Fangraphs: Seeking Clarity on Gerardo Parra's Defense

[Can_of_corn]

http://www.fangraphs.com/blogs/seeking-clarity-on-gerardo-parras-defense/

Maybe it has to do with opportunity? In 2013, Parra received an abnormally high number of fielding chances. That year, the ball just seemed to keep finding him. According to Inside Edge data, Parra received 367 fielding opportunities that year. The next two years, he received 275 and 280, respectively. Roughly a hundred extra balls hit toward Parra gave him plenty more opportunity for his defense to have an impact..

A two-year decline in converting the remote plays. A two-year decline in converting the unlikely plays. A two-year decline in converting the even plays. In 2013, Parra was unusually efficient at converting the hardest plays. The difference between making a remote play or not is typically a matter of an inches, and with such little room for error, there?s certainly some chance involved. Parra certainly did those things, so he deserves the credit, but it shouldn?t have been expected to continue at such a high rate. Think of it like BABIP. Sometimes, for a hitter, the balls keep getting hit to just the right spot, leading to an unusual number of hits in a year. Sometimes, for a fielder, you can imagine that balls could keep getting hit to just the right spot, leading to an unusual number of plus plays in a year.

Then, building on that point, Parra?s average home to first times on max-effort double play opportunities:

2013: 4.21 seconds

2014: 4.32 seconds

2015: 4.45 seconds

Then, building on that point, Parra’s average home to first times on max-effort double play opportunities:

2013: 4.21 seconds

2014: 4.32 seconds

2015: 4.45 seconds

So it looks to me like a substantial amount of the decline is in fact physical. He's slower and his arm has regressed.

[Il BuonO]

http://www.fangraphs.com/blogs/seeking-clarity-on-gerardo-parras-defense/

So it looks to me like a substantial amount of the decline is in fact physical. He's slower and his arm has regressed.

And the remote play, converting an unusually high number of plus plays.

[mdbdotcom]

And now Drungo can sleep at night.

[Going Underground]

http://www.fangraphs.com/blogs/seeking-clarity-on-gerardo-parras-defense/

So it looks to me like a substantial amount of the decline is in fact physical. He's slower and his arm has regressed.

My scout friend told me that to him he looks heavier then he has ever been.

[clapdiddy]

My scout friend told me that to him he looks heavier then he has ever been.

Yeah...I was thinking the same thing. He looks as if he's put on (quite) a few pounds over the last few years.

From what I saw of him, I do not want him back next year. We could do worse, but I'm hoping we go in a different direction.

[eddie83]

I wonder if this would apply to the 2014 version of Steve Pearce? I think he is a solid defender but his defense rated real good last year.

[Can_of_corn]

I wonder if this would apply to the 2014 version of Steve Pearce? I think he is a solid defender but his defense rated real good last year.

I am spitballing here but maybe guys like Pearce last year and Zobrist benefit from having a multitude of small sample sizes from which the totality of their defense is drawn?

Of course that probably means there are other utility guys that get the short end of the SSS stick.

[Il BuonO]

I am spitballing here but maybe guys like Pearce last year and Zobrist benefit from having a multitude of small sample sizes from which the totality of their defense is drawn?

Of course that probably means there are other utility guys that get the short end of the SSS stick.

There may be something to that, but the numbers for Pearce were down last year at every position. Could be a blip or the start of a decline. It wasn't 'fall off the cliff' bad like Parra.

[Can_of_corn]

There may be something to that, but the numbers for Pearce were down last year at every position. Could be a blip or the start of a decline. It wasn't 'fall off the cliff' bad like Parra.

Yea, I didn't actually mean this year.

Long day.

[Il BuonO]

Yea, I didn't actually mean this year.

Long day.

Ditto.

[Aristotelian]

Per Hayman, Orioles not impressed with Parra, contrary to rumors. (Interested in Alex Gordon if they don't sign Davis).

There have been suggestions the Orioles would like to bring back Gerardo Parra, but word is they weren't all that impressed by him after acquiring him last summer. So that would be a surprise

http://www.cbssports.com/mlb/writer/jon-heyman/25388814/inside-baseball-dodgers-chase-stars-as-cuts-may-have-to-wait-more-news

[weams]

It probably depends on who you talk to in the organization. Showalter sounded as though he wanted Parra back, but it's not unanimous.

Roch Kubatko www.masnsports.com

[mdbdotcom]

Roch Kubatko www.masnsports.com

Has there been a player Buck did not publicly want to see return? He likes his guys. Good clubhouse politics.

[weams]

Has there been a player Buck did not publicly want to see return? He likes his guys. Good clubhouse politics.

Bud. Mark Reynolds. KRod. Well, maybe not so publicly. Buck seems to like Gerardo though...