Joey Rickard is the real deal

[El Gordo]

He's 1.5 runs better than average with the bat, appears 2.3 runs below average with the glove (relative to an average defender at an average position), tiny fractions of a run one way or the other in positional adjustment and baserunning and league strength, and 1.7 runs to the positive to convert average to replacement, all in a sampling of PAs and defensive innings a tiny fraction of what's necessary to draw any conclusions.

Enough said.

[Can_of_corn]

Yeah I think he has a chance to get a lot better defensively.

He had four seasons in the Rays system to get better. You think the O's have better instructors?

[InTheWinColumn!]

What do people mean when they say bad routes? The player runs around constantly changing direction? He runs straight to where he thinks the ball is going only to find it isn't there? He should take an arch to the ball just to be safe? I don't see Joey doing any of these things.

The other night he had a false step backwards before running in, diving and missing a ball he should have caught. Bad jump, bad route.

[El Gordo]

The other night he had a false step backwards before running in, diving and missing a ball he should have caught. Bad jump, bad route.

A bad read, late jump maybe, but not a poor route IMO.

[El Gordo]

If Joey is as poor a defender as the cognoscenti seem to think then our OF is in big trouble because the only one better is AJ.

[Can_of_corn]

If Joey is as poor a defender as the cognoscenti seem to think then our OF is in big trouble because the only one better is AJ.

First off I don't recall anyone saying he is poor.

Secondly, yea they are in trouble defensively in the outfield.

[Can_of_corn]

Must you?

Must I what, trample on your daises?

There is no logical reason to expect someone his age to improve on defense.

You think he didn't know all along that his glove would be his ticket to the majors?

You think the Rays can't or don't want to emphasis outfield defense?

Defense peaks earliest of all.

[InTheWinColumn!]

A bad read, late jump maybe, but not a poor route IMO.

I agree with you on the read and late jump. But will add if the player's route on a fly ball that's going to land 30 feet in front of him involves going backwards, I'd say it's a bad route.

I think he does look a little hesitant at times, but he's fast enough and athletic enough to be an above average OF.

[slakattack]

He had four seasons in the Rays system to get better. You think the O's have better instructors?

Real life is a great instructor. The kid hasn't even filled out yet, for Buck's sake. With his natural speed, he could surely be a nice defensive asset someday, no Pearce mind you, but a real asset. :rolleyestf:

[Joeyloetz]

I like his determination and he's been better than we thought. I don't think he's a long term solution though. He can hit. But he can't really throw, defend, walk or hit for power. He's kind of a one dimensional player.

Didn't he have a pretty good throw towards the end of the game last night? I thought it wasn't decent throw home, good arm accurate enough to get the job done

[Can_of_corn]

My comment was that "I think" he has "a chance" to improve. It's just my opinion. I don't really feel the need to back up my little cursory opinion with hard facts or historical evidence. By all account, you're right, I'm sure.

We have a pretty small ML sample of Rickard playing LF and CF. He's been decent - I think he's a bit better in CF, but again, that's just my eyeballs. I think as he gets comfortable in the big leagues and in LF, he could get better.

Certainly we've seen Chris Davis get better at 1B. He spent a million years in the minors also.

Actually you said "a lot" better. Small improvements are a lot more likely than large ones.

I would expect increased familiarity with ballparks and competition would lead to a small improvement.

[Can_of_corn]

That's really all I meant. I'm not saying he's gonna be Mike Trout out there.

SemanticsHangout.com

Right, you use the wrong term and it's my fault.

[El Gordo]

I agree with you on the read and late jump. But will add if the player's route on a fly ball that's going to land 30 feet in front of him involves going backwards, I'd say it's a bad route.

I think he does look a little hesitant at times, but he's fast enough and athletic enough to be an above average OF.

Did you ever play the OF?

[OFFNY]

That's really all I meant. I'm not saying he's gonna be Mike Trout out there.

SemanticsHangout.com

I'll say it.

He's going to be Mike Trout out there.

[MachoMachadoMan]

After Jimmy Paredes straight up raked for 1/3 of last season before looking like he was swinging a dead fish for the last three months of the season, I'm not going to make any major assessments of Rickard's long-term ability at the plate. He's hot right now and there is probably not much of a book on him. He's taking advantage of it and helping us win games in the present, so I'll ride that train while he's rolling. He's only drawn two walks, but he has shown a good eye at the plate and worked pitchers deep into counts.

Defensively, you can't teach speed or hustle and he certainly has both. He's probably relied on his speed too often throughout his career as an outfielder and that's hurt his development in reading balls off the bat. At worst, he's the outfield equivalent to Flaherty and I'm satisfied with that.