Dammit, Reynolds!

[gallden]

This is by far his worst year fielding right?

[LookitsPuck]

This is by far his worst year fielding right?

So far? Yes.

[LookitsPuck]

Be careful what you wish for. Look how successful Adam Dunn is as a DH. It's not for everyone.

Are you insinuating that the fact that he isn't playing in the OF or 1B is the reason for the following?

K rate the highest of his career at 42.3% (second highest is 35.7% in 2010 then 34.6% in 2006)

ISO is 145 (second lowest is 206 back in 2002 then 249 in 2003)

His LD% is still good at 20.3%.

Regardless, I don't think there's much correlation.

[El Gordo]

Are you insinuating that the fact that he isn't playing in the OF or 1B is the reason for the following?

K rate the highest of his career at 42.3% (second highest is 35.7% in 2010 then 34.6% in 2006)

ISO is 145 (second lowest is 206 back in 2002 then 249 in 2003)

His LD% is still good at 20.3%.

Regardless, I don't think there's much correlation.

I'm sayinjg that not all plyers can make the adjustment to DH. Have the concentration to stay in the game sitting on the bench and hitting. Dunn obviously has had a hard time adjusting, as has Jorge. I wouldn't count on Reynolds, with the potential to be a much better fielder than either, being able to make the adjustments.

[LookitsPuck]

I'm sayinjg that not all plyers can make the adjustment to DH. Have the concentration to stay in the game sitting on the bench and hitting. Dunn obviously has had a hard time adjusting, as has Jorge. I wouldn't count on Reynolds, with the potential to be a much better fielder than either, being able to make the adjustments.

Jorge is 39 years old. He was slumping out of the gate. It's happened before to him. His numbers:

Last 7: 364/417/727 - 1.144

Last 14: 269/321/500 - 821

Last 28: 362/397/500 - 897

In June he has a 961 OPS.

Posada will end up with decent numbers by years end. His issue was playing time, age, and the "blow" to the ego of not being the starting catcher and being relegated to DH duties.

Regardless, my point is that you can't say with certainty it's because he's DH'ing instead of playing the field (talking about Dunn).

I'd rather us have a quality 3B, then Reynolds in the field. And I loved the Reynolds signing (still do), but he is beyond awful at that position so far. He's had *1* good year at 3B. 1. That's it. He's going on his 3rd abysmal defending year at 3B. He's single-handedly cost this team about 3-4 games this year from his errors alone.

Now, we obviously don't have a 3B solution, yet, so we're going to have to stick with him. But..ideally Reynolds is a DH.

[El Gordo]

Jorge is 39 years old. He was slumping out of the gate. It's happened before to him. His numbers:

Last 7: 364/417/727 - 1.144

Last 14: 269/321/500 - 821

Last 28: 362/397/500 - 897

In June he has a 961 OPS.

Posada will end up with decent numbers by years end. His issue was playing time, age, and the "blow" to the ego of not being the starting catcher and being relegated to DH duties.

Regardless, my point is that you can't say with certainty it's because he's DH'ing instead of playing the field (talking about Dunn).

I'd rather us have a quality 3B, then Reynolds in the field. And I loved the Reynolds signing (still do), but he is beyond awful at that position so far. He's had *1* good year at 3B. 1. That's it. He's going on his 3rd abysmal defending year at 3B. He's single-handedly cost this team about 3-4 games this year from his errors alone.

Now, we obviously don't have a 3B solution, yet, so we're going to have to stick with him. But..ideally Reynolds is a DH.

You assume anyone can just slip into the DH position, which isn't true and you think Reynolds current play is what you can expect from him from now on which is stupid. His career average as a 3B isn't bad enough to out weigh his bat. His career ave. is -7 RS per year. That's not great but David Wright e.g. is -6. If Reynolds is DH then we need someone who can play a better than league average D at 3B and hit as least as well as Remold or Vlad. Who would you suggest?

[DrungoHazewood]

He's going on his 3rd abysmal defending year at 3B. He's single-handedly cost this team about 3-4 games this year from his errors alone.

I think that's something of an exaggeration. Yes, he's "on pace" to be about -25 runs on defense as per Total Zone. That's 2 1/2 wins, not 3-4. But he's having his worst year by far, so it's quite likely his last 90 games are going to be better than his first 70. When Hanley Ramirez is hitting .200 through 70 games you don't expect him to end up with a .580 OPS. When Nick was OPSing .600 through 50 games you didn't expect him to do that through 162.

Unless Reynolds has gone all Steve Sax/Chuck Knoblauch/Mackey Sasser on us, his career worst defensive year is probably more along the lines of 1 1/2 to 2 wins to the negative. That's not good, but you can live with a guy who puts up a 125 OPS+, about 4 oWAR, and gives back a win or a win and a half on defense.

[Jagwar]

If Reynolds keeps hitting HRs in the visiting bullpen at Camden Yards, I'm willing to be patient.

[LookitsPuck]

I think that's something of an exaggeration. Yes, he's "on pace" to be about -25 runs on defense as per Total Zone. That's 2 1/2 wins, not 3-4. But he's having his worst year by far, so it's quite likely his last 90 games are going to be better than his first 70. When Hanley Ramirez is hitting .200 through 70 games you don't expect him to end up with a .580 OPS. When Nick was OPSing .600 through 50 games you didn't expect him to do that through 162.

