The defense thread, 2018

[Can_of_corn]

4 minutes ago, webbrick2010 said:

Wow I just realized that they didn't rule that an error. The ball hit in the middle of his glove on the front edge of the warning track and that's not an error? Why do we have official score keepers? This is why traditional defensive stats mean nothing? You take a slow outfielder who barely gets to a ball and then drops it and somehow that is not an error. An average RF'er would have gotten to the spot and waited to catch what was an average fly ball.

Pretty significant contributing reason.

[Frobby]

4 minutes ago, webbrick2010 said:

Wow I just realized that they didn't rule that an error. The ball hit in the middle of his glove on the front edge of the warning track and that's not an error? Why do we have official score keepers? This is why traditional defensive stats mean nothing? You take a slow outfielder who barely gets to a ball and then drops it and somehow that is not an error. An average RF'er would have gotten to the spot and waited to catch what was an average fly ball.

That’s one of the reasons the modern metrics are better than errors and fielding percentage.    That was a somewhat difficult play for Trumbo, and I’m not surprised that it wasn’t scored as an error, even though most outfielders would have made that play.

By the way, even though Trumbo should have caught it, the fact that the ball was that hard-hit was to me an obvious signal that Givens should not have started the inning and should be yanked immediately.   

[Can_of_corn]

2 minutes ago, Frobby said:

That’s one of the reasons the modern metrics are better than errors and fielding percentage.    That was a somewhat difficult play for Trumbo, and I’m not surprised that it wasn’t scored as an error, even though most outfielders would have made that play.

By the way, even though Trumbo should have caught it, the fact that the ball was that hard-hit was to me an obvious signal that Givens should not have started the inning and should be yanked immediately.   

Any idea what the catch probability was on it?

[eddie83]

19 minutes ago, Can_of_corn said:

Any idea what the catch probability was on it?

 I heard today 93%. 

[Frobby]

39 minutes ago, eddie83 said:

 I heard today 93%. 

Just curious, where’d you hear that?    Is there some place one can go to look it up?

[OFFNY]

On 4/7/2018 at 1:47 AM, El Gordo said:

 

https://www.mlb.com/video/orioles-nab-gregorius-at-home/c-1911139383

 

 

 

On 4/7/2018 at 2:49 AM, NashLumber said:

Forever to be known as "The Caleb Flip",  and "The Givens Flop", from now on ........ at least by me. 

 

o

 

(vs. WHITE SOX, 5/23)

 

Pedro Araujo successfully blocking home plate with his balls just now was reminiscent of earlier this season, when Mychal Givens saved the game for the Orioles by blocking home plate with his balls on a wild pitch against the Yankees.

 

Unfortunately, this game is not as close as was that Yankee game.

 

o

[sportsfan8703]

If you’re feilding a lineup of guys with terrible OPSs, they should at least be able to field. We’re hoping to get something for Valencia and Alvarez.  We did trade Jonah Heim for Steve Pearce in 2016.  

Heim is with the A’s now. Still just 23. Doing his C, move up slowly thing. 

https://www.baseball-reference.com/register/player.fcgi?id=heim--000jon

[webbrick2010]

Saw that Manny did his slow release thing again last night and someone beat out an average two hopper to SS.

I really wonder about Manny's baseball IQ. He needs to either play shallower or speed up his release when he knows its a fast baserunner, yet he seems to have the same lack of focus that gets him thrown out at third for the third out multiple times every year

[glenn__davis]

5 hours ago, sportsfan8703 said:

If you’re feilding a lineup of guys with terrible OPSs, they should at least be able to field. We’re hoping to get something for Valencia and Alvarez.  We did trade Jonah Heim for Steve Pearce in 2016.  

Heim is with the A’s now. Still just 23. Doing his C, move up slowly thing. 

https://www.baseball-reference.com/register/player.fcgi?id=heim--000jon

Very slowly, lol.  Looks like he's 3-peating A-ball.

But I agree with your larger point.  If you're going to field a team of guys that can't field they should at least be able to hit.  And vice-versa.

[Just Regular]

As a companion to the Jones's sprint speed was slower than Mancini's observation, anyone want to guess which SS is 39th out of 39 by that metric?

https://baseballsavant.mlb.com/sprint_speed_leaderboard?year=2018&position=6&team=&min=10

Some of Machado's possible buyers, whether this July or this offseason, are absolutely going to want him at 3B, so hopefully he isn't adamant about the SS thing. 

