The Defense Thread, 2019

[Frobby]

I think defense is going to be extra important this year, so I hope everyone will chime in here on a regular basis.

Game 1, March 28

I didn’t see today’s game, but the O’s turned three double plays.   Two were pretty orthodox 6-4-3 and 5-4-3 jobs.    The third was a weird one somebody will have to describe better than I can.   Basically, Sucre dropped a pop up but the infield fly rule had been called.   Luke Voigt tried to advance to third but got caught in a rundown and was tagged out.  

Joey Rickard made a diving catch in RF and Dwight Smith reportedly made a nice catch at the fence in LF.

Anyone who saw the game, please feel free to elaborate.  

[Can_of_corn]

1 minute ago, Frobby said:

I think defense is going to be extra important this year, so I hope everyone will chime in here on a regular basis.

Game 1, March 28

I didn’t see today’s game, but the O’s turned three double plays.   Two were pretty orthodox 6-4-3 and 5-4-3 jobs.    The third was a weird one somebody will have to describe better than I can.   Basically, Sucre dropped a pop up but the infield fly rule had been called.   Luke Voigt tried to advance to third but got caught in a rundown and was tagged out.  

Joey Rickard made a diving catch in RF and Dwight Smith reportedly made a nice catch at the fence in LF.

Anyone who saw the game, please feel free to elaborate.  

I posted video of the one in the game thread.

[atomic]

5 minutes ago, Frobby said:

I think defense is going to be extra important this year, so I hope everyone will chime in here on a regular basis.

Game 1, March 28

I didn’t see today’s game, but the O’s turned three double plays.   Two were pretty orthodox 6-4-3 and 5-4-3 jobs.    The third was a weird one somebody will have to describe better than I can.   Basically, Sucre dropped a pop up but the infield fly rule had been called.   Luke Voigt tried to advance to third but got caught in a rundown and was tagged out.  

 Joey Rickard made a diving catch in RF and Dwight Smith reportedly made a nice catch at the fence in LF.

Anyone who saw the game, please feel free to elaborate.  

Rickard made a good play.  But he also let a runner advance to third with a weak throw. 

[Moose Milligan]

Also, Villar cut in front of Martin, interrupting what should have been an out.  The ball was to the SS side of 2nd base, it was Martin's ball, not sure why Villar did that, they almost collided.  Villar couldn't come up with it on the backhand, the runner reached.

I'd chalk that up to two guys getting used to playing next to each other and a lack of communication.  With Martin/Villar out there, I think the defense should be good at SS/2B.  

[Legend_Of_Joey]

Sucre had a passed ball along with that weird pop up double play.

Not his best game, given his reputation as a good defender.

[ChuckS]

24 minutes ago, Legend_Of_Joey said:

Sucre had a passed ball along with that weird pop up double play.

Not his best game, given his reputation as a good defender.

Third baseman or first baseman should call the catcher off in that situation.  I don't like the catcher trying to catch infield pop ups in the middle of the diamond.  Too much can go wrong. 

[Moose Milligan]

4 minutes ago, ChuckS said:

Third baseman or first baseman should call the catcher off in that situation.  I don't like the catcher trying to catch infield pop ups in the middle of the diamond.  Too much can go wrong. 

I agree with this, it looked suspect from the start, he was looking up and stumbling around some.   Not a good day for Sucre behind the plate.

[OsFanSinceThe80s]

3 minutes ago, Moose Milligan said:

I agree with this, it looked suspect from the start, he was looking up and stumbling around some.   Not a good day for Sucre behind the plate.

I thought Sucre is supposed to be good behind the plate. He wasn’t so sweet today.

 

[foxfield]

Perhaps I wasn’t paying attention. But the pop up was within 10 ft of home plate. I agree Sucre should have caught it. But I don’t think anyone else should or could have been involved. 

[Moose Milligan]

17 minutes ago, foxfield said:

Perhaps I wasn’t paying attention. But the pop up was within 10 ft of home plate. I agree Sucre should have caught it. But I don’t think anyone else should or could have been involved. 

I think it's an easier play for the third baseman coming in rather than the catcher having to get out from under the ball and trying to find an angle.  

[Cumberbundy]

The arms in the out field need more spin rate.

 

[Number5]

27 minutes ago, Cy Bundy said:

The arms in the out field need more spin rate.

 

 

[sevastras]

3 hours ago, Frobby said:

I think defense is going to be extra important this year, so I hope everyone will chime in here on a regular basis.

Game 1, March 28

I didn’t see today’s game, but the O’s turned three double plays.   Two were pretty orthodox 6-4-3 and 5-4-3 jobs.    The third was a weird one somebody will have to describe better than I can.   Basically, Sucre dropped a pop up but the infield fly rule had been called.   Luke Voigt tried to advance to third but got caught in a rundown and was tagged out.  

Joey Rickard made a diving catch in RF and Dwight Smith reportedly made a nice catch at the fence in LF.

Anyone who saw the game, please feel free to elaborate.  

Although orthodox in the stats, the two 6-4-3 and 5-4-3 were pretty decent.  Not amazing, but not ho hum.  Rickards diving play was pretty good, DSjr catch at the fence was nothing really.  He jumped a little leaning against the wall but not like he was on a dead run or climbed the wall.

3 hours ago, atomic said:

Rickard made a good play.  But he also let a runner advance to third with a weak throw. 

Yes, on both.

2 hours ago, Moose Milligan said:

Also, Villar cut in front of Martin, interrupting what should have been an out.  The ball was to the SS side of 2nd base, it was Martin's ball, not sure why Villar did that, they almost collided.  Villar couldn't come up with it on the backhand, the runner reached.

I'd chalk that up to two guys getting used to playing next to each other and a lack of communication.  With Martin/Villar out there, I think the defense should be good at SS/2B.  

It was barely to the SS side and was a tough play either way.  I agree that Martin should have taken it but it wasnt like it was Manny or Schoop out there.  If it were either of those two, they would have scooped it up and gunned him down.

2 hours ago, ChuckS said:

Third baseman or first baseman should call the catcher off in that situation.  I don't like the catcher trying to catch infield pop ups in the middle of the diamond.  Too much can go wrong. 

I dont think anyone was in a better position than Sucre.  It is true that the third baseman should have been there, but should we really complain too much that he dropped an automatic out and it turned into a double play?  Kurkjian commented that every infield fly should be dropped to catch the runners being stupid.  Really, there is nothing to lose unless they throw it away after the automatic out.

 

Another note. Everyone hopes Davis gets released(my vote) or retires(not going to happen) but I felt that even though he didnt do anything, he looked pretty good at the plate.  He didnt look lost, and his first strike out was BS.  He went 3-0 and the next two strikes he clearly watched them go out of the strike zone and got crappy calls on them.  He was fooled on his swinging strike three but the rest of the at bat looked good.  I dont remember his second at bat as well, but feel as though he looked good at the beginning of it.

[eddie83]

7 hours ago, Moose Milligan said:

I think it's an easier play for the third baseman coming in rather than the catcher having to get out from under the ball and trying to find an angle.  

In general I agree but Ruiz would have to go about 90 feet to make that play. Most pop ups caught by corner players in infield are around pitchers mound. That is a real long run for him near home plate.  

[mdbdotcom]

8 hours ago, Moose Milligan said:

I think it's an easier play for the third baseman coming in rather than the catcher having to get out from under the ball and trying to find an angle.  

Don't know about on MASN, but on the ESPN feed you could clearly hear Sucre screaming, "I got it. I got it." He called off everyone early. And by not catching the ball he started a double play, so that worked out well.