The defense thread, 2020

[Just Regular]

2020 Outs Above Average is now out on Savant.  I am literally just spotting the minute I have errands, but at a glance Mullins leads and Valaika lags.

https://baseballsavant.mlb.com/leaderboard/outs_above_average?type=Fielder&year=2020&team=BAL&range=year&min=q&pos=&roles=&viz=show

MLB-wide it also has Luis Robert an out ahead of Arenado the best defensive player YTD.

[Can_of_corn]

Not sure where else to put this so I decided on here.

Markakis gifting the Orioles a run with his very poor outfield defense.

Not sure how that isn't an error, that was a routine fly ball that Nick put into the seats.

https://bdata-producedclips.mlb.com/f24de067-7e98-46a1-b748-7f6bb166a13f.mp4

[CallMeBrooksie]

20 minutes ago, Can_of_corn said:

Not sure where else to put this so I decided on here.

Markakis gifting the Orioles a run with his very poor outfield defense.

Not sure how that isn't an error, that was a routine fly ball that Nick put into the seats.

https://bdata-producedclips.mlb.com/f24de067-7e98-46a1-b748-7f6bb166a13f.mp4

I just learned that the infamous Canseco head-bounce home run was officially score a home run. Wild

[Can_of_corn]

Just now, CallMeBrooksie said:

I just learned that the infamous Canseco head-bounce home run was officially score a home run. Wild

The official scorer would probably hear about it from the hitter if he "took" a HR away from them.

[CallMeBrooksie]

3 minutes ago, Can_of_corn said:

The official scorer would probably hear about it from the hitter if he "took" a HR away from them.

No one crosses Pat Valaika and lives to tell the tale...

[Frobby]

1 hour ago, Can_of_corn said:

Not sure where else to put this so I decided on here.

Markakis gifting the Orioles a run with his very poor outfield defense.

Not sure how that isn't an error, that was a routine fly ball that Nick put into the seats.

https://bdata-producedclips.mlb.com/f24de067-7e98-46a1-b748-7f6bb166a13f.mp4

I don’t think those plays are ever scored as errors.    That said, it certainly was a poor play by Nick.   Glad for him that it didn’t make any difference in the outcome.   

While on the topic of last night’s game, the O’s made two outstanding plays.    In the 6th, Velasquez reached for a ball in the hole and it ticked off his glove and into the air.    Ruiz, who also had been headed towards the ball, grabbed it barehanded while facing towards the outfield and did a 180 degree pivot and fired all in one motion, nabbing the runner.    
https://www.mlb.com/orioles/video/rio-ruiz-s-slick-defensive-play-091420?t=top-defensive-plays

Mullins closed the game with a full layout diving catch in LCF, his second outstanding diving catch in the last two games.   
Scroll to 0:35 mark:https://www.mlb.com/orioles/video/daily-dash-9-14-20?t=top-defensive-plays

[86this]

4 minutes ago, Frobby said:

While on the topic of last night’s game, the O’s made two outstanding plays.    In the 6th, Velasquez reached for a ball in the hole and it ticked off his glove and into the air.    Ruiz, who also had been headed towards the ball, grabbed it barehanded while facing towards the outfield and did a 180 degree pivot and fired all in one motion, nabbing the runner.    

I'm surprised that there aren't more similar plays to this.  Especially when for example, the 2nd baseman is fielding a ball to their right taking their momentum in that direction that they don't flip the ball to the SS to throw to first.  Kind of like a 4-6-3 DP but for just a single out.

[Just Regular]

LF Hays made a nice catch for Zimmerman.

In Game 1 Mountcastle could not quite get an early count foul pop by Meadows in a PA that I think ended up a 10 pitch walk.  I don’t think OAA reads that foul ball but it did seem like one some LF could get.  Long way but also big hang time.

[Just Regular]

Orioles team standing within MLB at Outfield Outs Above Average - last 4 years:

28th, 29th, 28th.....ytd 12th!

[jabba72]

Mullins 11th in all of MLB in Outs Above Average. Looks like he's 5th among CF. DJ Stewart is 2 OAA. https://baseballsavant.mlb.com/leaderboard/outs_above_average?type=Fielder&year=2020&team=&range=year&min=q&pos=&roles=&viz=show

 

[HowAboutThat]

8 hours ago, OrioleDog said:

LF Hays made a nice catch for Zimmerman.

