07-07-2005, 07:36 AM
Well, first thing, by offense, I wouldn't sort by runs. That's a little misleading. OPS is generally cited as the best source, but then that's saying that Ichiro is nowhere near the hitter that Adam Dunn is. So there are different things fora hitter. I would take both Tejada and Young over Jeter offensively.
Defensively, I will admit that Jeter has seemingly dramatically improved his defense after being known as a joke defensively for a decade. In the minors (setting error records I believe) and in the pros for consistently having mediocre hands and worst-in-the-majors range (the only stats on ESPN go back as far as 2001 -- and he was HORRIBLE).
Last year, he improved both dramatically (though he still didn't deserve the gold glove), and it looks like it wasn't a fluke, as if the voting were done right now he should probably be the gold glover. We'll see if he can actually keep it up. But weirder things have happened. Wade Boggs did it.
Defensively, I will admit that Jeter has seemingly dramatically improved his defense after being known as a joke defensively for a decade. In the minors (setting error records I believe) and in the pros for consistently having mediocre hands and worst-in-the-majors range (the only stats on ESPN go back as far as 2001 -- and he was HORRIBLE).
Last year, he improved both dramatically (though he still didn't deserve the gold glove), and it looks like it wasn't a fluke, as if the voting were done right now he should probably be the gold glover. We'll see if he can actually keep it up. But weirder things have happened. Wade Boggs did it.