2023 Defense Thread

[AlbNYfan]

44 minutes ago, O's84 said:

From what I've seen (from his time in the majors) he doesn't seem to read the ball well off the bat. 

Off his bat?? He is having trouble seeing the ball when at bat too. Sorry, I am not in a big fan of on the job training during a pennant race. He may end up being a decent ML player, but work on it next year. I never thought I'd say this, but I'd rather have McKenna out there than Cowser.

[Baltimorecuse]

The best thing O-fer Cowser has done since he's been here was to get out of Hayes' way.

[gtman55]

Cowser is much more raw and less talented than guys like Rutschman and Henderson were when they were brought up. At the plate he does have a good eye, but right now he has no other skill set as an MLB batter. But, I know he has potential.

In the outfield though he's shown nothing. I've never seen a guy with such poor footwork. How could he not know to position himself to get momentum behind his throws? That's a head scratcher. Maybe he can be coached up but I don't want on the job training on a team in the middle of a pennant race. Honestly I think Stowers looked better in the field than Cowser.

Bring up Kjerstad.

[O's84]

1 hour ago, AlbNYfan said:

Off his bat?? He is having trouble seeing the ball when at bat too. Sorry, I am not in a big fan of on the job training during a pennant race. He may end up being a decent ML player, but work on it next year. I never thought I'd say this, but I'd rather have McKenna out there than Cowser.

I was responding to a post exclusively about his defense.

[Bahama O's Fan]

Gunnar made quite a few good plays last night and Mateo made a nice back hand catch and flip to 2b in the first inning

[glenn__davis]

Cowser was shaded way towards RF due to Bautista's velocity and Merrifield's ability to go the other way.  Hays mentioned it in the post-game and you could see it in the replay as well.  

[TommyPickles]

According to Defensive Runs Saved on Fielding Bible, the best defender this season on our team is:

1. Austin Hays (5)

2. Ramon Urias (4)

3. Jorge Mateo (3)

[Aristotelian]

Orioles team OAA has improved lately. For the season we are up to #19 in MLB at -8 (tied with Angels). There is a pretty tight cluster from 19-27 (White Sox and A's at the bottom at -13). This group includes the Mets, but eye test during this series says we are in much different places defensively.

After a rough start, we were #7 in June, #20 in July, and currently #1 in the earlygoing of August. Westburg at +4 is tied with Mullins for first on the team, so he has made a nice difference. Gunnar, Mateo, and O'Hearn are also positive for the year, while Frazier shockingly is -13 (Last year he was +6 for the Mariners). 

Could be noise, but there are at least some indicators we are in a better place defensively as we look ahead to the playoffs than we were in April and May, although it is going to be a while before the overall numbers catch up. 

[Mooreisbetter27]

2 hours ago, Aristotelian said:

Orioles team OAA has improved lately. For the season we are up to #19 in MLB at -8 (tied with Angels). There is a pretty tight cluster from 19-27 (White Sox and A's at the bottom at -13). This group includes the Mets, but eye test during this series says we are in much different places defensively.

After a rough start, we were #7 in June, #20 in July, and currently #1 in the earlygoing of August. Westburg at +4 is tied with Mullins for first on the team, so he has made a nice difference. Gunnar, Mateo, and O'Hearn are also positive for the year, while Frazier shockingly is -13 (Last year he was +6 for the Mariners). 

Could be noise, but there are at least some indicators we are in a better place defensively as we look ahead to the playoffs than we were in April and May, although it is going to be a while before the overall numbers catch up. 

Yeah it definitely seems like we re moving in the opposite direction of the Mets. That grounder by ADLEY to right center was an easy double because of the center fielder loafing.

[Frobby]

Game 125, August 23

ThIs thread has been underutilized the last few months, but I can’t let tonight pass without comment.  

Ramon Urias made two outstanding diving plays at 3B tonight, both times throwing out the batter by an eyelash.  

Cedric Mullins made a nice jumping catch at the wall to save a home run in the 8th, about the 3rd or 4th HR robbery for him just since returning off the IL, and maybe the 5th or 6th great play.  It wasn’t as amazing as the one in Seattle, but he made this look absolutely routine.

