Is Anthony Santander really a bad RF?

[RZNJ]

Seems like everyone says it.   I’ve pretty much accepted it.  However, I’m looking at Fangraphs and his numbers look average to slightly above in every year except 2021 when he had an ankle problem.  In 2022 he was +3 in DRS and 0 in QAA.   For his career he’s +13 (-3 in 2021) in DRS and -3 (-5 in 2021) in QAA.  He’s got a solid and accurate arm.  So why do I feel like others have wrongfully convinced me that he’s a weak spot defensively?

[Pickles]

3 minutes ago, RZNJ said:

Seems like everyone says it.   I’ve pretty much accepted it.  However, I’m looking at Fangraphs and his numbers look average to slightly above in every year except 2021 when he had an ankle problem.  In 2022 he was +3 in DRS and 0 in QAA.   For his career he’s +13 (-3 in 2021) in DRS and -3 (-5 in 2021) in QAA.  He’s got a solid and accurate arm.  So why do I feel like others have wrongfully convinced me that he’s a weak spot defensively?

I think a lot of accepted wisdom, both on this board and in real life, is accepted simply because the loudest voices repeat it over and over again.  That's really all it takes to set a narrative.

Regarding Santander, I'd say he's a pretty average outfielder.  He's probably a bit below average in range, but he does have a nice arm.  He's perfectly suited for RF in Camden.  If he had to play in a spacious park, I'd be more concerned about running him out there everyday.

[elextrano8]

Baseball savant doesn’t seem to like his defense in 2022, at least in terms of OAA (14th percentile) and jump (31st percentile). 2021 and 2019 are very similar, but in 2020 he was pretty good.

 

 

[wildcard]

I have been says for a while that Santander has average range in RF with a good arm.  I think Stowers range will be above average in RF once he gets settled in.  Neither would be good in LF in Camden.

[AnythingO's]

His defense is good enough to keep his bat in the lineup for next year. Next year we need to see what we have in Stowers and Cowser, also how fast Heston, Fabian, Beavers are coming. Santander was pretty healthy in 2022, was that because of his changed offseason regime or because he had about 25% of his ABs at DH to reduce wear and tear? Assuming he and Stowers are each 25% DH in 2023, along with Adley, would be a point against signing a DH type FA.

[Frobby]

Anthony Santander is really a bad RF.

Question is, is he a really bad RF.

I’d say no.   My big gripe is that he’s slow coming in on balls, especially shallow balls towards the RF line.  

[RZNJ]

9 minutes ago, Frobby said:

Anthony Santander is really a bad RF.

Question is, is he a really bad RF.

I’d say no.   My big gripe is that he’s slow coming in on balls, especially shallow balls towards the RF line.  

Ok. Fangraphs has him -11.5 overall on D but his DRS is positive and QAA is neutral.  Where is the negative coming from?

[Roll Tide]

10 minutes ago, Frobby said:

Anthony Santander is really a bad RF.

Question is, is he a really bad RF.

I’d say no.   My big gripe is that he’s slow coming in on balls, especially shallow balls towards the RF line.  

He makes for a fine DH

[MijiT88]

5 minutes ago, Roll Tide said:

He makes for a fine DH

This is why I am against the Abreu signing, I think with cowser coming and Kjerstad not far behind we may be set at DH with Santander, now if we trade RMC thats another story

[wildcard]

33 minutes ago, Roll Tide said:

He makes for a fine DH

Not really.  Santander has a 642 OPS last year as a DH..  His career DH OPS is 704.

[Aristotelian]

10 minutes ago, wildcard said:

Not really.  Santander has a 642 OPS last year as a DH..  His career DH OPS is 704.

In 200 ABs. He also has better hitting stats in LF than RF. I would not assume causality just because there is a correlation.

[wildcard]

11 minutes ago, Aristotelian said:

In 200 ABs. He also has better hitting stats in LF than RF. I would not assume causality just because there is a correlation.

Its cautionary.   Trumbo was a good hitter in the outfield but not as a DH.   Not everyone does well at sit and hit.

Edited November 13, 2022 by wildcard

[Can_of_corn]

3 hours ago, Pickles said:

I think a lot of accepted wisdom, both on this board and in real life, is accepted simply because the loudest voices repeat it over and over again.  That's really all it takes to set a narrative.

Regarding Santander, I'd say he's a pretty average outfielder.  He's probably a bit below average in range, but he does have a nice arm.  He's perfectly suited for RF in Camden.  If he had to play in a spacious park, I'd be more concerned about running him out there everyday.

Hey now, I'm a loud voice and I don't talk about his defense all that much!

 

I think he was pretty darn solid a few years ago but has been in decline since.  I expect that decline to continue since that is the norm for players on defense.

[DrinkinWithFermi]

3 hours ago, RZNJ said:

Seems like everyone says it.   I’ve pretty much accepted it.  However, I’m looking at Fangraphs and his numbers look average to slightly above in every year except 2021 when he had an ankle problem.  In 2022 he was +3 in DRS and 0 in QAA.   For his career he’s +13 (-3 in 2021) in DRS and -3 (-5 in 2021) in QAA.  He’s got a solid and accurate arm.  So why do I feel like others have wrongfully convinced me that he’s a weak spot defensively?

He's pretty slow, which kind of caps his potential defensive value, and that isn't something that is going to improve as he gets older.

[Just Regular]

44 minutes ago, wildcard said:

Not really.  Santander has a 642 OPS last year as a DH..  His career DH OPS is 704.

Chicken and egg, I feel like minimizing the DH Penalty is a little bit of a learned skill for a ballplayer.    Santander's going towards the part of his career it'll be a helpful arrow in his quiver if he can make it.

Even if he is an okay corner outfielder, fair chance in another month or two of play Cowser will join Mullins and Hays as better 2-way options most days.

Seems clear from here '23 Orioles won't play anyone at DH more than a couple times a week, pending a Jose Abreu type acquisition that is inefficient until/unless anything like a Mountcastle + Westburg for Pablo Lopez trade happens.

3B market - I read recently MIA may non-tender Brian Anderson (and DET Jeimer Candelario) as Clubs who might have a little stronger interest for Ramon Urias at MLB minimum.