Gold Glove Does Not Guarantee Top Rating From Strat-O-Matic

By Dave Scott

The Gold Glove Awards have always had special significance for Strat-O-Matic fans. With only a few exceptions, players who are so honored are also given the top fielding ratings on their Strat-O-Matic cards.

It turns out that 1999 was one of those exceptional seasons. Some fans were outraged when Rafael Palmeiro of the Texas Rangers won the Gold Glove Award despite having played only 28 games at first base. It was not a mistake Strat-O-Matic would repeat. For the first time in its history, Strat-O-Matic passed over a Gold Glove winner and gave the 1 rating to another starter -- the Minnesota Twins' Doug Mientkiewicz. SOM has given the 1 to backup players in the past, but never passed over a Gold Glover to so-honor another starting player.

"The Gold Glove is a very important tool for Strat-O-Matic and also a very good one," said company founder Hal Richman. "It’s the best tool out there to measure fielding, however, it does have some flaws."

Richman reserves the right to give the 1 rating to other players. It is not a casual decision. "When we think we are right and they are wrong, we will go that way, but this does not happen very often."

Coaches and managers select the Gold Glove Awards, sponsored by Rawlings. They cannot vote for players on the own team.

Richman studies those results, including it in the overall analysis.

"We put a lot of time into these ratings," Richman said. "My reading alone is over 300 hours."

That adds up to about 80,000 words, by Richman's reckoning. "Some of it was repetitive, but that is important, too, because that drums home the points," he said.

Additionally, the Strat-O-Matic staff obtains knowledgable opinions regarding each team. Also fielding statistical data is studied.

AMAZING

The most phenomenal fielding performance of 1999 was a team effort by the New York Mets. The New Yorkers made just 68 errors last season, 21 fewer than any other team in baseball. They were rewarded with Gold Glove Awards to the left side of their infield and superb ratings from Strat-O-Matic.

Rey Ordonez leads the pack with a 1e4 rating at shortstop; Robin Ventura rates 1e10 at third base; Edguardo Alfonzo is 2e5 at second base and John Olerud was 2e9 at first base. Add up all of those E ratings and you project to 28 errors -- some shortstops get ratings that high all by themselves.

Alfonzo is rated 1 in the basic version of the game.

Novices might wonder what these ratings mean. The first number, usually called the primary fielding rating, is used with the advanced rules and represents a player's range and ability turn potential hits into outs. The "e" ratings represent a player's propensity to make errors and is pro-rated over the entire season. If a player made 10 errors over exactly half of the season, he would be rated e20.

The basic game uses a single number to reflect range and error tendencies.

A player needs to stand at an infield position for at least one out to be rated at that spot. Outfielders must be at those spots for at least eight outs to gain the rating. Usually, a player with only brief experience at a position will get a poor rating there to discourage unrealistic play.

MORE SURPRISES

Palmeiro was not the only Gold Glove winner to be denied a 1 rating by SOM.

Gold Glover Bernie Williams of the Yankees is rated a 2; the top rating goes to Darren Lewis of the Red Sox in right and center fields. "We did not feel he was a 1; he was a 2," said Richman. "We were very much supported by what the New York papers said."

"Mark Kotsay (Florida) is a 1 in right field," said Richman. "He is not mentioned for the Gold Glove but he is a terrific right fielder."

Ivan Rodriguez, already the 1 rated catcher, will have a -5 throwing arm. "He deserved it," said Richman. "He was amazing." He threw out 53 percent of potential basestealers last season.

Charles Johnson of Baltimore also was rated 1 at catcher, and Arizona third baseman Matt Williams was rated 1 despite finishing behind Ventura in the Gold Glove voting.

Also getting a 1 was Yankee shortstop Derek Jeter.

There were some notable declines in the ratings. Dante Bichette was reduced from a 3 in 1998 to a 5 in 1999. "He confessed that he fielded horribly," said Richman. "Some of the reports out of Denver were amazing. He was terrible."

Tony Fernandez, once a Gold Glove shortstop will be rated a 5 at third base after a tough season in Toronto.

Other 5s include outfielders Jose Canseco and Paul Sorrento, both of Tampa Bay.

Kansas City's troubles at first base will be reflected in the cards as Mike Sweeney and Jeremy Giambi were rated at 5.

THE 5s

CATCHERS

Trenidad Hubbard

Raul Ibanez

Brian Banks

Edwards Guzman

FIRST BASEMEN

Mike Sweeney

Scott Servais

Willie McGee

Jay Buhner

Jeremy Giambi

Kevin Orie

Carlos Baerga

Reggie Jefferson

Frank Thomas

Edgar Martinez

Julio Franco

Brad Fullmer

SECOND BASEMEN

Gregg Jefferies

Roger Cedeno

Lenny Harris

Tim Unroe

Wilton Guerrero

Tony Fernandez

THIRD BASEMEN

Lenny Harris

Tony Fernandez

Butch Huskey

Brian Daubach

Greg Colbrunn

Paul Konerko

Creighton Gubanich

Jeff Reed

Willie Greene

SHORTSTOPS

Tony Phillips

Gary Gaetti

Eric Chavez

Russ Davis

Aaron Boone

Tony Womack

LEFT FIELDERS

Dale Sveum

Jeff Blauser

Brian Daubach

Luis Alicea

Charlie Hayes

Wilton Guerrero

Bobby Bonilla

Daryle Ward

Fernando Seguignol

Paul Sorrento

Todd Greene

Henry Blanco

Mark Quinn

Glenallen Hill

Jose Canseco

Geronimo Berroa

Dante Bichette

Cliff Floyd

CENTER FIELDERS

Tony Phillips

Roosevelt Brown

Kurt Abbott

Brant Brown

RIGHT FIELDERS

Bobby Bonilla

Todd Greene

Glenallen Hill

Tim Unroe

Manny Alexander

Omar Vizquel

Tyler Houston

Willie Greene

Gabe Alvarez

Corey Koskie

Ivan Cruz