There’s no defending the Angels

To commemorate the 50th anniversary of the first Gold Glove awards, Rawlings is asking fans to select from a ballot of 50 names the greatest defensive players of the last half-century.

The ballot resembles a quick history of Angels trade blunders. J.T. Snow is one of six finalists at first base. Devon White and Jim Edmonds are listed among the outfield candidates. All were traded away from the Angels before reaching their primes.

And in return, the Angels were left with ... Allen Watson? Junior Felix? Luis Sojo? Ken Bottenfield?

Adam Kennedy came to the Angels in the Edmonds trade and helped the team win the 2002 World Series. But even he was not a keeper. Kennedy rejoined his old team, the St. Louis Cardinals, last November by signing with them as a free agent.

Bottom line in each transaction: E-Angels.

Trivia time

Former Angels catcher Bob Boone is also listed on the ballot. How many Gold Glove awards did he win with the team?

No, Jose Offerman didn’t make it

The Dodgers had one nominee on the top-50 Gold Glove ballot, first baseman Wes Parker, who won six Gold Gloves while playing for the club from 1964 to 1972.

Dodgers nightmares from the past, however, are well represented.

Willie Mays, who helped announce the ballot at a Tuesday ceremony in Times Square, is an obvious selection. Mays was a member of the first Gold Glove team in 1957.

The Cincinnati Reds tormented the Dodgers during the 1970s with their relentless batting order. But those Reds were more than an offensive Big Red Machine, represented here by catcher Johnny Bench, second baseman Joe Morgan and shortstop Dave Concepcion.

Pete Rose won two Gold Gloves with the Reds, but Rawlings and Cooperstown have one thing in common: Rose isn’t on this ballot, either.

Music to his ears

“Former running back” is a designation Priest Holmes would like to avoid for a while, but Tiki Barber told Jay Leno on Monday night that he loves hearing those words.

“That sounds excellent,” Barber said. “Go get about 15 of these people” from the audience “to come jump on you right now and that’s what my day job was like.

“Being ‘former running back’ is perfect for me. I’m definitely happy to retire.”

Money is Barber’s equalizer

Barber acknowledged that he retired from the New York Giants with one piece of unfinished business. He never won a Super Bowl -- unlike his twin brother, Ronde, a defensive back who won one with the Tampa Bay Buccaneers in 2003.

“I can never, ever live that down,” Barber said, but added “I always made more money than him.”

Trivia answer

Four -- in 1982, ‘86, ’87 and ’88. Boone also won two Gold Gloves with the Philadelphia Phillies, 1978 and ‘79, and one with the Kansas City Royals in 1989.

And finally

Shaquille O’Neal, to TNT, on why he backed Charles Barkley in his footrace against referee Dick Bavetta: “Us big guys have to stick together. United we stand, divided we fall -- me and Charles are tighter than pantyhose two times small.”

mike.penner@latimes.com