Is it just a bad game or does Mountcastle actually suck as a firstbase?

[Moose Milligan]

3 minutes ago, emmett16 said:

Wasn’t much of an inside kid watching videos, but have spent the better part of my life on a baseball field.  
 

Had to google Tom Emanski lol 

The point that it’s easier to go down to stab the ball is an important one. It’s easier and faster to move your arm down, yet it’s somehow counterintuitive. 

[OriolesMagic83]

The infielders should out there an hour early Tuesday working on throws to 1st and Mountcastle and O'Hearn working on scooping bad throws.  I think Mountie's defense is adequate at 1st, but a major part of a 1B job is saving bad throws. 

[Moose Milligan]

This is one of those things, as mentioned earlier, when no one makes a thread about several picked throws that are saved, but posters run to make a thread when one or two crucial ones are missed. 

[Can_of_corn]

9 minutes ago, OriolesMagic83 said:

The infielders should out there an hour early Tuesday working on throws to 1st and Mountcastle and O'Hearn working on scooping bad throws.  I think Mountie's defense is adequate at 1st, but a major part of a 1B job is saving bad throws. 

The defense as a whole, to include Adley's framing, has been a step down from what we saw last season.

[OriolesMagic83]

58 minutes ago, spleen1015 said:

CoC is just misunderstood. For real.

They say all geniuses are. 

[MCO'sFan]

1 hour ago, spleen1015 said:

You never blame the 1B for missing throws in the dirt. If the throws are better, this thread never gets started.

You absolutely can and should. That’s like saying a catcher doesn’t have to be good at blocking pitches because the pitcher shouldn’t be throwing balls in the dirt. It’s a part of what 1B need to be able to do. I’ve been pointing out RM poor technique since last year. 

[emmett16]

51 minutes ago, Can_of_corn said:

The defense as a whole, to include Adley's framing, has been a step down from what we saw last season.

This is true.  Good teams get better as they go and I expect that to happen with their talent, but yes - early showings are very disappointing for a heralded defensive team. 

Edited April 16, 2023 by emmett16

[emmett16]

1 hour ago, Moose Milligan said:

The point that it’s easier to go down to stab the ball is an important one. It’s easier and faster to move your arm down, yet it’s somehow counterintuitive. 

I tell my kids all the time “baseball is hard…near impossible, you need to take advantage of anything you possibly can, gravity is free”

[banks703]

1 hour ago, Moose Milligan said:

The point that it’s easier to go down to stab the ball is an important one. It’s easier and faster to move your arm down, yet it’s somehow counterintuitive. 

Where it often is confused and improperly taught is the action of the glove AFTER receiving the ball on a short hop/throw in the dirt. 
 

The first baseman almost always finishes the play with an upward motion of the glove. This is why folks think that the proper way to field a ball in the dirt is to start low and scoop up. It’s exaggerated and theatrical almost. It looks cooler to snap it. 
 

Rizzo, Freddie Freeman, Ty France are about as good as it gets for defensive first baseman right now. Hosmer can also really pick it at first. Goldschmidt has also been really good defensively for his career. 
 

Watch videos of Keith Hernandez and John Olerud if you want to see how to field throws in the dirt (not you specifically. Anyone in general who is interested in it). Mark Teixeira was also really good. Doug Mientkiewicz (can never spell his name right) was probably the best of the 2000’s. 
 

Ryan probably could have (dare I say should have) picked the throws from Gunner and Mateo. The one from Gibby was not his fault and should have never been thrown. Ryan has improved at first but I wouldn’t consider him better than average there right now. He’s a little stiff and turns the glove the wrong way sometimes, reverting back to the left side of the infield tendencies. He’ll get better. Today was just a bad game for him. I don’t think he sucks there but he can definitely get better and I expect he will. 

Edited April 16, 2023 by banks703

[AlbNYfan]

Everyone seems to avoid saying Saint Gunnar is a below average fielder in at least two categories,,,1) throws (how many errors and poor judgement throws this year already?)..2) Positioning or giving way to defender in better position to make the play. The double down the line in the ninth, with a one run lead..he was way off the line. Has the rule guard against the double late in the game changed?? Yes, Mountcastle didn't pick it yesterday, but I've never seen such poor throws in one game at the ML level.