In Game 1 Mountcastle could not quite get an early count foul pop by Meadows in a PA that I think ended up a 10 pitch walk.  I don’t think OAA reads that foul ball but it did seem like one some LF could get.  Long way but also big hang time.

I saw that play and it was embarrassing. I was listening to the Tampa Bay broadcast at the time, and they went on and on about how he just gave up on the ball a few steps before it dropped. I’m surprised he wasn’t given an error.

[Just Regular]

I'd touted the OF OAA rising up to middle class after years of cellar dwelling, but the IF side of the coin the results are 30th out of 30, and it isn't particularly close:

https://baseballsavant.mlb.com/leaderboard/outs_above_average?type=Fielding_Team&year=2020&team=&range=year&min=q&pos=if&roles=&viz=show

The Rays are next to last here, which to over-read into it could be another organization's take on the declining importance of IF defense.

In the 2020 Orioles case, it isn't anything I'm really concerned with long-term - Jose Iglesias never had his legs this year.   "SS" Valaika owns -5 of the team's -12, and some ballplayer has to man the position in Iglesias's absence.  Unless Ruiz or Alberto play at the top of their ranges the next couple years, I don't really expect any of this year's IF personnel to have big (or even medium?) roles on the Next Good Team.

[Frobby]

1 hour ago, OrioleDog said:

I'd touted the OF OAA rising up to middle class after years of cellar dwelling, but the IF side of the coin the results are 30th out of 30, and it isn't particularly close:

https://baseballsavant.mlb.com/leaderboard/outs_above_average?type=Fielding_Team&year=2020&team=&range=year&min=q&pos=if&roles=&viz=show

The Rays are next to last here, which to over-read into it could be another organization's take on the declining importance of IF defense.

In the 2020 Orioles case, it isn't anything I'm really concerned with long-term - Jose Iglesias never had his legs this year.   "SS" Valaika owns -5 of the team's -12, and some ballplayer has to man the position in Iglesias's absence.  Unless Ruiz or Alberto play at the top of their ranges the next couple years, I don't really expect any of this year's IF personnel to have big (or even medium?) roles on the Next Good Team.

The guy who has disappointed me this year is Alberto.   Last year his numbers at 2B were plus, and he generally came here with a good defensive rep.   But he’s drawing negative ratings this year.  

Ruiz is a guy who fluctuates wildly depending on what advanced metric you like.   My observation is he makes a fair number of above average plays, but also botches some routine ones.  

Fully agree that our defensive numbers would look better if Iglesias had been fully healthy all year.   He’s missed a lot of games and isn’t playing at full speed at other times.     Valaika is a real adventure when he plays SS.   

[Just Regular]

I'm legitimately intrigued to see what kind of run prevention unit the Early 2021 Orioles could be if the Mullins-led OF holds, we get real Iglesias back, and a rotation like Means/Akin/Kremer/Baumann/XXXX by May.   Mindfully whistling past the Baumann arm strain graveyard there.   

Stewart's earned the rest of Mancini's convalescence I guess to show us where on the Jim Traber-Joc Pederson spectrum he ultimately ends up.  Of course I hope he stars for us but by next June I'd have to today forecast he's odd man out of a LF Diaz, CF Hays, RF Santander, 1B/DH Mancini/Mountcastle first string, where Mullins tries to keep up the Gold Glove production in part-time play thing.  (I guess I might have just non-tendered Renato Villar-style there).

Then by later in the summer the faster mover of Hall and Rodriguez joins the roster with Rutschman to make closing arguments to Francisco Lindor and his cohort that here is a place you should come spend your late prime.   With the Verlander TJ putting another nail in the Luhnow Astros coffin, I'm almost ready to make July 2 pre-arrangement jokes about Correa being the one Elias picks.  They'll perhaps look to move him next summer if the wheels come off the Houston cart as much as I think they may.

[OFFNY]

o

 

(vs. RED SOX, 9/24)

 

The Oriole defense has turned 3 Double Plays in the first 6 Innings so far tonight for Alex Cobb.

 

o