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The Defense Thread, 2013


Frobby

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By the way, I should have mentioned on Monday that Hardy grabbed a slow bouncer in the hole and made a perfect throw to Manny at 3B to nab a runner trying to advance from 2B on the play.

Just catching up to the thread, that was a heluva play! Boneheaded by the runner for sure but Hardy saw it and pounced. And Manny was ranging that direction but had the sense to get back to the bag in time and make the tag. Don't Tread On Me!

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May 30 (2-0 win over the Nats):

- Diving catch by Nick in RF

- Nice grab by Davis of a smash (didn't see it, heard on the radio)

- Manny fielded an in between hop near the foul line and made a strong throw

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May 30 (2-0 win over the Nats):

- Diving catch by Nick in RF

- Nice grab by Davis of a smash (didn't see it, heard on the radio)

- Manny fielded an in between hop near the foul line and made a strong throw

Also, a nice play by Hardy, ranging to his right and making an excellent throw.

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May 30 (2-0 win over the Nats):

- Diving catch by Nick in RF

- Nice grab by Davis of a smash (didn't see it, heard on the radio)

- Manny fielded an in between hop near the foul line and made a strong throw

Didn't get to see much of the game but Hardy made a very good play tonight in the 7th inning. Grounder toward the hole, back hand, very strong throw to get Desmond by a half step. I thought it was an infield hit for sure.

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May 30 (2-0 win over the Nats):

- Diving catch by Nick in RF

- Nice grab by Davis of a smash (didn't see it, heard on the radio)

- Manny fielded an in between hop near the foul line and made a strong throw

That was such a great play. Very tough hop. Manny played it perfectly and adjusted to the hop and didn't panic.

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The defense in May:

4 unearned runs allowed was tied for 2nd fewest in the AL

.32 errors per game (9 total)

+ 5.5 UZR (7.4 IF, -1.9 OF)

+8 Rtot

+0.3 dWAR

PLAYER/April/May

Davis 0.0 UZR, -0.1 dWAR (1 error)/ -1.8 -0.7 (1 error)

Flaherty 1.7, 0.2/ 2.8, 0.1

Casilla 0.9, 0.3/ 1.3, 0.1

Roberts 0.4, 0.2/ ----, ----

Hardy 0.6, 0.3 9 (3 errors) /1.9, 0.4 (2 errors)

Machado 6.9, 0.6 (2 errors)/ 4.0, 0.8 (1 error)

McLouth 0.1, 0.1/ 0.3, 0.4

Reimold -0.6, -0.4/ 0.0, -0.1

Jones -2.2, 0.0 (1 error)/ -4.6, -0.1 (1 error)

Markakis -1.3, -0.4/ 0.7, 0.0

Wieters 3.0, 0.4 (2 errors)(4 SB, 8 CS in 207 innings)/ 0.0, -0.3 (5 SB, 2 CS in 214.2 innings)

2 errors by Navarro and one each for Hunter and Garcia

Another great defensive month for the Orioles. The infield defense wasn't quite as strong as in April, mostly because Wieters didn't throw out as many runners (only 7 even attempted to steal on him) and due to the Navarro experiment. The outfield defense was still below average, though Markakis played very well and McLouth was fine. Jones has another poor month, though UZR rates it much worse than dWAR does. Also important, only 4 unearned runs resulted from the 9 errors, unlike April when 10 errors converted to 10 unearned runs.

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June 4 (4-1 win over the Astros)

- Two great running catches by Jones speeding towards the hill in Minute Maid Park.

- Excellent DP started by Flaherty.

- Diving stab of a one-hopper by Flaherty in the 9th.

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Also the DP that Tillman started. Seemed like both Hardy and Flaherty went to cover. The throw was to the SS side of 2B. Flaherty made it look easy but that's a tough play to stretch out for the throw, have your momentum going towards LF and turn around and fire an on target throw to complete the DP.
Pedroia is the FB top 2B currently. His DP% is .672 which is very good. Flaherty is .757.
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Flaherty with two nice plays, a DP turned in the 4th with Trumbo bearing down on him and then to end the inning in the 7th with the bases loaded. On that play, he had to come in to his right, on the dead run, catch the ball and throw it across his body to first. A perfect strike no less.

Oh, I can't wait for Roberts.

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Flaherty with two nice plays, a DP turned in the 4th with Trumbo bearing down on him and then to end the inning in the 7th with the bases loaded. On that play, he had to come in to his right, on the dead run, catch the ball and throw it across his body to first. A perfect strike no less.

Oh, I can't wait for Roberts.

Also, JJ, to his left fully extended on a ball up the middle and firing to get the speedy Trout at first.

Also, nice diving catch by Markakis on a hit by Aybar that had double in the RF corner written all over it, and a nice play by Manny on a ball in the SS hole hit by Trout.

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Those diving catches to Nick's left has sort of become his signature play in RF. He has an incredible rate of success when doing that. It's to the point where you can see he's going to have to dive for it and before he dives you're like "he's got this".

Nick has very sure hands. If his glove reaches the ball, he catches the ball. He may not have the greatest range, but what he can get to, he catches. Personally, I think he's played an excellent RF over the last six weeks, after looking a little shaky to start the season.

To socalbirdfan: the play was in the fifth inning, I believe.

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