The defense thread, 2018

[Il BuonO]

Just now, eddie83 said:

You are really going to rip on a guy who literally has not played a competitive game of baseball in 4 weeks? 

They have rehab assignments for a reason.

Yes, they do. It’s so you can be ready in an actual game. And I’m not ripping him. I complimented him, but his play tonight was bad. That’s accurate. 

[eddie83]

1 minute ago, Il BuonO said:

Yes, they do. It’s so you can be ready in an actual game. And I’m not ripping him. I complimented him, but his play tonight was bad. That’s accurate. 

What rehab games did he play in? 

[Legend_Of_Joey]

4 minutes ago, Il BuonO said:

Nunez was awful but Wilkerson just needs time? Got it. 

Seriously, I remember him making a few spectacular plays before the injury. I just don’t like making excuses for guys. I’m more prone to give guys some slack after not seeing ML pitching. He had time defensively in rehab games. 

From my understanding, he never got a rehab game for the hamstring, as all the affiliates were done. 

[OFFNY]

1 hour ago, OFFNY said:

o

 

(vs. BLUE JAYS, 9/18)

 

Steve Wilkerson single-handedly sunk Bundy and company in the 7th inning.

First, he flubbed an inning-ending double play by double-clutching AND throwing the ball low to the 2nd baseman.

Then on a routine ground ball which would have ALSO ended the inning, he threw the ball in the dirt, which allowed 2 runs to score.

 

o

 

 

46 minutes ago, Legend_Of_Joey said:

 

First game in over a month.

 

o

 

After his first miscue on the failed double play ball, he had a chance to redeem himself later in the same inning on a routine grounder, and he choked.

 

o

[Cumberbundy]

Wilkerson may have had money on the Jays.

[Legend_Of_Joey]

21 minutes ago, Il BuonO said:

Nunez was awful but Wilkerson just needs time? Got it. 

Seriously, I remember him making a few spectacular plays before the injury. I just don’t like making excuses for guys. I’m more prone to give guys some slack after not seeing ML pitching. He had time defensively in rehab games. 

My thoughts on Nunez were based on his play in both Norfolk and in other organizations (aka: his track record.) His defense has gotten better since coming to Baltimore. That didn't happen instantly, it... took time.

Now, if he plays the rest of the season and commits 4 more errors...

[weams]

 

[Ohfan67]

10 hours ago, Il BuonO said:

 

Are you two publicists for Wilkerson?

I’m not a Wilkerson fan. But that looked like a ball that a good first baseman gets. 

[OFFNY]

On 9/18/2018 at 9:22 PM, OFFNY said:

o

 

(vs. BLUE JAYS, 9/18)

 

Steve Wilkerson single-handedly sunk Bundy and company in the 7th inning.

First, he flubbed an inning-ending double play by double-clutching AND throwing the ball low to the 2nd baseman.

Then on a routine ground ball which would have ALSO ended the inning, he threw the ball in the dirt, which allowed 2 runs to score.

 

o

o

 

(vs. BLUE JAYS, 9/19)

 

The very next day ........

With the Orioles clinging to a 1-0 lead in the top of the 4th inning, the Blue Jays loaded the bases with nobody out. Adam Jones caught a medium-range fly ball, and threw out the runner that was attempting to score from 3rd base with a one-hop throw to Robert Austin Wynns. Wynns made a hell of a sweep tag after retrieving the throw up the 1st baseline, and suddenly a potential huge inning looked very bright for the Orioles. 

After hitting the next batter with a pitch, Jimmy Yacabonis completed his 4-shutout inning day by inducing Aledmys Diaz Serrano to fly out to end the inning.

 

o

[OFFNY]

On 9/18/2018 at 9:22 PM, OFFNY said:

o

 

(vs. BLUE JAYS, 9/18)

 

Steve Wilkerson single-handedly sunk Bundy and company in the 7th inning.

First, he flubbed an inning-ending double play by double-clutching AND throwing the ball low to the 2nd baseman.

Then on a routine ground ball which would have ALSO ended the inning, he threw the ball in the dirt, which allowed 2 runs to score.

 

o

o

 

Wilkerson just made an outstanding defensive play in the bottom of the 7th inning to keep the game with the Yankees tied at 2 apiece.

With a runner on 3rd base and only one out, Wilkerson fielded a ground ball and threw a strike to Caleb Joseph to nail the base-runner at home plate ........ it was not an easy angle to make the throw (with the base-runner sprinting down the line in between Wilkerson and the catcher), and Wilkerson had little room to work with.

 

o

[OFFNY]

8 minutes ago, OFFNY said:

o

 

Wilkerson just made an outstanding defensive play in the bottom of the 7th inning to keep the game with the Yankees tied at 2 apiece.

With a runner on 3rd base and only one out, Wilkerson fielded a ground ball and threw a strike to Caleb Joseph to nail the base-runner at home plate ........ it was not an easy angle to make the throw (with the base-runner sprinting down the line in between Wilkerson and the catcher), and Wilkerson had little room to work with.

 

o

o

 

And in the very next inning, he made a great snare on a line drive to lead off the bottom of the 8th ........ this game has been the antithesis of what he did 4 days ago, when he single-handedly threw the game away with 2 miscues in the same inning against the Blue Jays.

 

o

[Frobby]

16 hours ago, OFFNY said:

o

 

And in the very next inning, he made a great snare on a line drive to lead off the bottom of the 8th ........ this game has been the antithesis of what he did 4 days ago, when he single-handedly threw the game away with 2 miscues in the same inning against the Blue Jays.

 

o

I read he was thrown out twice at the plate.    Ill advised attempts to score, or just luck of the draw on bang-bang plays?

[mdbdotcom]

3 minutes ago, Frobby said:

I read he was thrown out twice at the plate.    Ill advised attempts to score, or just luck of the draw on bang-bang plays?

He was sent by Dickerson both times. The first time Torres had to make a perfect throw from right field after backing up a throwing error. He did.

The second time he was running on Judge, which was a risky at best call by Dickerson. He would have scored, but Sanchez blocked the plate and in the slide his trailing foot got caught up on Sanchez' shin guard. His leading foot was in the air because it had to go over Sanchez.

It was a very good game, and the first time I've watched an entire game in months.

[Legend_Of_Joey]

9 minutes ago, Frobby said:

I read he was thrown out twice at the plate.    Ill advised attempts to score, or just luck of the draw on bang-bang plays?

 

2 minutes ago, mdbdotcom said:

The second time he was running on Judge, which was a risky at best call by Dickerson. He would have scored, but Sanchez blocked the plate and in the slide his trailing foot got caught up on Sanchez' shin guard. His leading foot was in the air because it had to go over Sanchez.

It was a very good game, and the first time I've watched an entire game in months.

Especially how shallow the ball was. Judge got to it closer to the infield than where the second baseman would be on a shift.

[mdbdotcom]

1 minute ago, Legend_Of_Joey said:

 

Especially how shallow the ball was. Judge got to it closer to the infield than where the second baseman would be on a shift.

I suspect that in both cases Dickerson wanted to test Wilkerson's limits. Don't know what you've got until you try.