New T.R. Sullivan Inbox
by Adam J. Morris on Aug 23, 2010 2:25 PM CDT
Email
PrintT.R. Sullivan has a new inbox column up, with stuff on the Rangers and day games, contract negotiations, and the future of Joaquin Arias, among much else...
One thing I did want to highlight and respond to, though, has to do with this question on the outfield defense:
How do our outfielders -- Josh Hamilton, Nelson Cruz and Julio Borbon -- rank defensively, both as a core group and individually, among others in the Majors?
-- Mike R., Dallas, TexasIf you look up the defensive numbers, they rank in the middle of the pack as far as fielding percentage, range factor, zone ratings and things like that. Nobody really stands out. If you have watched the Rangers night after night for 22 years, you might come to the conclusion that this is the best defensive outfield the club has ever assembled. But that would be personal observation with little in the way of statistical reinforcement.
If you look at FanGraphs' defensive data for the Rangers outfielders, both UZR and Dewan's DRS show the Rangers regular outfielders as well above average. UZR has every Ranger outfielder for which there is data* above average, with Josh Hamilton's 6.5 UZR/150 as being the lowest among the Rangers' seven outfielders. DRS has Nelson Cruz, Josh Hamilton and Julio Borbon as a net 24 runs above average defensively this season, with only Vladimir Guerrero and Brandon Boggs below average (and they are both a -1 in limited innings).
* The most recent UZR data doesn't include Brandon Boggs, whose time in the field has come since their last update.
If you look at the data by team, the Ranger outfield has the third highest UZR/150 in baseball, and the third highest DRS in baseball.
Nelson Cruz, in particular, for the second year in a row, is grading out very highly, despite a Ticket personality famously calling Cruz the worst defensive outfielder he's seen last year.
The advanced stats and the eyes agree...the Rangers' outfield defense has been very, very good this year.
31 comments
|
0 recs |
Do you like this story?
Comments
Perpetuating the Myth
One reader/listener at a time…
"I support you, Wash; I’ve always supported you," Young said
"Back on the scene, with a gangsta lean" RW
Red Sox claim Damon, meaning that the Rangers passed on him.
Well then... I would like to see this Jeff Sullivan pornagraphy.
by ghostofErikThompson on Aug 11, 2010 10:35 PM PDT
by Feliz es bueno on Aug 23, 2010 2:36 PM CDT via mobile reply actions
That being said....
Manny is gonna hit waivers this week.
I’m just sayin’……..
"Biggest mistake in DFW history?" - Bigger mistake in LSB history.
"Back in Irish's day you had to kill a man before you were taken seriously in polite society." - Aquaman56 06/25/10
True. Report from today says that, for some reason, the Dodgers...
didn’t place him on waivers today (first possible day).
Well then... I would like to see this Jeff Sullivan pornagraphy.
by ghostofErikThompson on Aug 11, 2010 10:35 PM PDT
by Feliz es bueno on Aug 23, 2010 2:41 PM CDT via mobile up reply actions
Mariner writer surprised to discover that Smoak's defense is not above average.
http://www.ussmariner.com/2010/08/20/smoaks-defense/
Well then... I would like to see this Jeff Sullivan pornagraphy.
by ghostofErikThompson on Aug 11, 2010 10:35 PM PDT
by Feliz es bueno on Aug 23, 2010 2:37 PM CDT via mobile reply actions
This makes me full of happiness:
The Mariners were destined to make the wrong choice regardless. If we had got Montero, he would have left baseball to become a priest while Smoak made the 2011 All-Star team. Let’s just admit we’re cursed, will always be cursed, and that’s that.
"I support you, Wash; I’ve always supported you," Young said
"Back on the scene, with a gangsta lean" RW
they should have asked for Davis
at least Davis can hit AAA pitching.
Shepherd Book: I don't care what you believe in, just believe in it.
Where did the "Smoak is a future GG talk" come from?
At Newberg Night a couple of years ago, Goldstein was shocked to hear JD say Davis was the better defender as if it was the first time anyone said anything remotely negative about Smoak. Yet, when he came up, I think most of us saw that Smoak wasn’t the greatest defensively and wasn’t as good as Davis there and now the Mariners are seeing the same thing we saw.
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
I'm starting to think
that, like in Lake Wobegone, most minor league guys have above average defensive reputations.
"Look, we're basically on earth to shit and fuck. So unless your job's to help people shit or fuck, it's not that important, so relax."-https://twitter.com/shitmydadsays
What's up with Elvis' defense?
He was outstanding last year according to the advanced metrics but has been average this year. What gives (SSS but still)?
"No nuts, no glory"
keep in mind that the baseline changes from year to year
His D may be the same as last year but if the avg D at the position has improved his UZR will suffer
Could be...
but seems like too of a big drop-off in the numbers for that to be true.
