[TheRinger] This Orioles Defense May Be the Worst We’ve Ever Seen

[brooksfrankjim]

This is a great article for those that question defense metrics and analytics.  It tells the story of how bad this team is defensively.  From the entire system, what is our best defensive lineup?

 

1b - 

2b -

ss -

3b - Machado

LF - Stewart ?

CF - Mullins 

RF - 

C - Wynns ?

It is awful that it is damn near impossible to figure out our best defensive team.

[El Gordo]

12 minutes ago, brooksfrankjim said:

This is a great article for those that question defense metrics and analytics.  It tells the story of how bad this team is defensively.  From the entire system, what is our best defensive lineup?

 

1b - 

2b -

ss -

3b - Machado

LF - Stewart ?

CF - Mullins 

RF - 

C - Wynns ?

It is awful that it is damn near impossible to figure out our best defensive team.

1b - Mancini

2b - Wikerson

ss - Beckham

3b - Machado

LF - Stewart 

CF - Mullins 

RF - Gentry

C - Wynns ?

[eddie83]

24 minutes ago, OsFanSinceThe80s said:

This is also why the Orioles go all in on the rule 5 draft.  They don’t have these players in the minors.

Of course. 

[Aristotelian]

Wow, I didn't realize Manny was that bad at SS. Beckham should help some but man, the outfield is pathetic. That video was tough to watch.

[O's are Legends]

2 hours ago, Frobby said:

Has anyone tracked whether Manny’s bad defensive stats have gotten better (or less worse?) as the season has gone on?    In other words, has he been roughly a -7 DRS guy each month, or did he compile a disproportionate amount of his bad numbers early on?     

I don’t know of any way to reconstruct advanced defensive metrics for partial seasons, but here’s a breakdown of his conventional stats:

1st 28 games: 114 chances, 2 errors, 10 DPs.

2nd 28 games: 123 chances, 3 errors, 21 DPs.

3rd 28 games: 106 chances, 2 errors, 16 DPs.

I do think Manny has done a better job on DPs and on tagging would-be base stealers as the season has progressed.    I can’t say his range looks any better.    But I have to admit, I’m not watching much baseball these days, just getting impressions here and there.

 

He should easily have more than 7 errors. Official scorers have been generous to him this season. That and times DP's should have been turned and weren't and thus resulted in fielder choices.

[25 Nuggets]

...and yet Machado insists he won't move off shortstop wherever he goes next.  His ego blinds him.

Maybe after a couple years of data somebody in the majors will help him understand that he belongs at 3B.  Whoever made that call in the Orioles organization looks like a genius right now.

But now... the whole Machado situation is turning into perhaps the biggest gaffe in club history.

[Il BuonO]

12 minutes ago, 25 Nuggets said:

...and yet Machado insists he won't move off shortstop wherever he goes next.  His ego blinds him.

Maybe after a couple years of data somebody in the majors will help him understand that he belongs at 3B.  Whoever made that call in the Orioles organization looks like a genius right now.

But now... the whole Machado situation is turning into perhaps the biggest gaffe in club history.

He may have no choice if traded to a team that needs someone at 3B, but he’s limiting his market next year for sure.

https://www.cbssports.com/mlb/news/orioles-manny-machado-has-no-intention-of-returning-to-third-base-in-free-agency-im-playing-short/amp/

[Can_of_corn]

3 minutes ago, Il BuonO said:

He may have no choice if traded to a team that needs someone at 3B, but he’s limiting his market next year for sure.

https://www.cbssports.com/mlb/news/orioles-manny-machado-has-no-intention-of-returning-to-third-base-in-free-agency-im-playing-short/amp/

Once he sees the offers he's going to change his mind.

[Chavez Ravine]

In my opinion, defense is the most fun part of watching baseball. It obviously takes immense skill to put up a respectable MLB OPS....but that skill is kind of hard to see and relate to. You marvel more at the end result than at the athleticism it took to get there.  Defense, on the other hand, has lots of athleticism on display. Pitching, as well, is way more showy than the batting skill it takes to recognize (in a nanosecond)  that  mediocre change up and crush it to the opposite field. So when your team sucks at defense and pitching it is particularly depressing.

 

[OFFNY]

17 minutes ago, Chavez Ravine said:

 

In my opinion, defense is the most fun part of watching baseball. It obviously takes immense skill to put up a respectable MLB OPS ...... but that skill is kind of hard to see and relate to. You marvel more at the end result than at the athleticism it took to get there. Defense, on the other hand, has lots of athleticism on display. Pitching, as well, is way more showy than the batting skill it takes to recognize (in a nanosecond) that mediocre change-up and crush it to the opposite field. So when your team sucks at defense and pitching, it is particularly depressing.

 

o

 

This reminds me of something that I read a book back in 1989 ...... Say it Ain't So, Joe: The True Story of Shoeless Joe Jackson and the Black Sox,  by Donald Gropman.

 

After Jackson was kicked out of Major League baseball following the 1920 season, he continued to play semi-pro baseball in much lesser leagues. He continued to rake on offense, but that could be written off as him being a big fish in a small pond, due to the pitchers/pitching that he was facing. But Shoeless Joe continued to play amazing defense, also. Defense in baseball, unlike offense, is universal, and it doesn't matter where you are playing and/or who your opponent is. Defense in baseball is simply the ball and the player, and a running/diving catch by an outfielder on a sinking line drive is just as impressive in high school ball or Rookie League ball as it is in the Major Leagues.

 

o

[Moose Milligan]

Save us Cadyn Grenier, you're our only hope.

 

[Uli2001]

5 hours ago, amdcpus said:

People act like Machado's defense isn't that bad. Yes it is, it is absolutely horrific, one of the absolute worst shortstops I have ever seen.

It's looking like someone will be spending 350M on a 1B/DH. I can't fathom what happened to him. He looked for a while like the next Brooks Robinson at 3B. He just isn't interested in playing defense any longer.

[Uli2001]

1 hour ago, Chavez Ravine said:

In my opinion, defense is the most fun part of watching baseball. It obviously takes immense skill to put up a respectable MLB OPS....but that skill is kind of hard to see and relate to. You marvel more at the end result than at the athleticism it took to get there.  Defense, on the other hand, has lots of athleticism on display. Pitching, as well, is way more showy than the batting skill it takes to recognize (in a nanosecond)  that  mediocre change up and crush it to the opposite field. So when your team sucks at defense and pitching it is particularly depressing.

 

I will take a well pitched and defended game over a 10-9 slugfest any day of the week and on Sundays.

[jtschrei]

I think Manny will do just fine when moved back to 3B. The range is the problem at Ss,  correct? 

[atomic]

8 minutes ago, jtschrei said:

I think Manny will do just fine when moved back to 3B. The range is the problem at Ss,  correct? 

Yeah if it isn't hit right at him he can't get to it.  Maybe he has bulked up.  He looks a lot bigger.