox @ Apr 12, 2006 -> 10:17 AM)
What are you basing that on? Range? Errors? Arm? I don't see him very often at third, but I did watch him a great deal when he was with the Rangers and thought he was solid at SS. I assume he hasn't dropped off that much at 3rd and in NY.

He's solid, but he's not great. His range isn't as good as Crede's or Chavez's. For example, if you believe Zone Rating and Range factor tell you anything, Crede and several other 3b's beat ARod by quite a bit.

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I got to vehemntly disagree with Arod. I watch quite a few Yanks games on TV(I absolutely love Michael Kay...great announcer) and he is about as good as it gets at 3rd as is Crede and Chavez.

 

When it comes to an almost even tie, obviously guys with more hype will get the award. However, if we stay in this playoff race and win our division like I think we will, Crede will be getting a whole lot of love and I'm sure you'll have some voters voting for him as a combo for not getting it last year and being damn good this year.

 

However, Arod was just as deserving of the award as Crede or Chavez.

 

Now Jeter, thats another story, he's not a great defensive shortstop. However, I now feel he is a great player. I learned that in the WBC. He does all the little things and is a flat out winner. Winners aren't selfish instead they take whatever the pitcher gives you and do it, they hustle, they get guys over, and play good defense. Jeter does all that, but not GOLD GLOVE DEFENSE.

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