The Rangers ranked 30th in the game last year in Baseball Prospectus' team defensive efficiency...

The Rangers ranked 30th in the game last year in Baseball Prospectus' team defensive efficiency ratings, which measure the rate at which balls in play are converted into outs. This year Texas is fourth. That has a lot to do with the controversial (at the time) decision to shift Michael Young to third base and insert Andrus in the lineup at shortstop.

Jerry Crasnick, discussing this year's impact rookies.

over 2 years ago Adam J. Morris 23 comments 0 recs |

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My favorite thing about Elvis

is that I expect him to be even better next year. More consistent at the plate with plussy defense.

G G G E-flat_______ F F F D__________....

by t ball on Jun 25, 2009 11:38 AM CDT reply actions

First time

reading that through I soooo did not read that as “plussy”

I once had an awkward moment, just to see how it feels.

by Escher on Jun 25, 2009 11:56 AM CDT up reply actions

shifting around the defense

I was wondering what effect would it have on the offense/defense to move Face to 1b and let Vizquel play 3rd.

You’d be improving the defense at third by leaps and bounds, and subbing Vizquel for Davis would add about 80 points of obp in that lineup slot.

I know it would never happen, but that doesn’t mean it wouldn’t be a good idea.

There's more to the picture than meets the eye.

by tricer on Jun 25, 2009 11:39 AM CDT reply actions

Assuming Vizquel out-hits Davis

by Adam J. Morris on Jun 25, 2009 11:46 AM CDT up reply actions

Vizquel has a .333 obp, Davis is .252.

There's more to the picture than meets the eye.

by tricer on Jun 25, 2009 1:24 PM CDT up reply actions

SSS

By 2028, Mark Teixeira will be in the HOF.

"I am one of the biggest Texas Ranger fans out there but I'm also one of the smartest. Deal with it."
-The Outlaw

by Gdawg on Jun 25, 2009 1:35 PM CDT up reply actions

ok, let's look at career rates

Vizquel is at .338, Davis is .297. A forty point improvement in OBP would a big boost to this lineup.

And since you bring up SSS, some interesting info here about when samples become reliable.

There's more to the picture than meets the eye.

by tricer on Jun 25, 2009 1:41 PM CDT up reply actions

"I saw a soldier try to dig a foxhole with his bare hands. He didn't notice that he'd torn off all his fingernails. I got him out of there quickly; not for his sake, but for ours. Fear is poison in combat...destructive, contagious." - Band of Brothers

by DJCahill on Jun 25, 2009 1:26 PM CDT up reply actions

Face can't dig balls out of the dirt

by rcreative on Jun 25, 2009 11:47 AM CDT up reply actions

nope

2009 Texas Rangers: Why The Hell Not Us?--ghtd36 on May 13, 2009

by boomer1 on Jun 25, 2009 11:49 AM CDT up reply actions

Why not?

My son was doing that when he was 9 years old.

by Redcaps on Jun 25, 2009 1:23 PM CDT up reply actions

I think Young would break in half

if he tried getting to some balls that Davis has

By 2028, Mark Teixeira will be in the HOF.

"I am one of the biggest Texas Ranger fans out there but I'm also one of the smartest. Deal with it."
-The Outlaw

by Gdawg on Jun 25, 2009 1:35 PM CDT up reply actions

But Young wouldn't have

Young throwing to him, so that would be some help.

by DJCahill on Jun 25, 2009 1:42 PM CDT up reply actions

He would have Vizquel throwing at him, though

Young’s arm is stronger than Vizquel’s, right?

by Inkara1 on Jun 25, 2009 1:44 PM CDT up reply actions

Well Young's always had a strong arm

and Vizquel’s arm was kind of weak in ST, not sure how much has changed since then with Vizquel.

By 2028, Mark Teixeira will be in the HOF.

"I am one of the biggest Texas Ranger fans out there but I'm also one of the smartest. Deal with it."
-The Outlaw

by Gdawg on Jun 25, 2009 1:50 PM CDT up reply actions

Young's had some wild throws.

Have the big stretching plays I see CD make are on bad throws from MY and Elvis, rather than batted balls.

by DJCahill on Jun 25, 2009 1:50 PM CDT up reply actions

i think

theyre both plussies

by blakethegr8 on Jun 25, 2009 2:58 PM CDT up reply actions

4th is great but...

I think Crasnick is slightly underestimating the impact of going 30th to 4th to have Reimold who has hit 8 HRs in however many ABs. This is why people swing for the fences, you hit a few HRs in a month and you are considered more impactful that a guy who has saved more runs.

A baseball game is simply a nervous breakdown divided into nine innings.

by NothinG on Jun 25, 2009 12:09 PM CDT reply actions

Matt Palmer on there

really?

by Horns130 on Jun 25, 2009 1:56 PM CDT reply actions

Why not?

Whether or not he’s likely to continue being that good he’s had an impact on the season so far. This wasn’t a story about the rookies most likely to continue awesomeness.

G G G E-flat_______ F F F D__________....

by t ball on Jun 25, 2009 2:53 PM CDT up reply actions

I expected to see Sandoval

But he had 145 ABs last year, so he doesn’t qualify. Which is a shame, because he’d be a candidate for ROY otherwise, but with only 145 last year probably wasn’t considered.

by NorCalRangersFan on Jun 25, 2009 3:20 PM CDT reply actions

I realize this is a story about rookies, but

to be fair the overall Rangers DER improvement is more heavily weighted by Kinsler and Crush and the lack of a hole at SS as opposed to Andrus being a weapon on defense. It’s clear Andrus can become a weapon on defense, but IIRC he’s still close to league average SS (a marked improvement) at this time.

Well, I take that back. I see the Rangers SS lead the ML in UZR. Talk about fast development. Whoa.

Wonderboy, what is the secret of your power? Wonderboy, won't you take me far away from the mucky-muck now. -- Tenacious D

by rooster on Jun 25, 2009 5:40 PM CDT reply actions

According to UZR/150 this is where the improvement is

1B is pretty far down the list of places where there is improvement. The big improvement seems to be in “up the middle” defense, where you can get the most bang for your buck.

Pos 2008 2009 Change
SS -6 15.6 21.6
2B -8.7 9.8 18.5
CF -8.8 4.3 13.1
1B -4.8 3.5 8.3
RF 11.7 19.3 7.6
3B -23.4 -19.6 3.8
LF -4.7 -5.1 -0.4

by DJCahill on Jun 26, 2009 10:10 AM CDT up reply actions