I understand he grew up idolizing A-Rod and probably needs this experience to be able to embrace 3B fullheartedly, but I hope for him he can adult his way to understanding he can and should take a run at the best 3B of all-time.

[webbrick2010]

Why wouldn't Jones go to Buck and say you need to move me out of CF. If he is such a team leader why wouldn't he lead by a simple nonselfish move to RF.

Every night he seems to embarrass himself in CF. Friday it was the dropped ball on the warning track, last night the line drive in front of him that he couldn't get to being the slowest CF'er in the majors that he then booted for an error, and than later the throw to no one in particular to complete his two error inning

Is this what a team leader looks like?

Does the worst team in Orioles history have a leader?

[Frobby]

2 hours ago, webbrick2010 said:

Why wouldn't Jones go to Buck and say you need to move me out of CF. If he is such a team leader why wouldn't he lead by a simple nonselfish move to RF.

Every night he seems to embarrass himself in CF. Friday it was the dropped ball on the warning track, last night the line drive in front of him that he couldn't get to being the slowest CF'er in the majors that he then booted for an error, and than later the throw to no one in particular to complete his two error inning

Is this what a team leader looks like?

Does the worst team in Orioles history have a leader?

That’s not Jones’ responsibility.    It’s on Buck to move him.   But then who plays CF?   Not sure Rickard or Gentry is a solution, and Mullins seems premature.    

[Can_of_corn]

2 hours ago, webbrick2010 said:

Why wouldn't Jones go to Buck and say you need to move me out of CF. If he is such a team leader why wouldn't he lead by a simple nonselfish move to RF.

Every night he seems to embarrass himself in CF. Friday it was the dropped ball on the warning track, last night the line drive in front of him that he couldn't get to being the slowest CF'er in the majors that he then booted for an error, and than later the throw to no one in particular to complete his two error inning

Is this what a team leader looks like?

Does the worst team in Orioles history have a leader?

The '88 team had Cal in the prime of his career, and yet folks are still wanting him to come back and lead the team out of the darkness.

[SteveA]

19 minutes ago, Can_of_corn said:

The '88 team had Cal in the prime of his career, and yet folks are still wanting him to come back and lead the team out of the darkness.

It's a staple of fan boards.   You can't fight it.

When Virginia Tech has had basketball coaching vacancies, dozens of message board fans wanted to bring back some of our previous great players, such as Dell Curry or Bimbo Coles, as head coach, even though neither had ever coached before.   Or they would say Allen Bristow, a great C for the Hokies back in the 70s, who had played, coached, and GMed in the NBA, should be hired, even though he had been retired for years and was about 65.   Or they would pick former VT players who had had a little success a smalltime places like Ron Everhart at Duquesne.

Some of them were disappointed when we hired Buzz Williams, who had led Marquette to the sweet sixteen a couple times.   Around the college basketball world, the hire was considered a home run and now four years in it has worked out very well, our first back to back NCAA Tournament appearances since 85-86.   But he wasn't "one of us" and a lot of fans were disappointed at the time.

[Ohfan67]

52 minutes ago, SteveA said:

It's a staple of fan boards.   You can't fight it.

When Virginia Tech has had basketball coaching vacancies, dozens of message board fans wanted to bring back some of our previous great players, such as Dell Curry or Bimbo Coles, as head coach, even though neither had ever coached before.   Or they would say Allen Bristow, a great C for the Hokies back in the 70s, who had played, coached, and GMed in the NBA, should be hired, even though he had been retired for years and was about 65.   Or they would pick former VT players who had had a little success a smalltime places like Ron Everhart at Duquesne.

Some of them were disappointed when we hired Buzz Williams, who had led Marquette to the sweet sixteen a couple times.   Around the college basketball world, the hire was considered a home run and now four years in it has worked out very well, our first back to back NCAA Tournament appearances since 85-86.   But he wasn't "one of us" and a lot of fans were disappointed at the time.

I think they should fire Buck and appoint former players as the team manager for a week or so at a time. Not the Cal's though. I would start with Joe Orsulak, then move on to say, umm, Jeffrey Hammonds. Next go with Rocky Coppinger. Coppinger would definitely manage against the Yankees. Maybe Strawberry could throw out the first pitch. You get the idea. I would watch a couple of games just to see the manager.