Unless Reynolds has gone all Steve Sax/Chuck Knoblauch/Mackey Sasser on us, his career worst defensive year is probably more along the lines of 1 1/2 to 2 wins to the negative. That's not good, but you can live with a guy who puts up a 125 OPS+, about 4 oWAR, and gives back a win or a win and a half on defense.

Sure, it's an exaggeration. But I was talking more from an "eye" standpoint this year then anything else. Either way, my main point with Mark Reynolds is that he doesn't have a track record on being a good defensive 3B'man. If anything, he was very bad in 2008 and 2009, was good in 2010...but now he's terribly bad in 2011.

Yes, I think he's athletic and he makes some fine plays...but even if it's mental he's costing this team games. Now, the issue is there isn't anyone else to shove in that spot right now.

[LookitsPuck]

You assume anyone can just slip into the DH position, which isn't true and you think Reynolds current play is what you can expect from him from now on which is stupid. His career average as a 3B isn't bad enough to out weigh his bat. His career ave. is -7 RS per year. That's not great but David Wright e.g. is -6. If Reynolds is DH then we need someone who can play a better than league average D at 3B and hit as least as well as Remold or Vlad. Who would you suggest?

I'm not assuming anything, bud. That's stupid of you to say that.

What I'm saying is that your Posada example is poor and not researched properly. Adam Dunn is a specious example at best. You can't point to them as definitive reasons why you can't switch a position player to DH.

As for your comment about keeping up his current level of play...well, that's an interesting one. Do I think it will? Don't know. It's not out of the realm of possibility. He was very, very bad in 2008 and 2009. Could he go from being historically bad right now to simply very bad by year's end? Of course. But the point still stands: he doesn't have a track record as a good defensive 3B'man, he's back to making blunders, and it's costing this team games.

That said, we don't have any replacements so this argument is really just the rough equivalent of a fart in the wind. But still. I thought Reynolds was making *some* progress from 2009 to 2010, and he did. But when a guy who hasn't been good *at all* at 3B puts it together in 2010, but is right back at being awful...well, you can't give him the benefit of the doubt now can you?

[jjnono]

What would Earl Weaver have done with a guy like Reynolds?

He would have cursed the strikeouts, absolutely HATED the errors, but LOVED the home run swing!

Whatever Earl would have done, that's what I'd do...

[Frobby]

BB-ref has Reynolds at +1.9 oWAR and -1.2 dWAR right now. That puts him on pace for a +1.6 WAR season. That would be his 3rd-best season out of five in the major leagues. Last year Tejada and Bell combined for -1.6 WAR for us, and the year before, Mora produced 0.4 WAR. Overall, +1.6 would be a solid year from Reynolds and a big upgrade for us despite his poor defensive performance.

Fangraphs also has Reynolds at +0.7 so far this year, which ranks 8th among 15 AL 3B with at least 150 PA. So, he is right in the middle of the pack, despite his fielding problems.

I feel pretty good about Reynolds' chances of exceeding 1.6 WAR this season. His hitting has been much better as the season has progressed, and his track record suggests that he can field better than he has so far, even if he is below average. So, I think we just have to grin and bear it with regard to his fielding right now, and hope he starts to eliminate some of the very avoidable errors he has made.

[olehippi]

What would Earl Weaver have done with a guy like Reynolds?

He would have cursed the strikeouts, absolutely HATED the errors, but LOVED the home run swing!

Whatever Earl would have done, that's what I'd do...

The problem with this scenario is that if you insert Reynolds into one of Earl lineups, he would have had a much better supporting cast surrounding a strikeout and error prone home run hitter. Showalter doesn't have that privilege at the moment.

[LookitsPuck]

BB-ref has Reynolds at +1.9 oWAR and -1.2 dWAR right now. That puts him on pace for a +1.6 WAR season. That would be his 3rd-best season out of five in the major leagues. Last year Tejada and Bell combined for -1.6 WAR for us, and the year before, Mora produced 0.4 WAR. Overall, +1.6 would be a solid year from Reynolds and a big upgrade for us despite his poor defensive performance.

Fangraphs also has Reynolds at +0.7 so far this year, which ranks 8th among 15 AL 3B with at least 150 PA. So, he is right in the middle of the pack, despite his fielding problems.

I feel pretty good about Reynolds' chances of exceeding 1.6 WAR this season. His hitting has been much better as the season has progressed, and his track record suggests that he can field better than he has so far, even if he is below average. So, I think we just have to grin and bear it with regard to his fielding right now, and hope he starts to eliminate some of the very avoidable errors he has made.

Good stuff.

Now, this will irk El Gordo, but how would his numbers translate compared to the other DH's in the league?

[Frobby]

Good stuff.

Now, this will irk El Gordo, but how would his numbers translate compared to the other DH's in the league?

Put it this way, Reynolds' wOBA of .364 would be tied for 5th among 16 DH's with at least 150 PA. So, if he could perform the same way offensively if moved to DH, he'd be slightly better there. However, then you have to find someone at 3B who isn't going to hurt you overall. And just who is that supposed to be?