Updated SABR Defensive Index rankings

[spiritof66]

I have attached a link to the latest SABR Defensive Index (SDI) player rankings, updated yesterday for games through June 7. (Although I'm pretty sure I've posted one or more of these in the past, I couldn't find a previous thread on SDIs. It doesn't quite fit under Gold Glove awards or discussions. But then again, I often can't kind my phone, my keys and/or my wallet, so there may be an extant thread that is eluding me.)

https://sabr.org/sdi

The SDI is a compliation of defensive statatics: "A composite measure of fielding based on five fielding metrics and computed by a committee working under the auspices of the Society for American Baseball Research. Four of the metrics comprising it are zone rating statistic; Chris Dial's Runs Effectively Defended, John Dewan's Defensive Runs Saved, Sean Smith's Total Zone Rating, and Mitchel Lichtman's Ultimate Zone Rating. The fifth metric, Michael Humphrey's Defensive Regression Analysis, is based on conventional fielding indices but uses statistical procedures to rid them of bias. The Index constitutes 25 percent of the method used to determine Gold Glove Award winners."  I belive zero is supposed to be league average.

The Oriole highlight of the update is that Gunnar Henderson is first among MLB shortstops, is tied for fourth among all AL fielders (Texas' Marcus Semien is way ahead of the rest of the field), and is tied for seventh among all MLB fielders. 

Here arevthe rankings for the Orioles among qualifying AL fielders, with comparisons to qualifiers on the team we're chasing right now. Some of the rankings seem quite odd to me, but in a rare moment of conciseness I'm refraining from comment.

Pitcher -  Burnes is 21st, with a negative SDI. Three NY starters (Cortes, Stroman and Gil) are ranked higher than that. 

Catcher - Rutschman is eighth. The NYYs' Jose Trevino and Austin Wells are third and tied for ninth.

1B - Mountcastle is fourth (highest among AL East 1Bmen). The NYYs' Anthony Rizzo is sixth.

2B - No Oriole qualifier. The NYYs' Gleyber Torres is seventh of nine qualifiers, with a negative SDI.

SS - Training Gunnar in spots 2-4 are Volpe, then Seager and Witt in a tie.

3B - Westburg is fifth, one spot behind the NYYs' Oswaldo Cabrera. 

LF - Cowser is third, well behind Verdugo in first.

CF - Mullins is tenth (with a negative SDI). Judge is tied for fourth.

RF - Santana is tenth (with a negative SDI). Soto is tied for second. 

 

[Three Run Homer]

This isn't the first time I've heard that Mullins doesn't rate well according to defensive metrics this year.   I'm not sure how to reconcile those numbers with what my eyes tell me, which is that Mullins is still an elite defender.  What are the numbers saying that I'm not seeing?  

[btdart20]

Soto ranking second in RF seems odd.