Double plays

[Frobby]

So far the O’s have turned 18 double plays in 16 games.   Last year they only turned 101 all year.   I feel like the execution has been really smooth this year.   I’m not sure I’ve seen a potential DP that should have been turned, but wasn’t.   Last year that was a daily event.   Mateo in particular has looked very slick on DPs this year compared to last.  

[wildcard]

Mateo, Urias, Odor and Guttierrez have all been very good at making double plays.

[interloper]

While I don't think Odor is as good as advertised defensively, he is admittedly very steady at turning the double play. Which has been pretty huge. Mateo in particular has impressed as well. 

[Frobby]

Five DP’s tonight, tying an Orioles record and one short of the AL record.   That’s 30 DP’s in 25 games.  Last year they had 101 all year, last in the AL.

[Hazmat]

17 minutes ago, Frobby said:

Five DP’s tonight, tying an Orioles record and one short of the AL record.   That’s 30 DP’s in 25 games.  Last year they had 101 all year, last in the AL.

Interesting.  Do you happen to know if DP’s are up league-wide?  Wondering if the softer ball is a contributing factor.

[Frobby]

25 minutes ago, Hazmat said:

Interesting.  Do you happen to know if DP’s are up league-wide?  Wondering if the softer ball is a contributing factor.

Very slightly up.  0.79 per game last year, 0.82 this year.  O’s were 0.62 last year; they’re at 1.20 this year.  Obviously, still a small sample.  But they’ve looked much sharper this year on the DP turn.  

[Aristotelian]

Best defensive game I've seen them play this year. In addition to all the double plays, Tate also made a nice play on a tough ball to the third base side. 

[Jagwar]

What is the team's ground ball percentage relative to last year? Any tick up there?

[AlbNYfan]

Mateo is pretty solid at shortstop IMO, with solid mechanics....throws, footwork, no flash just well coached. His overhead the head catch and throw to first last night was as good as it gets. He had to be thinking the guy was going to be way off base while going after the ball. Might have had six dp's...Odor kind of ole'd that hard hit ball in the 4th.

[Frobby]

1 hour ago, Jagwar said:

What is the team's ground ball percentage relative to last year? Any tick up there?

Yes, a significant one.  39.7% last year, 30th in the majors; 45.1% this year, 9th in the majors.   So there clearly have been more DP opportunities.   Still, I think the conversion rate this year is much better.  

Fangraphs has a stat “DPR” that as I understand it measures the runs prevented or lost by being above or below average at turning the DP opportunities.   Last year the O’s were -4.4, 26th in MLB; this year +1.2 so far, 2nd best in MLB.

So, we’re getting more chances, and doing more with them.  
 

[Frobby]

27 minutes ago, AlbNYfan said:

Mateo is pretty solid at shortstop IMO, with solid mechanics....throws, footwork, no flash just well coached. His overhead the head catch and throw to first last night was as good as it gets. He had to be thinking the guy was going to be way off base while going after the ball. Might have had six dp's...Odor kind of ole'd that hard hit ball in the 4th.

Agreed on Mateo’s defense this year, that play last night, and Odor’s matador ball.   I do think Odor is good at both starting and turning DP’s.   

[Jagwar]

11 hours ago, Frobby said:

Yes, a significant one.  39.7% last year, 30th in the majors; 45.1% this year, 9th in the majors.   So there clearly have been more DP opportunities.   Still, I think the conversion rate this year is much better.  

Fangraphs has a stat “DPR” that as I understand it measures the runs prevented or lost by being above or below average at turning the DP opportunities.   Last year the O’s were -4.4, 26th in MLB; this year +1.2 so far, 2nd best in MLB.

So, we’re getting more chances, and doing more with them.  
 

Thanks Frobby, for doing the stat search that I was too lazy to do. 

[Just Regular]

Medium nice one in the 8th inning of a 3-3 game that on a gut level I feel might not have been turned last year.

[Spy Fox]

Two in the first two innings tonight, including an impressive 6-3 double play by Mateo, with a jump throw while moving away from 1b. 

[Frobby]

14 minutes ago, Spy Fox said:

Two in the first two innings tonight, including an impressive 6-3 double play by Mateo, with a jump throw while moving away from 1b. 

Great play by Mateo.  He’s got a terrific arm.