It was about time. It was long overdue. Finally, a colossal injustice has been rectified.
At last, Cincinnati Red second baseman Brandon Phillips has won a Gold Glove. The fact that he had to wait until 2008 to be so honored reflects the stupidity and ignorance of those doing the voting. It's an absolute travesty that Phillips' splendid work in the field wasn't universally acknowledged until now.
To anyone paying attention, Phillips has been the National League's slickest and best fielding second sacker for a minimum of two years, if not more.
No one has his range. No one has his soft and supple hands. No one is as acrobatic or creative. Phillips makes plays most of his peers don't even try to attempt, let alone execute. He is, without question, the most athletic and physically gifted defender at his position. Bar none!
And just for good measure, Phillips puts up the numbers too. He has led the NL in fielding percentage over the past two seasons. When you've got the tools, the stats and have done the deeds, it's hard to argue you're not the main man.
So why did Phillips have to wait until this late date to finally get his due? More than anything else, it had to with what might be called the built-in bias of the Gold Glove voters. That and the fact that they're just plain lazy and frequently don't do their homework. When it comes to due diligence, those that cast the votes are often woefully lacking.
Much like the voting involved with the NFL's Pro Bowl selections, Gold Glove designation is sometimes not based on merit but upon reputation and prior work. What went before can frequently carry more weight than what's happening now. And, to a minor extent, winning a Gold Glove can even become a bit of a popularity contest.
Just as there are scores of players who kept going to Pro Bowls even when they weren't deserving, the same holds true with many Gold Gloves. Too many players won too many Gloves not on merit but for other less noble reasons. There have been so many injustices and rip-offs over the years that they're too numerous to mention. Suffice to say, plenty of worthy candidates have gotten jobbed.
Include Phillips in that dubious category. Arizona's Orlando Hudson was deemed to have been the NL's best fielding second sacker in '07. What a crock! While Hudson is gifted with the leather, he's no Brandon Phillips. And that's no knock on Hudson because no one can match Phillips' versatility or acumen on the field.
Was Hudson more dependable or steadier than Phillips? Please! Was the Diamondback more artistic or spectacular? Surely you jest. Could Hudson cover more ground or get to balls that Phillips couldn't? Don't make me laugh!
The only area in which Hudson could claim superiority over the Reds' defensive whiz was that he played for a much better team. As such, the Diamondbacks were more relevant than were the Reds and hence, got more exposure. But that's a lame and piss poor justification to hand Hudson the hardware over the significantly better Phillips.
Privately, Phillips burned over this gross oversight to the point where he was basically convinced he wouldn't ever get a fair shake. He expected a repeat of last year when he wasn't given what was rightfully his. He had geared himself up to get hosed again.
But even the bozo Gold Glove voters couldn't keep making such a grievous error, no pun intended. Had they ignored Phillips once more, their credibility would have been zilch. Phillips is head and shoulders above the competition and not to acknowledge that fact would be sheer lunacy.
So the Gold Glove for second base now resides where it should. In the possession of one of the most dynamic and nimble fielders the Reds have ever showcased. At long last, Brandon Phillips has received his just rewards.
And, at least in this case, here's a Gold Glove that truly fits!