The Defense Thread, 2014

[Ohfan67]

I wish I got more chances to see him play. I pretty much never watch NL baseball.

Same here. I should check him out.

[AdamK]

Even my 3 year old was impressed by the play.

[El Gordo]

He's the best defender I've seen. I'm not old enough to have watched Brooks. The only other player that compares from my viewing experience is Roberto Alomar. And I think Manny makes significantly more "I-can't-believe-he-did-that" plays than Alomar.

I'm old enough, and Manny is Brooks with a stronger arm.

[tettleton14]

I'm old enough, and Manny is Brooks with a stronger arm.

Question. Have you ever seen an infielder with a stronger arm?

It seems he can fire darts with our without momentum (or with negative momentum), at any arm angle, with a lightning quick release.

And when he does have time to set his feet — the velocity is breathtaking.

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It's like a gift from the baseball gods.

[tettleton14]

Although that throw to nab Pujols may have been showing off. He could've gotten rid of that ball much quicker. But the velocity from that distance

[O's84]

He has two in the last week...just amazing.

Would love to see him in Baltimore.

If we got him we might as well just build a wall on the left side of the infield, nothing is getting through there.

[El Gordo]

Question. Have you ever seen an infielder with a stronger arm?

It seems he can fire darts with our without momentum (or with negative momentum), at any arm angle, with a lightning quick release.

And when he does have time to set his feet — the velocity is breathtaking.

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It's like a gift from the baseball gods.

Furcal, Tejada, and Shawon Dunston come to mind. Don't know if they were stronger but they were cannons.

[Babkins]

I wonder what Manny might hit on the radar gun when he throws one of those cross-diamond lasers...

I was able to see only the highlights of last night's 2-1 win over Seattle, but as I was watching the Chen reel, I noticed that Nick made a couple of nice grabs. He ranged pretty far toward the gap to put away Morales in the first, made a similar play in the fourth, and then made a really good play near the seats on the pop foul in the eighth. The first two plays just go to show what smart positioning can do for a fielder's range; Nick seemed to know just where to be on both of those. But I liked that final catch, too, because he not only had to get on his horse to get to the ball, but he pulled up just before he set up underneath it, avoiding one of those slide-into-the-wall-and-break-an-ankle catches that happen around the league all the time. He has a terrific awareness of where he is out there in right.

[Frobby]

Game 129, August 25

I've gotten very lazy about posting in this thread, but this game was jam packed with notable plays, good and bad.

- First play of the game, Schoop nabs a ball heading up the middle and makes a throw from well beyond the 2B bag to record the out.

- On a tough play in the 3rd inning, Hardy bounced a throw that Pearce couldn't handle. It was correctly scored as a hit, but it was a play the O's often make (see below).

- Same inning, Hardy flips to Schoop to try to start a DP, the throw is slightly higher than Schoop expects and he misses it for an error and the runner advances to 3B. It was rightfully Schoop's error but not the usual perfect feed from Hardy either. The Rays score their line run on the next batter as the O's turn a DP.

- In the 5th, Jones robs a HR at the wall and then throws out a runner who tries to advance to 2B on the play. Good tag by Schoop, too.

- Davis nabs a backhander at 3B and fires a BB across the diamond for an out.

- Next play, Hardy goes onto the grass in the hole, fires a one-hopper to Pearce, who makes the grab.

- Final play of the game, Hardy throws low but Davis makes the nice scoop to end it.

That's eight plays where defense made a difference, for better or worse (Jones' play counts twice, both the catch and the throw).

[OFFNY]

o

(vs. D-RAYS, 8/26)

Chris Davis and Caleb Joseph were both a big part of 2 integral plays tonight, and Davis made A 3rd excellent play in the top of the 7th inning.

A) In the top of the 1st inning, the Rays had runners on 2nd and 3rd base, with nobody out ...... Chen was in BIG trouble, right off the bat.

On a ground ball to 3rd base, Davis picked up the ball, and checked the runner (Desmond Jennings) back to 3rd. But Jennings broke for home after a slight hesitation. Davis saw this out of the corner of his eye, but he DID NOT panic. He revved up his throw to 1st baseman Steve Pearce (a 91 MPH fastball?), who recorded the out, and immediately fired to Joseph at home plate, who barely applied the tag just before Jennings snuck his fingers onto the plate. Huge play to to prevent a potential big inning.

