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• Vote: Which winner least deserved a Gold Glove in the American League?
• Chat: Baseball America's Jim Callis talks prospects and more, 2 ET.

If you believe in the value of UZR ratings, as U.S.S. Mariner blogger Dave Cameron explains, Franklin Gutierrez had one of the best defensive seasons by an outfielder in recent memory -- and perhaps ever. If you're a Gold Glove voter, Derek Jeter is the best defensive shortstop in the American League.

You've got a better chance of building an elevator to outer space than bridging that gap.

In the most questionable use of gold outside of late-night infomercials, baseball's signature defensive awards were handed out for the American League Tuesday, based on the votes of the league's managers and coaches. Rob Neyer can't believe Orioles outfielder Adam Jones got the nod over Gutierrez, among other baffling decisions. And Jeter, who SportsNation thought didn't deserve the Hank Aaron Award as the AL's best offensive player, now has a second award voters don't think he earned.

When it comes to the World Series, SportsNation is of one mind -- the Yankees will win but it won't come against Cliff Lee. (In fact, voters think if Lee had started Game 4 on short rest, we'd be waking up to a 2-2 series today). So with that settled, we move on to something else that happened Sunday. Namely, Derek Jeter winning the Hank Aaron Award as the American League's best offensive player, as voted by the fans.

The only problem? Jeter didn't lead the AL in batting average, hits, runs, home runs, RBIs, on-base percentage, slugging percentage, stolen bases or much of anything, really. Tongue planted firmly in cheek, one SportsNation resident, commenter MazGonzoBeckett, offered an explanation for Jeter's win.

• "It's true, Jeter deserves it. There were only two better hitters on his team, and you can't count ARod because he was out for the first month, and you can't count Teixeira because I keep hearing he's mostly there for his defense. Jeter was the second-best-hitting shortstop in the league, but you can't count Bartlett because the Rays lost a bunch of games in September. And you can't count Mauer because he's left-handed. And you can't count Zobrist or Youkilis or Morales or Cabrera or Morneau or Abreu or Bay because ... ok, I give up." -- Join the conversation
• Vote on the World Series: Should the Phillies have pitched Cliff Lee on short rest?
• Chat: Buster Olney talks World Series and more, 1 ET

• Vote on ALCS: Which Angels hitter is most dangerous in the clutch?
• Postseason Quiz: Do you know how to run the bases better than the pros?

Remember back when CC Sabathia was a postseason question mark, and Alex Rodriguez was the postseason answer you knew you didn't want? In other words, remember last week? Now people can't get enough of the Yankees' latest primetime playoff performers.

Sabathia had allowed 22 earned runs and 22 walks in his first 25 postseason innings. But after a strong outing against the Twins in the division series, he now edges out Philadelphia's Cliff Lee as SportsNation's first choice to start a must-win game.

• 57 percent of SN, including 71 percent in NY, say pitch Sabathia on short rest in ALCS

And after driving in 17 runs in his first 39 postseason games, A-Rod drove in six in three games against the Twins. But with the game on the line in the ninth inning, would you rather have Rodriguez at the plate than Derek Jeter?

The battery of Michelle Beadle and Colin Cowherd has a better ERA during the afternoon episodes of "SportsNation" TV.

Argue the hot topics of the day and vote on the biggest stories from the world of sports. The show airs on ESPN2 at 4 p.m. and midnight ET.

Note: Broadcast voting results as of this afternoon (ET).

If he trained, would LeBron be a better WR than Braylon Edwards?
You've seen the LeBron in a Browns uniform commercial. You've seen Edwards traded away. Now complete the Cleveland fantasy football picture.

Whom would you pick first for a playoff series?
Derek Jeter had a clutch HR to start the Yankees' postseason scoring. Albert Pujols was intentionally walked anytime the Dodgers saw danger.

Are the Red Sox in the Angels' heads?
The Angels have lost 12 of their past 13 postseason games against the Red Sox. "Last year was last year," said Torii Hunter when asked about it.

Does toughness run in families?
Eli Manning missed practice for a second straight day. Will he play against the Raiders? Dad Archie and brother Peyton have been known to play hurt.

Does Braylon Edwards make the Jets a serious Super Bowl contender?
Edwards, wearing a white No. 17 Jets jersey, caught passes from rookie Mark Sanchez and backups Erik Ainge and Kevin O'Connell in drills Thursday.

What is "SportsNation" TV, and how do you make your voice heard? Read about the new ESPN show that features fan opinions with calls, tweets, polls, rankers and more.

• Vote: Who gets your support for Cy Young and MVP in each league?

Sure, Zack Greinke isn't going to get to 20 wins. But the guy made a late September game against the Red Sox meaningful -- for the Royals. That's downright superhuman. Greinke's six shutout innings earned him win No. 15. Only 23 percent of SportsNation thought he had the Cy Young wrapped up before that effort, but another 34 percent -- more than enough to push him over the top -- thought last night clinched it.

When it comes to MVP, Albert Pujols' grip on the award makes "Mad Men" envious, but the AL race still has some intrigue. Most people seem to think it's down to Joe Mauer and Derek Jeter, but SportsNation blogger brianRuberti -- a Yankees fan, no less -- has Jeter fifth, Mauer second and another time at the top of his ballot.

• "If Miguel Cabrera wasn't in that lineup every night, do you thing that Minnesota would only be 2 games back? Try being 5 games up instead. He does it all in run production, and having a .994 fielding percentage doesn't hurt either." -- read the full post.

