The Defense Thread, 2016

[Aristotelian]

9/16/2016 vs Rays

Up 5-4, Britton pitching, the game came down to a play at the plate. After Mahtook reached on an infield single, Alexi Ramirez got one over Manny down the line in left. Bourn, replacing Kim in left, turned on the jets to get to the ball, made a strong throw to Manny who threw a strike to Wieters. Arguably the play of the season in terms of difficulty combined with importance in the game and the season.

http://m.mlb.com/video/v1169630883/tbbal-mahtook-confirmed-out-at-home-to-end-game/?game_pk=449073

Earlier in the game, JJ made an excellent play deep in the hole to his backhand side.

He also booted a grounder to his left for his 5th error of the season.

Kiermeier for the Rays got up over the fence to rob Kim of a grand slam. The ball popped out but Kim was kept to a single and only one run in.

[Frobby]

If Kim is playing LF, that runs scores. Great play by Bourn to motor over and hit the cutoff man.

[LA2]

If Kim is playing LF, that runs scores. Great play by Bourn to motor over and hit the cutoff man.

What was great was the seamless coordination and excellent execution at every pivot point: Bourn's speed and route to the ball, preparation to throw as he gloved it, and accurate throw; Manny's bullet to Wieters; Wieters' tag; Zach's and Matt's tandem fist pump!

[backwardsk]

What was great was the seamless coordination and excellent execution at every pivot point: Bourn's speed and route to the ball, preparation to throw as he gloved it, and accurate throw; Manny's bullet to Wieters; Wieters' tag; Zach's and Matt's tandem fist pump!

Bourn did a great job of rounding off the ball to get his momentum going to the plate. With the exception of maybe Stubbs, none of our other corners make that play.

[Ruzious]

If Kim is playing LF, that runs scores. Great play by Bourn to motor over and hit the cutoff man.

That's not a given. Kim look stiff athletically, but he does a solid job in LF - certainly better than Reimold. Bourn had time to round off his route to get some momentum on the throw - and he's not the speedster he used to be. He's got a wet noodle for an arm even for a LFer. Kim's advantage in arm strength gets the throw there in time, imo. It really wasn't a very difficult play when you have Machado making the relay.

[LA2]

That's not a given. Kim look stiff athletically, but he does a solid job in LF - certainly better than Reimold. Bourn had time to round off his route to get some momentum on the throw - and he's not the speedster he used to be. He's got a wet noodle for an arm even for a LFer. Kim's advantage in arm strength gets the throw there in time, imo. It really wasn't a very difficult play when you have Machado making the relay.

Yes, the fact that all season Kim's throws have been good--even as he seems unsure about tracking certain flyballs--tells me he knows how to approach hits in a way that sets up the throw. Don't really recall anyone taking an extra base on him or a throw being way offline.

[Can_of_corn]

Can we stop with the Davis is a GG caliber first baseman stuff?

He's fine, most first baseman are fine.

But he killed the team tonight.

[eddie83]

Can we stop with the Davis is a GG caliber first baseman stuff?

He's fine, most first baseman are fine.

But he killed the team tonight.

I agree. He is fine over there but sometimes he makes some odd errors.

At times I wonder if it is a lack on concentration. Then again maybe he just made a mistake.

[Frobby]

That's not a given. Kim look stiff athletically, but he does a solid job in LF - certainly better than Reimold. Bourn had time to round off his route to get some momentum on the throw - and he's not the speedster he used to be. He's got a wet noodle for an arm even for a LFer. Kim's advantage in arm strength gets the throw there in time, imo. It really wasn't a very difficult play when you have Machado making the relay.

Bourn isn't as fast as he used to be, but he's much faster than Kim IMO, and I don't think Kim would have reached that ball in time.

[Frobby]

Bourn isn't as fast as he used to be, but he's much faster than Kim IMO, and I don't think Kim would have reached that ball in time.

On the broadcast today, they showed a clip where Kim said he couldn't have made that play and Buck had been brilliant to put Bourn in the game. He was laughing about it, but I'm pretty sure he meant it.

As to tonight's game, Davis made two great plays on ground balls, one in the hole with a runner screening him where he extended to reach the grounder and quickly did a 180 to beat a speedy runner to 1B, and later fielding a hooking ground smash by Ortiz that carried into foul territory deep behind the bag. Reimold made a nice sliding catch in LF on a sinking liner by Betts. On the down side, Gausman mishandled a comebacker that could have yielded an inning-ending double play, and had to settle for one out and the first run of the game scored on the play.

[OFFNY]

o

(vs. RED SOX, 9/21)

The Orioles' defense has been an absolute mess in this game, and they have only played 6 innings.

[ChuckS]

Chris Davis with the worst, most costly play of the year showing a complete lack of awareness of where he was or where the runner was on a relatively routine grounder with Brach covering the bag.

Earlier in the same inning, Brad Brach gets in Wieters way on a dribbler in front of the catcher and an out turns into a single.

We gave them five outs in the inning and a zero run inning turned into a five run inning. With the Wild Card likely to be decided by a game or two, this could cost us the season.

[OFFNY]

Chris Davis with the worst, most costly play of the year showing a complete lack of awareness of where he was or where the runner was on a relatively routine grounder with Brach covering the bag.

Earlier in the same inning, Brad Brach gets in Wieters way on a dribbler in front of the catcher and an out turns into a single.

We gave them five outs in the inning and a zero run inning turned into a five run inning. With the Wild Card likely to be decided by a game or two, this could cost us the season.

o

I agree completely.

The Red Sox were doing everything that they could to give the Orioles this game, and the Orioles one-upped them in that category.

The Red Sox played badly (at least in terms of their offense not capitalizing on opportunities), and the Orioles played worse.

[Horsepower]

Honestly as much as we have worried about pitching all season it has not been half bad. The problem (and what will haunt us for years to come) is giving Chris Davis all that money.

[Frobby]

Crazy defensive game.

- Great play by Manny on a slow roller with bases loaded in the 1st

- Wieters picks Bogaerts off first

- Wieters makes a bad throw to 2B and the runner gets to 3B

- Wieters has catchers' interference

- Ubaldo misses a foul pop near the 3B coaches' box

- Davis starts a tremendous 3-6-1 DP to get Ubaldo out of a jam

- Wieters and Brach miscommunicate and a sure out becomes an infield hit.

- Davis blows a relay throw to Brach and 2 runs score

- Manny makes a great catch over the railing of the Boston dugout

That's 9 notable plays in one game, and it's not over.