The defense thread, 2018

[Frobby]

7 minutes ago, LocoChris said:

-Wright had a mental lapse in the first by throwing to second and getting nobody instead of cutting down a run at the place. An implosion followed.

How could I have forgotten that one?   (Well, I wasn’t watching the game at that point, so that’s how.)

[sportsfan8703]

We need to bring JJ Hardy in as a consultant for the infielders. Looks like they have lost focus. 

[interloper]

There have been some miscues so far on regular defensive plays, BUT...

The NY series showed us we're capable of making the incredible play under pressure.

• Givens play at the plate (w/ Caleb) to save the tie game
• Gentry catch last night to save the tie game
• The 1-2-5 DP to preserve the lead

All pretty incredible above-average defensive plays to either keep the team in the game in extra innings, or preserve the lead to win the game. If we miss the occasional ground ball, but continue to make plays like this, I'm pretty content.

[Frobby]

April 10, Game 12

Defense arguably cost us this game.   

- After walking the leadoff hitter in the 8th, Castro uncorked a wild pitch.

- The next batter hit a line single to RF.   The runner was going to hold at 3B, but Santander’s throw was up the line, missed the cutoff man, and Sisco tried to corral it but it bounced off his shin guard and unfortunately rolled into the dugout, allowing the run to score.   Bad throw and Sisco arguably still could have kept in from getting through.  It was scored E-9.

- The next hitter hit a topper that Beckham charged but didn’t glove, for the second error of the inning.   Then, he foolishly picked to ball up and threw to first when he had no chance.   The throw was off line but Davis caught it.   Castro escaped the inning down 1-0.

There were some earlier notable plays:

- With a runner on 1st, Schoop nabbed a grounder up the middle and made a flip to Manny from an awkward angle.    With a runner bearing down on him, Manny did a 360 and threw a low throw to the home plate side of 1B, which Davis couldn’t catch to complete the DP. Weird move by Manny, and although the throw was a bit off line, I think it was catchable by Davis.

- Sisco made an excellent throw on a strike ‘em out, throw ‘em out double play.

- Sisco also made an excellent lunging backhand stab of a pitch Castro banked well inside the LH batter’s box.

I should also mention that Toronto robbed Mancini twice and Travis made a fantastic catch with his back to the infield while barely avoiding an outfield collision.  

[Can_of_corn]

Pillar certainly can go get it.

[webbrick2010]

No defense for Darren O'day pitching in a high leverage situation to any LH hitter with even moderate power

O'day is basically a very very expensive situational right hander

Boy has this team buried itself in bad contracts

[Frobby]

13 minutes ago, webbrick2010 said:

No defense for Darren O'day pitching in a high leverage situation to any LH hitter with even moderate power

O'day is basically a very very expensive situational right hander

Boy has this team buried itself in bad contracts

I strongly disagree.     But in any event, the comment doesn’t belong in this thread, which is about defense.  

[Frobby]

April 11, Game 13

Not a whole lot of notable defense tonight, but here’s a few things.   I was at the game and so I didn’t have the benefit of seeing a lot of replays.

- In the first inning, the O’s were unable to turn a 4-6-3 DP.    I was walking to my seat at the time, so I didn’t get a real good look at it, but it seemed to me that Manny took a little long to transfer the ball from his glove to his throwing hand — not from nonchalance, but he was just a bit slow.    Would be interested to hear opinions on this.

- In the fifth, with runners on first and second, Gausman allowed a soft fly ball that fell in LF for an RBI single.   I was surprised that Mancini couldn’t get to it, as it had a bit of hang time.   

- In the seventh, Manny fielded a ball deep in the hole and threw across his body from the OF grass.   The throw was a perfect strike and beat the runner by a step.    Nobody but Manny makes that throw.   

[Hallas]

14 hours ago, Frobby said:

April 11, Game 13

Not a whole lot of notable defense tonight, but here’s a few things.   I was at the game and so I didn’t have the benefit of seeing a lot of replays.

- In the first inning, the O’s were unable to turn a 4-6-3 DP.    I was walking to my seat at the time, so I didn’t get a real good look at it, but it seemed to me that Manny took a little long to transfer the ball from his glove to his throwing hand — not from nonchalance, but he was just a bit slow.    Would be interested to hear opinions on this.

- In the fifth, with runners on first and second, Gausman allowed a soft fly ball that fell in LF for an RBI single.   I was surprised that Mancini couldn’t get to it, as it had a bit of hang time.   

- In the seventh, Manny fielded a ball deep in the hole and threw across his body from the OF grass.   The throw was a perfect strike and beat the runner by a step.    Nobody but Manny makes that throw.   

The DP in the first inning, I just rewatched it, and the runner ran in front of Schoop and he couldn't charge it.  It wasn't hit hard at all.  Looking at the replay I didn't think Machado was slow making the turn at all.  If anything I felt like Schoop could have either charged a couple steps and fielded it up, or he could have made the transfer a hair faster.  Either way I'm not sure if better defensive players make that play.

[Frobby]

47 minutes ago, Hallas said:

The DP in the first inning, I just rewatched it, and the runner ran in front of Schoop and he couldn't charge it.  It wasn't hit hard at all.  Looking at the replay I didn't think Machado was slow making the turn at all.  If anything I felt like Schoop could have either charged a couple steps and fielded it up, or he could have made the transfer a hair faster.  Either way I'm not sure if better defensive players make that play.

Thanks.   As I said, I was literally walking to my seat when that occurred, so I didn’t really get a good look.   

[esmd]

Manny's play from shallow LF was just frickin sick.  I'm really going to miss watching him do that.  He's incredible.

[Can_of_corn]

7 minutes ago, esmd said:

Manny's play from shallow LF was just frickin sick.  I'm really going to miss watching him do that.  He's incredible.

You can still watch him on the various highlight shows.

[esmd]

30 minutes ago, Can_of_corn said:

You can still watch him on the various highlight shows.

Well of course.  I meant watching him every night in Orange and Black.

[backwardsk]

Thought this would be the best place to put this.

 

Pedro Alvarez taking ground balls at 3rd base #orioles

 

[Frobby]

April 14, Game 15

I couldn’t bear to watch the entire game, so I’ll just report what I know about.   

- In the first inning, Manny made a relay throw home that was wide to the 3B side and hit the runner in the back.   The ball bounced away a bit, allowing the hitter to advance to 3B.   Error charged to Manny.

- In the fourth inning, Benintendi hit a single to RF with runners on 2nd and 3rd.    Santander overthrew the cutoff man and well wide of home.   Benintendi headed for 2B and Sisco tried to catch the throw, but dropped it.    Poor decision by Santander to throw through, poor throw, and poor failure to catch it by Sisco.   I think he took his eye off the ball while anticipating a throw to 2B.

- Two batters later, JD Martinez hit a routine grounder to Manny, who bounced his throw and it got past Davis.    Error on Manny, his second of the day.    I turned my TV off in disgust before they showed a replay, but my impression on the live play was that the bounced throw was playable by Davis and I was surprised he didn’t snag it.

- Mancini made a nice sliding catch and another catch on a ball that caught a gust of wind at the last second where he had to make a nice adjustment to make the catch.  

- Valencia made an error later that I didn’t see.