• MLB Awards: Pick your winners for AL/ NL Cy Young and AL/NL MVP.

Tim Lincecum's gem against the Rockies Monday night may yet make a race out of the NL wild card, the lone prospect for any sort of September drama in the standings. But if the Giants ace eventually captures his second consecutive Cy Young, Monday's line -- 7 IP, 6 H, 1 ER, 11 K -- may go down as the clincher.

Lincecum has been out in front of the SportsNation voting most of the season. He dominated the midseason Cy Young rankings and had a 46-percent lead on his closest competition, Chris Carpenter, as recently as two weeks ago. But between Lincecum's bad back and Carpenter's amazing second half, the gap had closed to 20 percent last week.

• Your Power Rankings: How many of the top five teams are in the American League?
• Chats: Hall of Famer Joe Morgan, 11 a.m. ET | SweetSpot blogger Rob Neyer, 12 p.m. ET

Michelle Beadle and Colin Cowherd wanted to do "SportsNation" TV from Pittsburgh today, but they couldn't get tickets to the game. They'll have to use the towels in Bristol.

Argue the hot topics of the day and vote on the biggest stories from the world of sports. The show airs on ESPNEWS at 4 p.m. and ESPN2 at midnight ET.

Note: Broadcast voting results as of this afternoon (ET).

Should there be TV blackouts in the NFL?
A game is not aired in the home market if it does not sell out 72 hours in advance. Fans now will be able to see those games on a delayed basis online.

Whom would you rather have coaching your team?
Mike Tomlin has a Super Bowl ring. Jeff Fisher has experience. We doubt either will be wasting his time with smack talk or Terrible Towels tonight.

Would you compete in track and field running events at age 99?
Spritely Frank Levine, 95, set a world record this summer in the 5,000 meters for the 95- to 99-year-old age group.

If a pro team moved to your town, would you switch allegiances?
L.A. and Las Vegas always top the rumor list for teams threatening to move. St. Louis fans can tell you what happens when the new team arrives.

Who has helped whose reputation more?
Did Derek Jeter burnish the Yankees' reputation with stellar play, or is it theYankees who vaulted the shortstop to national prominence?

What is "SportsNation" TV, and how do you make your voice heard? Read about the new ESPN show that features fan opinions with calls, tweets, polls, rankers and more.

It takes a seminal figure in the American narrative to bring together Lou Gehrig and Minka Kelly in the New York Times. And that, friends, is the true mark of Derek Jeter's greatness.

The more obvious mark of his greatness came in tying Gehrig's franchise record for hits with a single in the seventh against the Rays. And look, Jeter is a Hall of Famer, any Yankees record is impressive and the ovation from the opposing team was cool, but franchise records are franchise records. If you know Tony Fernandez is the Blue Jays' all-time hits leader, well, you've probably also tried to bet someone a loonie they didn't.

As Jeter is deservedly celebrated, we wonder where both he and the Yankees would be without each other? Has Jeter's tenure done more to restore the luster of the pinstripes than the attention given the team has done for his reputation?

• Jeter's ahead of Pete Rose's pace, but SN says 4,000 hits isn't happening.
• Your Rankings: Is Derek Jeter one of the five best Yankees of all time?
• Chat: Keith Law talks pennants, prospects and more at 1 p.m. ET.

Unless something goes disastrously wrong (like a monthlong repeat of last night's 0-for-4 performance), Derek Jeter will pass Lou Gehrig as the all-time hits leader of the Yankees by the end of this season.

You know what that means? It's time for an appreciation of Jeter. We realize it doesn't take all that much to make sportswriters all weepy about Jeter's CHARACTER and LEADERSHIP and GOOD HYGIENE, but what's lost in the shuffle of subjectivity is that his numbers are legitimately impressive. He has pretty much the same year every year -- high on-base percentage, decent power, good baserunning and around 100 runs scored. With his newly improved defense, he's making his best MVP case in a while (although SportsNation is rightly going with the guy having an unprecedented season behind the plate).

See? A legitimate appraisal of the Yankees captain, and everyone's eyes still are dry. That being said, have you ever noticed how many numbers the Yankees have retired? They're going to have to go with fractions if this keeps up.

• Rank 'Em: How does Jeter stack up against the greatest Yankees ever?
• Jeter has always been in the top tier of shortstops, and this year is no exception.
• User allikskat says that, to the best of our knowledge, Jeter's numbers are clean.
• Groups: New York Yankees Fans | The Real Die Hard Yankee Fans | Pinstripes

• Vote: Which team will win the National League West?

As the immortal Kent Brockman might put it, we salute our new Rockies overlords. Topics for discussion later today may include Dante Bichette's Hall of Fame stubble, Jeff Cirillo's cheery disposition and the misunderstood greatness of Kevin Ritz. We can't stay away from the Rockies, but unlike the Dodgers, that seems to be just fine when it comes to a team most of SportsNation is rooting for in the NL West.

Ryan Spilborghs was Monday's hero, hitting a walk-off grand slam to clinch a four-game series against the Giants. Tuesday, Troy Tulowitzki took his turn, delivering a walk-off single against the first-place (for now) Dodgers.

Tulowitzki leads all shortstops with 23 home runs and trails only Hanley Ramirez in OPS among players at the position with at least 400 at-bats. And by almost any metric, he's one of baseball's best defensive shortstops. But don't take our word on his value (or much of anything else); check out what Buster Olney had to say in chat last week. Then weigh in on whether Tulowitzki is more valuable than a guy in the thick of the AL MVP race.