B) In the top of the 6th inning, the Rays had the bases loaded with only 1 out. The score was tied, 2-2. On a ground ball to 3rd base, Davis made a nice pick-off, and threw it home to Joseph, for the force play. The throw wasn't great, but Joseph made an EXCELLENT snare while keeping his foot on the plate to record the out, and prevent the run from scoring (and prevent the Rays from retaking the lead.) Brad Brach then induced the next batter to fly out to leftfield to end the inning, and the threat.

C) With 2 outs and nobody on base in the top of the 7th inning, Davis made yet another nifty pickup at 3rd base and fired the ball to Steve Pearce at 1st base to record the 3rd and final out of the inning for pitcher Tommy Hunter, who threw a grand total of 7 pitches (5 for strikes) to record 3 outs in the inning.

[Frobby]

So many good plays in this one. In addition to the ones you described so well, there was Jones' throw to the plate in the second inning to gun down a runner, a nice catch by Nick on a sinking liner, and a nice play by Hardy on a bouncer up the middle.

As an aside, Davis is looking very competent at 3B. He is quite an athlete, even if he's not hitting his weight.

[Aristotelian]

o

(vs. D-RAYS, 8/26)

Chris Davis and Caleb Joseph were both a big part of 2 integral plays tonight, and Davis made A 3rd excellent play in the top of the 7th inning.

A) In the top of the 1st inning, the Rays had runners on 2nd and 3rd base, with nobody out ...... Chen was in BIG trouble, right off the bat.

On a ground ball to 3rd base, Davis picked up the ball, and checked the runner (Desmond Jennings) back to 3rd. But Jennings broke for home after a slight hesitation. Davis saw this out of the corner of his eye, but he DID NOT panic. He revved up his throw to 1st baseman Steve Pearce (a 91 MPH fastball?), who recorded the out, and immediately fired to Joseph at home plate, who barely applied the tag just before Jennings snuck his fingers onto the plate. Huge play to to prevent a potential big inning.

B) In the top of the 6th inning, the Rays had the bases loaded with only 1 out. The score was tied, 2-2. On a ground ball to 3rd base, Davis made a nice pick-off, and threw it home to Joseph, for the force play. The throw wasn't great, but Joseph made an EXCELLENT snare while keeping his foot on the plate to record the out, and prevent the run from scoring (and prevent the Rays from retaking the lead.) Brad Brach then induced the next batter to fly out to leftfield to end the inning, and the threat.

C) With 2 outs and nobody on base in the top of the 7th inning, Davis made yet another nifty pickup at 3rd base and fired the ball to Steve Pearce at 1st base to record the 3rd and final out of the inning for pitcher Tommy Hunter, who threw a grand total of 7 pitches (5 for strikes) to record 3 outs in the inning.

Don't forget another OF assist by Adam Jones with CJ fielding a tough hop and applying the tag. Mr. Jones has had himself quite a week in CF.

However, we should point out that Delmon Young could not get a catchable ball that went for a double scoring the Rays first run of the game.

Overall, the story of this game was defense plus a couple of timely hits.

[OFFNY]

Don't forget another OF assist by Adam Jones with CJ fielding a tough hop and applying the tag. Mr. Jones has had himself quite a week in CF.

However, we should point out that Delmon Young could not get a catchable ball that went for a double scoring the Rays first run of the game.

Overall, the story of this game was defense plus a couple of timely hits.

Thanks.

However, we should point out that Delmon Young could not get a catchable ball that went for a double scoring the Rays first run of the game.

That was the Rays' 2nd run of the game, but I get what you are saying.

[Guest]

Well the D cost us a game tonight. Schoop goes to first that saves a run. Hardy Error cost us another run.

[El Gordo]

Tough play for Hardy. I think Davis might have made the pick. Didn't see the Schoop play. The defense also kept us in the game. The offense's inability to make adjustments to Smyly cost us the game IMO.