[Frobby]

I offer the following observations:

1.  According to Bill James, major league 1B successfully scoop bounced throws about 82% of the time.  

2.  Not all scoop attempts are equally difficult.  The ones that bounce just a foot or so before the glove ought to be fielded routinely.  The ones from deep at 3B or SS that take one long true hop ought to be fielded routinely.  The ones that are fired from short range and end up between the thigh and the waist on the bounce are much more difficult.  

3.  I’d rate all three of Mountcastle’s non-scoops yesterday as being on non-routine plays.  But failing to come up with all three is probably a below average outcome even considering that the bounces were somewhat difficult.  

4.  Watching Mountcastle on many of these over the last three years, I think he’s below average at scooping difficult throws and his technique is a bit stiff.  He kind of stabs at the ball as it bounces.  I’ve seen worse, but he’s not great at it.

5.  So, while I don’t think any of those plays yesterday were automatic or even better than 50/50, I think a better defensive 1B could have corralled at least 1-2 of those.   



 

Edited April 16, 2023 by Frobby

[banks703]

1 hour ago, Frobby said:

So, while I don’t think any of those plays yesterday were automatic or even better than 50/50, I think a better defensive 1B could have corralled at least 1-2 of those.   



 

This is precisely where my thoughts on his D at first go. For his offensive potential (and he’s somewhat showing it this year so far) I think we can manage with him not being Casey Kotchman at first. 

My only concern is does he let the lack of making those types of plays (the less routine) impact his ABs? He didn’t seem to do so yesterday so here’s hoping that he’s just going to be a .250+ hitter who hits 40+ home runs and drives in 120 RBI while playing very pedestrian D at first. I’d like to see that OPS closer to .900 but I just don’t think he’s going to get on base consistently enough to get there.

 

I’ll happily accept .260/.320/.500 this year from Ryan if he plays average defense at first. 

Edited April 16, 2023 by banks703

[Frobby]

16 minutes ago, banks703 said:

This is precisely where my thoughts on his D at first go. For his offensive potential (and he’s somewhat showing it this year so far) I think we can manage with him not being Casey Kotchman at first. 

My only concern is does he let the lack of making those types of plays (the less routine) impact his ABs? He didn’t seem to do so yesterday so here’s hoping that he’s just going to be a .250+ hitter who hits 40+ home runs and drives in 120 RBI while playing very pedestrian D at first. I’d like to see that OPS closer to .900 but I just don’t think he’s going to get on base consistently enough to get there.

 

I’ll happily accept .260/.320/.500 this year from Ryan if he plays average defense at first. 

I’ll be honest, .260/.320/.500 would disappoint me a little.  I’d really like to see his OPS in the .850 range.  I doubt we get a .320 OBP from him, though.  

[RZNJ]

He is one unlucky dude though.  He lined out to the RF in the first.  Lined out to the LF and sent the RF with his back to the wall in right on a fly.  3 outs.  No payoff.

[banks703]

6 minutes ago, Frobby said:

I’ll be honest, .260/.320/.500 would disappoint me a little.  I’d really like to see his OPS in the .850 range.  I doubt we get a .320 OBP from him, though.  

I agree and I was estimating very conservatively but if he ends up with 40 homers, he’ll have to be in that 35ish double range to slug over .500 given that he’s almost guaranteed to end up with about 78 or 79 singles based on his two other full seasons. If he ends up at .260 that gives him a handful more hits in his 600ish PAs. 

Based on a quick eyeball calc, If he hits .260 and has 35 doubles and 40 homers he would need about 80 singles to slug closer to .530. 
 

Couple that with a .320 OBP and that would give you that .850 OPS and we would certainly accept that from Ryan. 
 

Those numbers are realistic improvements for a guy coming into his third full season who is approaching that 1500 ABs “this is who he is” milestone.