Before we start talking about 2010, we need to wrap up a few items about 2009.  

Earlier today, the Baseball Hall of Fame requested a glove from Padres 3B Kevin Kouzmanoff.  During the year, Kouzmanoff committed just 3 errors and set an NL record for best fielding percentage.  Which got me thinking: Does that make him a serious candidate for the Gold Glove award?

In a word, no.

A quick look at Fangraphs suggests that the Gold Glove will be Ryan Zimmerman...by a landslide.  He led the majors (not just the NL) in perhaps the best all-in stat for defense, Ultimate Zone Rating/150 games.  Zim finished the year at a UZR/150 of 16.0.  Kouzmanoff at just 6.3.  And the reigning Gold Glover, David Wright?  Minus 7.7.  That's right, a minus. 

English translation:  Zim got to more balls and got more outs in doing so than the average bear.

All told, Zim led the majors in four defensive categories and the NL in one more.  His only weakness: 17 errors.  But when you look at the stats, as well as your own eyes in seeing him play this season, there really should be no doubt that the 2009 MLB Gold Glove for 3B is one Ryan Zimmerman.  

And that's as it should be.

      

When you're out of the playoff hunt, September takes on a different meaning.  It's time to evaluate players new and old, and determine which ones to keep for next year.  

Which is why the Nats are taking a long look at AAA call-up Ian Desmond.  They like his bat, but wonder about his glove.  A replacement for Cristian Guzman at SS?  Could make sense.  The permanent 2B?  Possibly.  How about RF?

Huh?

That's where the Nats tried him yesterday, and it didn't work out.  He turned a line-drive out into a David Wright double that, along with a botched ball by Adam Dunn, proved to be the difference.  As a result, the Nats dropped yesterday's game to the Mets, 3-2.  Wasted with the loss:  John's Lannan's 17th quality start of the season (7 innings, 5 hits, 3 ER).

Read the gamers in the Post, Times, MLB and AP.

It's odd that the Nats would try Desmond in RF.  After all, they don't really suffer from a lack of choices there (Dukes, Maxwell, etc.).  And I don't know how you evaluate a player's potential to be a major league starter when you treat him like a utility guy, moving him around from position to position.

Perhaps the Nats will learn from this particular mistake.  That's also what September is for.