07's Final Maddux Update

First, Greg Maddux was awarded his record-breaking 17th Gold Glove Award today. (The Gold Glove is given to the best defensive player at each position). Now, no player in history has won more Gold Gloves than Maddux. Jim Kaat, a former pitcher, and Brooks Robinson, a former 3rd baseman, each have 16. Maddux won 13 straight Gold Gloves from 1990-2002, lost in '03 to his own teammate Mike Hampton, and has now won the last 4.

Second, Maddux signed a 1-year contract yesterday with the San Diego Padres for next season. He will turn 42 on Rafe's birthday in April. He will earn $10 million in 2008, his 23rd Major League season.

With 347 career wins, Maddux is now 7 wins shy of Roger Clemens (who will probably pitch again to keep Maddux from passing him) and 16 shy of Warren Spahn, who is the modern era's winningest pitcher. (Baseball's modern era or "live-ball" era refers to the time since just after WWI when the league began replacing foul-balls with new balls. It was much more difficult to hit in the "dead-ball" era because the same ball was used throughout the game...balls darken (making them harder to see) and scuff (making pitches dart and spin in devilish ways) with use. For this reason (btw), remarkable hitting stats in the dead-ball era (like Babe Ruth's) or remarkable pitching stats in the live-ball era (like Maddux's) denote true greatness.

Next season will be the first that I have ever thought might be Maddux's last. I think it will be the first that he has ever thought that, too. That being said, he may very well pitch in 2009. I mean, he won one less game this year than he did 17 years ago. He's not near the pitcher he was in his prime, but when your prime was his, your twilight is better than most anyone's prime. Only one pitcher in the National League started more games this year than Greg Maddux, and that guy (Dontrelle Willis) won 4 fewer games than Maddux, had an ERA over a run higher (worse), and is 17 years younger than Maddux.