"No nuts, no glory"
Elvis' numbers are down
.821 vs .848 on plays in the zone (and 6 fewer plays out of zone). is error rate is way down though, especially on throwing errors, which seems to me that he may be playing more within himself than last year. now, whats really down is his double play rate, which seems to be down across the board for the Rangers. I would point to the 6 first baseman and 4 second baseman as a major reason for that. and that Kinsler’s defense is way down too, probably from playing hurt.
There’s also another factor I noticed. simply that the number of grounders hit on the infield have dropped from last year. more k’s mean fewer balls in play.
Shepherd Book: I don't care what you believe in, just believe in it.
Too follow up on that
Wilson and Lewis vs Feldman and Millwood.
overall strikeout rate has increased from 16.5% of all plate appearences to 19.1%
Lewis, 24%, Wilson 19.6%
Millwood, 14.5%, Feldman (09) 14.3%
(Wilson, 09 26%)
Shepherd Book: I don't care what you believe in, just believe in it.
well.
their GB/FB rate was .01 greater than the league average in 09, this year they are .07 below the league average.
the team double play rate (actually dropped from 12% to 10%, I’d have to pro-rate the opportunities to determine if there’s anything systematic going on.
Shepherd Book: I don't care what you believe in, just believe in it.
Also, less walks, and Rangers have one of the better baa, irrc
Less people on base→ less double plays
AKA BuckyB
Defensive metrics/stats = Less than reliable.
"The only good is knowledge and the only evil is ignorance."-Socrates
Much
much of Hamilton’s defensive prowess comes from his arm.
Hamilton grades out at -0.1 in range in LF and -0.4 in range in centerfield, but 4.7 and 1.3 run for his arm in lf and cf respectively. That’s not an easy thing to observe and since many metrics ignore arm strength, they would claim the Rangers defense isn’t that great. actually Murphy and Cruz have shown good arms too (well, not Murphy in RF, just Murphy in LF) . Borbon is of course the opposite of this, but his range has been very very good.
Shepherd Book: I don't care what you believe in, just believe in it.
yep
you see examples of Hamilton’s arm when a player doesn’t try to make it to 2B or 3B because his gun is ready to fire. He’s kept runners from advancing the extra base more than a few times, but that doesn’t exactly show up in a metric or stat line.
A baseball game is simply a nervous breakdown divided into nine innings.
Unless Davis' next position change is to relief pitcher........
……….then it doesn’t matter where the hell he plays, his bat won’t justify him being in a big league lineup.
And that’s a bummer. He’s an easy guy to root for. But only the results matter.
"Don't confuse the outcome that a decision produces with the intelligence that went into making that decision."--Tony LaRussa
If he learns to pitch and can hit AAA pitching...
He’d make one helluva NL reliever.
Pinch-hitter + relief pitcher rolled into one.
Indeed
He’d be LaRussa’s dream player. He could double-switch Holliday out of the 4-hole and put Davis in there every extra inning game.
"Don't confuse the outcome that a decision produces with the intelligence that went into making that decision."--Tony LaRussa
Brooks Kieschnick
The last true two way player:
‘03 line: .300/.355/.614 with 7 homers and 12 rbi in 69 games, 76 PA’s.
1-1 record with an ERA of 5.26 in 42 games on the mound, finishing 15, 53 innings, 66 hits, 13 walks, 39 K’s.
For the brewers that year, he started 7 games. 4 at DH during interleague play, and 3 in left field near the end of the season. He was brought in as a pinch hitter 24 times that season, staying in to pitch 3 times. his other appearances he came in as a relief pitcher and did actually hit a few times, totalling 21 PA’s.
is ‘04 line was better as a pitcher but worse as a hitter: .270/.324/.365 in 68 PA’s over 75 games and 1-1 with an ERA of 3.77 in 32 games on the mound covering 43 innings. That year he either pinch hit or pitched, or both (3 times he pinch hit and then pitched.)
and that was that. He tried again in 05 in the astros organization, pitching and hitting in AAA but while his hitting was very good, his pitching wasn’t so much and that was that.
Shepherd Book: I don't care what you believe in, just believe in it.
Can you tell it again?
"Dying ain't hard. It's living that's hard."
"The Influence continues." Josey Wales (1/18/10)
Wow. That seems like a lot longer ago than 5 or 6 years
Maybe Ankiel will take up pitching again when no one wants an OF with a career .310 OBP. As TagDontTweet would say “He can still throw that ball, boy.”
"Don't confuse the outcome that a decision produces with the intelligence that went into making that decision."--Tony LaRussa
Comments For This Post Are Closed
Secondary Sidebar
User Tools
FanPosts
Community blog posts and discussion.
Certain photos copyright © 2012 by Associated Press or Getty Images. Any commercial use or distribution without the express written consent of Associated Press and Getty Images is strictly prohibited.