Ryan O’Hearn made a diving stop of a hard smash right on the foul line and slapped 1B for the out.  Very similar to a diving stab of a low line drive down the line that Ryan Mountcastle made yesterday and turned into a double play.

That’s four outstanding plays tonight, while Toronto was committing errors and playing poor defense all over the field.  

The advanced metrics are all over the place, but my eye test says the team is playing great defense of late.  
 

[Frobby]

9/22

The defense was just atrocious tonight.  Santander slipped and let a line drive right at him get past him for 2 bases.  Gunnar booted a grounder right at him.  Westburg stopped a hard grounder, then couldn’t pick it up.  Urias booted a chopper right at him.   And then Mullins took that last double off the wall, turned to throw, and….dropped the ball.  Just a terrible game defensively.  

I will say that Santander also made a couple of nice catches, and the one he missed was because he slipped. 
 

[Hank Scorpio]

Just now, Frobby said:

9/22

The defense was just atrocious tonight.  Santander slipped and let a line drive right at him get past him for 2 bases.  Gunnar booted a grounder right at him.  Westburg stopped a hard grounder, then couldn’t pick it up.  Urias booted a chopper right at him.   And then Mullins took that last double off the wall, turned to throw, and….dropped the ball.  Just a terrible game defensively.  

I will say that Santander also made a couple of nice catches, and the one he missed was because he slipped. 
 

A confluence of bad mojo. 

They are unquestionably exhausted. But now’s the time, kiddies. Saddle up!

[now]

8 hours ago, Frobby said:

9/22

The defense was just atrocious tonight.  Santander slipped and let a line drive right at him get past him for 2 bases.  Gunnar booted a grounder right at him.  Westburg stopped a hard grounder, then couldn’t pick it up.  Urias booted a chopper right at him.   And then Mullins took that last double off the wall, turned to throw, and….dropped the ball.  Just a terrible game defensively.  

I will say that Santander also made a couple of nice catches, and the one he missed was because he slipped. 
 

Worst team defense I've seen all year. And I think every one of those misses led to a Cleveland run.

[terpoh]

9 hours ago, Frobby said:

9/22

The defense was just atrocious tonight.  Santander slipped and let a line drive right at him get past him for 2 bases.  Gunnar booted a grounder right at him.  Westburg stopped a hard grounder, then couldn’t pick it up.  Urias booted a chopper right at him.   And then Mullins took that last double off the wall, turned to throw, and….dropped the ball.  Just a terrible game defensively.  

I will say that Santander also made a couple of nice catches, and the one he missed was because he slipped. 
 

We had some defensive stinkers in early April for sure, but last night had to be the worst defense of the year. Overall we have been very good on defense, so hopefully we rebound today. We win that game without the Santander slip most likely. The ball at Gunnar was 107/108 off the bat and took a tough hop, it happens. Just unfortunate and magnifies all the other mishaps of our rotation and bullpen. We desperately need a win.

[Aristotelian]

9 hours ago, Frobby said:

9/22

The defense was just atrocious tonight.  Santander slipped and let a line drive right at him get past him for 2 bases.  Gunnar booted a grounder right at him.  Westburg stopped a hard grounder, then couldn’t pick it up.  Urias booted a chopper right at him.   And then Mullins took that last double off the wall, turned to throw, and….dropped the ball.  Just a terrible game defensively.  

I will say that Santander also made a couple of nice catches, and the one he missed was because he slipped. 
 

I think the Urias play was the worst and I have been noting Urias's decline on other threads. His defense is really concerning right now. His bat is OK, but can we afford to be missing routine plays? Right now he is down to -8 OAA, better only than Frazier. Total reversal of his GG season last year. I've been a big champion of Ramon in the past but he just isn't getting it done. 

Gunnar's play was the most impactful because it would have been a sure double play if fielded cleanly. Tough play though on a ball that was scorched with a tricky hop.

Westburg's was a tough play and I think Mullins didn't have a chance on the last one. And can't really blame Santander for slipping.

Basically it was an accumulation of 40/60 type plays where you'd like to see at least a couple get made but not of them went our way. Contrast to their guy who saved the game with a huge double play and diving stop.