The D from D Lee

[Ooooooohhhh!!!!]

I am so sick and tired of hearing Gary Thorne talking about the scooping..i hope we don't have to hear it here too.

Remember when people raved about Millar scooping the ball?

EVERY FIRST BASEMAN can do it...in like every league.

Lee is a very good defensive first baseman but let's not act like scooping the ball is some incredibly difficult thing that most first baseman can't do.

How many throws that Lee has picked would have gotten past Luke Scott if he were our 1st baseman?

I tend to think it's more than a couple. And as people have mentioned that starts to play into the minds of the infielders when they have to make a throw.

[LookitsPuck]

I am so sick and tired of hearing Gary Thorne talking about the scooping..i hope we don't have to hear it here too.

Remember when people raved about Millar scooping the ball?

EVERY FIRST BASEMAN can do it...in like every league.

Lee is a very good defensive first baseman but let's not act like scooping the ball is some incredibly difficult thing that most first baseman can't do.

You are completely off target about all first basemen being able to do it. Good lord. Have you seen Jason Giambi at first base?

DLee does it consistently. That's what is most impressive.

[Frobby]

I am so sick and tired of hearing Gary Thorne talking about the scooping..i hope we don't have to hear it here too.

Remember when people raved about Millar scooping the ball?

EVERY FIRST BASEMAN can do it...in like every league.

Lee is a very good defensive first baseman but let's not act like scooping the ball is some incredibly difficult thing that most first baseman can't do.

Some scoops are harder than others. The ones that hit the dirt not far from the first baseman's glove should be scooped pretty routinely. The one Lee nabbed against Jeter yesterday would be made regularly only by a good defensive 1B IMO.

Here's an article that makes the case that the difference between the best and worst scoopers is worth about 4-6 runs per season. http://www.fangraphs.com/blogs/index.php/first-basemen-scoops

Here's another one saying its worth about 12 runs. http://www.hardballtimes.com/main/blog_article/hes-got-the-scoop/

[Sports Guy]

I'm confused with this post.

Are you saying that Lee is average because all he's been doing is scoping the ball just like anyone else?

DLee is above average for many reasons...but scooping the ball is just a small part of it and it is something that most first baseman excel in.

[Sports Guy]

How many throws that Lee has picked would have gotten past Luke Scott if he were our 1st baseman?

I tend to think it's more than a couple. And as people have mentioned that starts to play into the minds of the infielders when they have to make a throw.

Scott probably would get most of them.

But Scott is also not a first baseman...he would be learning the position. Once he got it down, he would be fine...Scott was picking some last year.

[Sports Guy]

You are completely off target about all first basemen being able to do it. Good lord. Have you seen Jason Giambi at first base?

DLee does it consistently. That's what is most impressive.

They wouldn't be ML first baseman if they couldn't scoop the ball.

[Ooooooohhhh!!!!]

They wouldn't be ML first baseman if they couldn't scoop the ball.

I don't think that's what this thread is about. To me it's more about the non-routine plays that he's made.

[Sports Guy]

I don't think that's what this thread is about. To me it's more about the non-routine plays that he's made.

And my point is that most of those plays are routine.

If you watch enough baseball, you see first baseman come up with those scoops every night.

[Ooooooohhhh!!!!]

And my point is that most of those plays are routine.

If you watch enough baseball, you see first baseman come up with those scoops every night.

Where, on SportsCenter?

I'm not trying to give the Gold Glove to Lee, but I do think his defense has been a plus so far and should continue to be a plus.

[Frobby]

And my point is that most of those plays are routine.

If you watch enough baseball, you see first baseman come up with those scoops every night.

I already gave you links to two articles with data in them. The difference between a 1B who is good at scooping vs. bad at scooping is somewhere between 4-12 runs a season, which translates to 7-20 extra scoops in a year. So, roughly once every 8-23 games, a really good scooping 1B comes up with a scoop that would elude a really poor scooping 1B.

Personally, I tend to believe the higher estimate (20 plays) vs. the lower one (7 plays). But that's the difference between the very best and the very worst.

[LookitsPuck]

They wouldn't be ML first baseman if they couldn't scoop the ball.

Not true.

[LookitsPuck]

I already gave you links to two articles with data in them. The difference between a 1B who is good at scooping vs. bad at scooping is somewhere between 4-12 runs a season, which translates to 7-20 extra scoops in a year. So, roughly once every 8-23 games, a really good scooping 1B comes up with a scoop that would elude a really poor scooping 1B.

Personally, I tend to believe the higher estimate (20 plays) vs. the lower one (7 plays). But that's the difference between the very best and the very worst.

Thank you Frobby. More evidence against his inane rant.

[Sports Guy]

Thank you Frobby. More evidence against his inane rant.

You really are clueless.

Ok, the worst first baseman may let a few more go by Lee. A FEW. If you have an average-ish first baseman, the difference isn't even noticed. End of the day, its relatively meaningless and its certainly not something to gush all over, like Gary Thorne does.

Again, people on this site praised Millar for this all the time and acted as if he was the only one who could do it.

Its not a difficult thing for a first baseman to accomplish.

[square634]

You really are clueless.

Ok, the worst first baseman may let a few more go by Lee. A FEW. If you have an average-ish first baseman, the difference isn't even noticed. End of the day, its relatively meaningless and its certainly not something to gush all over, like Gary Thorne does.

Again, people on this site praised Millar for this all the time and acted as if he was the only one who could do it.

Its not a difficult thing for a first baseman to accomplish.

To add to your point, I have watched 90% of the O's innings this year. Has any opposing first baseman missed a scoop so far this season? I can't remember it happening.

[Sports Guy]

To add to your point, I have watched 90% of the O's innings this year. Has any opposing first baseman missed a scoop so far this season? I can't remember it happening.

Neither can I. In fact, I don't think I have seen one missed in my softball league either.