The Defense Thread, 2015

[Aristotelian]

May 31

This game turned on a sequence where, with two outs, Flaherty dove for a grounder up the middle but couldn't get the ball out of his glove to force a runner at 2B, and then Pearce and Lough let a soft fly ball to LCF fall between them for an RBI single. Tillman then coughed up a 3-run homer, but the inning should have been over on the Pearce/Lough ball, and could have been over if Flaherty had been able to make a throw (that would have been a superb play, though).

Delmon Young also cost Tillman a run by throwing wide of third base, allowing the runner to score. Ugly game after a pretty crisp couple of games.

Manny's defense has been excellent lately. However, he also had one go off his glove for a double down the line, and also threw wide of first on a routine play but Davis was able to make the catch and tag and saved Manny from an E.

Ugliest game in a while.

[Frobby]

June 1

Delmon Young threw out a runner at the plate in the 5th inning, and threw a runner out at 3B in the 7th inning, making a good decision to throw to 3B instead of throwing home where he had no chance to get the runner going to the plate.

in the 8th inning, Everth Cabrera threw out a runner at 3B who had rounded the base too far. Manny then fired a throw to 1B trying to catch the batter who had rounded 1B as well, but his throw was a little off line and the runner got back safely.

[Frobby]

June 2

In the 3rd inning, the O's turned a really nice DP to bail out Wright from a bases loaded jam. Manny ranged far to his left to field a slow bouncer, flipped the ball backhand strongly and accurately to 2B, where Pearce made a strong pivot throw with a runner bearing down on him. At the time, I thought it might be the turning point of the game, though ultimately, it wasn't.

A big turning point, however, came when Pearce couldn't handle a bad hop on a hard-hit ball that was mostly right at him the following inning, in which the Astros eventually scored 5 runs. I only say this on replay, at full speed, and I didn't get a good enough look to tell whether a more experienced 2B might have been able to stay in front of that ball. So, I'm hoping others will comment on that play.

[bpilktree]

June 2

In the 3rd inning, the O's turned a really nice DP to bail out Wright from a bases loaded jam. Manny ranged far to his left to field a slow bouncer, flipped the ball backhand strongly and accurately to 2B, where Pearce made a strong pivot throw with a runner bearing down on him. At the time, I thought it might be the turning point of the game, though ultimately, it wasn't.

A big turning point, however, came when Pearce couldn't handle a bad hop on a hard-hit ball that was mostly right at him the following inning, in which the Astros eventually scored 5 runs. I only say this on replay, at full speed, and I didn't get a good enough look to tell whether a more experienced 2B might have been able to stay in front of that ball. So, I'm hoping others will comment on that play.

It was one of the worst hops I had ever seen. It was hit very hard to his right and took one hop on the grass and then the second hop looked like it hit the lip of the grass and bounced maybe 4 feet in the air. Pearce was moving over to the hole and getting in position to back hand it and make a flip to second like he should have. If Flaherty is playing second that ball probally hits him in the head because he is taller then him and it just missed Pearce.

[Redskins Rick]

Roch had this Buck quote from last night:

Showalter told reporters it was "unacceptable." He can handle a physical mistake, but not the mental variety.

We've seen too many baserunning errors and outfielders throwing to the wrong bases. This simply can't continue.

[BMann]

It was one of the worst hops I had ever seen. It was hit very hard to his right and took one hop on the grass and then the second hop looked like it hit the lip of the grass and bounced maybe 4 feet in the air. Pearce was moving over to the hole and getting in position to back hand it and make a flip to second like he should have. If Flaherty is playing second that ball probally hits him in the head because he is taller then him and it just missed Pearce.

Yeah, as p*ssed as I was at Pearce when I watched that play live, the replay showed that he was lucky to have not gotten plunked in the head - hard - by that wicked hop. I've been the biggest critic of the 2015 O's defense, but I don't blame Pearce for that one. I'm not sure any infielder not named Brooks Robinson would've had the reflexes to shift his glove up in time to stab that ball.

[Frobby]

Roch had this Buck quote from last night:

Just to be clear, Buck's word "unacceptable" had to do with Snider's baserunning blunder, not anything to do with last night's defense. The other remark regarding outfielders throwing to the wrong bases came from Roch, not Buck, and wasn't a comment on last night's game.

[Redskins Rick]

Just to be clear, Buck's word "unacceptable" had to do with Snider's baserunning blunder, not anything to do with last night's defense. The other remark regarding outfielders throwing to the wrong bases came from Roch, not Buck, and wasn't a comment on last night's game.

Thanks for clarifying.

For Buck to comment, again, my opinion, it's more than just one blunder, the season of mistakes are getting to him, again, my opinion.

[El Gordo]

That was a viciously bad hop. The announcers were amazed Pearce didn't get beaned. Gave no indication that he should have gotten to it. I'm sure Palmer would have said so if he thought so. Any one who thinks that was on Pearce is looking for nits to pick.

[eddie83]

There was a play at SS where Flaherty threw the runner (Marisnick out at 1st). The Astros didn't challenge but the replay looked like he was safe. It was a fairly routine play and Flaherty's arm was short for short. I think it was the same inning they scored the 5 runs so it could have been worse.

That play is why I don't love Flaherty at SS, not that Cabrera has been a positive.

[Frobby]

Tillman snagged a line drive right at his neck.

Hardy made a heads up throw to Manny to get the lead runner who was trying to advance from 2nd to 3rd.

McFarland grabbed a hot smash up the middle and turned in into an easy out. He also fielded a chopper hit towards 2B.

Wieters had a passed ball in the 9th and let two other pitches get past him in harmless situations with nobody on base. He looked a tad rusty back there.

[Il BuonO]

Tillman snagged a line drive right at his neck.

Hardy made a heads up throw to Manny to get the lead runner who was trying to advance from 2nd to 3rd.

McFarland grabbed a hot smash up the middle and turned in into an easy out. He also fielded a chopper hit towards 2B.

Wieters had a passed ball in the 9th and let two other pitches get past him in harmless situations with nobody on base. He looked a tad rusty back there.

Those didn't happen until Britton was in, at least the ones I think you're talking about that could qualify as harmless. Perhaps he's not used to a 95+ power sinker. Probably not too many floating around Florida in EST.

[OFFNY]

o

(vs. INDIANS, 6/07)

At a potentially crucial point in the game ...... runners on 1st and 2nd base with 2 outs, and our most vulnerable starting pitcher (Bud Norris) fighting to get a rare solid start in his first game back from a stint on the DL, Manny Machado made a nice running catch of a ball that was in foul territory.

Norris had just walked the previous batter, and with runners on 1st and 2nd base, the Orioles' comfortable 5-1 was in danger of being not so comfortable ...... as was Norris' first start back in the rotation.

Sometimes, one play can change the complexion of a game ...... and sometimes, one good defensive [play can preserve the complexion of a game.

[Frobby]

June 9

- Flaherty ranged far towards 2B to scoop a grounder and make a very quick shovel throw to Hardy who fired to first for a very pretty DP.

- Hardy picked up a ricochet off Roe and fired to first to beat the runner by an eyelash, as the replay showed.

- Wieters pounced on a bunt and cut down the lead runner at 3B.

- Britton caught a liner up the middle for the first out in the ninth.

Jim Hunter pointed out that the O's have been playing very good defense of late, and I'd have to agree.

[backwardsk]

Reimold had a nice running catch in left center. Looked like damage off the bat.

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