This winter meetings, defense has come up more than ever in recent memory,  as team’s leave behind one tool players like Adam Dunn, and focus on those that know what the leather is for.   That’s why I think this week’s prize is one of the coolest things I have seen- and I’m not alone.  Cal Ripken saw it a couple of years ago at the Baseball Winter Meetings and volunteered to endorse it- that’s how cool it is!  The Great Hands® baseball training glove is especially designed to improve a player’s fielding skills. While learning to depend on his hands, rather than a glove, the player will develop quicker, softer hands.  It may just be a training tool, but with some practice any young player can become a better defender, which certainly makes a young player more confident when the ball is hit to them. Check out GreatHandsGlove.com to learn more about this very cool prize.

The Great Hands Glove

Today’s Trivia Question:  Curtis Granderson is all over the winter meetings in terms of trade talks- but according to FanGraphs and their Ultimate Zone Rating he was the 8th best centerfielder in 2009.  His best year was 2007 when he was third.

There were two players rated better than him in 2007.  The best was Coco Crisp for the Red Sox.  The second best played for the Braves and actually won his 10th straight Gold Glove Award that year.  Can you name that 2007 Braves Centerfielder?

*Ultimate Zone Rating (UZR)=The number of runs above or below average a fielder is in both range runs and error runs combined.