Wayne Kirby and the corner outfielders

[gcates9898]

Is it just me, or does anyone else have an issue with the way that Wayne Kirby cheats the corner outfielders into the power alleys? Adam Jones is supposed to be this 'great' centerfielder. If that is right, why does Kirby position the corners so far into the power alleys?

Tonight's 'triple' by Longoria would have been an ordinary fly ball out if Bourn had been playing a normal right field.

I have been an O's fan since '61. To me, the best centerfielder to ever play for the O's has been Paul Blair. Prior to being beaned, Blair was as good or better than Jones offensively. Defensively they don't belong on the same playing field.

So my question remains, if Adam Jones is as good as the O's announcers tell us he is each and every game, why are so many batters getting base hits on the lines because the corner outfielders are cheated in to the power alleys by Wayne Kirby?

[weams]

Is it just me, or does anyone else have an issue with the way that Wayne Kirby cheats the corner outfielders into the power alleys? Adam Jones is supposed to be this 'great' centerfielder. If that is right, why does Kirby position the corners so far into the power alleys?

Tonight's 'triple' by Longoria would have been an ordinary fly ball out if Bourn had been playing a normal right field.

I have been an O's fan since '61. To me, the best centerfielder to ever play for the O's has been Paul Blair. Prior to being beaned, Blair was as good or better than Jones offensively. Defensively they don't belong on the same playing field.

So my question remains, if Adam Jones is as good as the O's announcers tell us he is each and every game, why are so many batters getting base hits on the lines because the corner outfielders are cheated in to the power alleys by Wayne Kirby?

Because the Orioles have had slow corner outfielders. Wayne Kirby is fine. Welcome to the board.

[Aristotelian]

It seems like a six of one half dozen of the other situation. Either way you are giving up ground. Still, I don't remember them positioned this way in past years. The current philosophy can't be helping much because our defensive numbers are terrible.

[weams]

It seems like a six of one half dozen of the other situation. Either way you are giving up ground. Still, I don't remember them positioned this way in past years. The current philosophy can't be helping much because our defensive numbers are terrible.

Errors? Or the esoterica?

[Aristotelian]

Errors? Or the esoterica?

UZR/150:

Kim -22.5

Trumbo -13.3

Rickard -19.9

Reimold -6.4

If the positioning is helping...that is truly sad.

[jabba72]

Its probably a computer telling Kirby where to position the corner OF's based on pitch counts.

[gcates9898]

I don't buy that response. When Joey Rickard was in the game early this year, no one would have called him slow, yet I witnessed game after game how he was positioned into the power alley. Since being acquired because of his speed, I don't think anyone would call Michael Bourn slow.

Kirby on the other hand does not seem to take into account the speed of some of his corners.

I call foul on your response.

[Can_of_corn]

I don't buy that response. When Joey Rickard was in the game early this year, no one would have called him slow, yet I witnessed game after game how he was positioned into the power alley. Since being acquired because of his speed, I don't think anyone would call Michael Bourn slow.

Kirby on the other hand does not seem to take into account the speed of some of his corners.

I call foul on your response.

Interesting way to introduce yourself to the board.

[jabba72]

I dont think Kirby is doing this on his own put it that way. Its likely Buck's preference.

[Drifter]

The defensive set up is also a by-product of how the pitchers are handling plate coverage. Ergo, it's the pitchers fault.

[thezeroes]

If Bourne does not leave his feet then the Longoria hit would have been a double. Most, if not all balls historically hit into the corner of right field are doubles whether a fielder is pinched to the middle or not. The triple was on Bourne.

[thezeroes]

UZR/150:

Kim -22.5

Trumbo -13.3

Rickard -19.9

Reimold -6.4

If the positioning is helping...that is truly sad.

UZR splits the field into "ZONES". Outfield zones are started with straight away left (7), straight away center (8), and straight away right (9). Uzr does not take into account that the Orioles trend to start their Left and Right Fielders at (78)and (98) which skews all the data formulated. Teams that shift a lot skew the data and have as of yet NOT been accounted for hence the Orioles trend to a negative UZR 150.

[weams]

The defensive set up is also a by-product of how the pitchers are handling plate coverage. Ergo, it's the pitchers fault.

It's obvious that all the Orioles outfielders this season other than Jones, Bourn and Stubbs are poor.

[Larry18]

UZR splits the field into "ZONES". Outfield zones are started with straight away left (7), straight away center (8), and straight away right (9). Uzr does not take into account that the Orioles trend to start their Left and Right Fielders at (78)and (98) which skews all the data formulated. Teams that shift a lot skew the data and have as of yet NOT been accounted for hence the Orioles trend to a negative UZR 150.

If BIS determines that a team is using a shift,UZR doesn't use that play for UZR. Only team UZR is impacted by shifting.

[weams]

If BIS determines that a team is using a shift,UZR doesn't use that play for UZR. Only team UZR is impacted by shifting.

Kim tries hard, but plays balls in front of him mostly. Rickard gets weird jumps and runs inefficient routes. Maybe because of inexperience.