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If you don't undestand that Buck likes Izzy at SS...

wildcard

By wildcard
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Sports Guy Hangout Grand Counsel

Sports Guy

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Just go get this guy.

Good defense, solid OBP and is under contract for 2 years(well, with an option). He gives us a good stop gap for 2 years and in that time, we will have a better idea of Machado.

Now, if you can get a guy like Brignac for a good price, I would prefer that but Furcal should definitely way up the list of players we should be going after.

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wildcard Hangout Grand Counsel

wildcard

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I think the fallacy here is that Izzy isn't the only good defensive SS in the world, and there are others who hit better than he does.

Because the O's tolerated a couple of years of Tejada when his defense was on the decline, and then suffered through the horrible 5 stooges in 2008, a lot of folks seem to think that Izzy is miles better than most major league starting shortstops defensively. He's not. He's got slightly better than average range, and makes fewer mistakes than average. He's very sound fundamentally. It's a pleasure to watch him play the position. But he's not Ozzie Smith, or Mark Belanger, or Omar Vizquel. There are 28 shortstops who have played 600+ innings this year, and Izzy is 15th in UZR/150. If you prefer to go by RZR, Izzy ranks 18th.

Meanwhile, on offense Izzy is dead last. Not by a little. By a ton. He's at -26.6 runs, 8 worse than the next worst guy out of all the shorstops in the majors. And as a result, his solid but not amazing defense just can't make up for his pathetic hitting.

Anyone who is an Izzy advocate simply doesn't watch enough of the other shorstops in MLB. There are plenty of good ones. So, no I have no interest in having some hack like Yuniesky Betancourt or Asdurbral Cabrera. But I'd gladly take a Jason Bartlett, even in a down year both offensively and defensively for him, as compared to Izzy.

Two strikes against Barlett. 1) I doubt the Rays would trade him to the O's. 2) His range is not has good a Izzy on a normal year. The Rays are not going to trade Brignac to the O's either.

It will be interesting to see if the Twins keep Hardy through another arbitration year. I think they probably do because its so hard to find a major league SS to replace him.

I think Buck understands who may be available and probably knows that Izturis is the best he is likely to do next year.

Izzy had a 4.85 RF in 2008 and a 4.89 in 2009. They are both near the top of the league. He didn't do as well earlier this year but he has shown similar range since Buck was hired. He is leading the infield defense and making it easier for the pitchers. There is not much doubt about that.

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wildcard Hangout Grand Counsel

wildcard

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Absolutely...You can get good defense and more offense elsewhere.

Izzy's defense isn't that good. His UZR in 4 of the last 6 years hasn't been all that great and that includes this year.

You know better then that. He hurt his arm in 2006 and in carried over to 2007.

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Mackus Hangout Grand Counsel

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Just sayin Buck has mentioned he is clutch with the bat. If that is right, then maybe we can focus on other positions during the offseason.
That's not right, he's not clutch with the bat. He's not anything with the bat that involves any sort of positive superlative.

He's the worst hitter in the sport. That's not hyperbole. He's got the worst OPS of any qualified hitter in either league in the last 10 years.

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Mackus Hangout Grand Counsel

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He has NEGATIVE value this year...Do you understand what that means?
To be accurate, he has less than replacement value, not negative value.

Negative value would mean we'd be better off fielding 8 guys and taking an out once through the order. Izzy is bad, but he's not quite that bad! :)

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Frobby Hangout Grand Counsel

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Big deal..Its not good this year.

He is a terrible player...He has NEGATIVE value this year...Do you understand what that means?

You can only take that analysis so far. You have to buy in that UZR correctly measures defense and that the WAR stat correctly balances offensive runs created vs. runs prevented. If you don't believer those things, then the "negative value" is debatable.

What's really not debatable is that Izzy is a truly awful hitter. It is very hard to make the case that we couldn't find a SS who plays solid D and who is way better offensively.

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wildcard Hangout Grand Counsel

wildcard

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Just go get this guy.

Good defense, solid OBP and is under contract for 2 years(well, with an option). He gives us a good stop gap for 2 years and in that time, we will have a better idea of Machado.

Now, if you can get a guy like Brignac for a good price, I would prefer that but Furcal should definitely way up the list of players we should be going after.

Whole lot of negatives with Furcal.

1) Health - It hard to valuable from the DL. The played 36 games in 2008 and missed almost two month so far this year.

2) This contract:

09:$6.5M, 10:$8.5M, 11:$12M, 12:$12M club option

2012 option becomes guaranteed with 600 PAs in 2011

may earn additional $1M annually based on health

limited no-trade clause (may block deals to specified clubs

3) He will be 33 next year do things are not going to get much better.

The Rays are not trading Brignac to the O's. Not after the O's started to play .600 ball and beat them in a pennant race.

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wildcard Hangout Grand Counsel

wildcard

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You can only take that analysis so far. You have to buy in that UZR correctly measures defense and that the WAR stat correctly balances offensive runs created vs. runs prevented. If you don't believer those things, then the "negative value" is debatable.

What's really not debatable is that Izzy is a truly awful hitter. It is very hard to make the case that we couldn't find a SS who plays solid D and who is way better offensively.

Name one.

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