2009 Red Sox = 2nd Worst defensive team in Majors
by drabidea on Jun 9, 2009 12:28 PM EDT
39 comments
Yeah you heard me correctly. The Boston Red Sox are now 2nd to last in the Majors in UZR/150, second only to the Nationals. This can't keep going on if we expect to be contenders this year. As a team we have already lost -20.3 runs due to just defense. Defense is where a team gains confidence. A pitcher will pitch better knowing that he has the defense behind him to make the close plays. A hitter will relax more at the plate when he knows that they can hold a team to the amount of runs they have.
A lot of the talk lately has been what bat the BoSox should go and get. We should really be looking for a glove instead. Our offense has been good, if not great. We are 7th in the majors in run scored and 4th in wOBA. We need to focus more on improving our defense. I know that having a back-up SS all year long has not helped and a back-up 1B for part of the season has hurt alot too. However there are alot of other weak links in our defense.
Our 3 best fielders, in terms of UZR, are you guessed it: Pedroia, Drew, and Youkilis with 2.7, 1.7 and 1.7 respectively. Surprisingly our 4th best fielder was Bailey at 1B with 0.9.
Our 3 worst fielders, in terms of UZR, are the left side of our field: Bay, Lugo, and Lowell with -8.5, -5.3, and -5.2. Can you guess who our 4th worst fielder is? Still on the left side, Nick Green with -3.2.
Jason Bay has been the worst so far but he also played more games then the others. With UZR/150 Bay is only slightly worse then Lowell at -13 and -12.7 respectively. Lugo and Green have been much worse in respect to UZR/150 the Bay or Lowell. Lugo and Green have posted -33.6 and -16.6 respectively
We really need Lowrie to come back quickly, if only for his defense. If Ortiz does not start hitting HR every 3 games by the end of the month, I think we need to make room in the DH position for either Lowell and/or Bay. With those two platooning at DH we can easily give alot of playing time for Baldelli in LF, Nick Green at 3B, or Kotsay at 1B. There is also room to sign a dependable defensive player at SS, 3B or OF. Either way, we need to make defensive adjustments in the near future or the playoff bound Red Sox ship will be sinking rather quickly.
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These 3 games against the Yankees AT HOME
will tell us a lot about the rest of the coming season, at least as concerns this current version of the team. I sort of am looking forward to these games, but I have to admit that I have a not-so—secret dread that the defense (as you have said) and spotty hitting may let us down when it really counts, like now.
by NG on Jun 9, 2009 1:06 PM EDT reply actions 0 recs
Don't put too much importance on 3 games in June, NG
Win or lose, this isn’t the bellweather series. Boston is facing the two MFY big pitching acquisitions (Cash Cow and Burnett) and a struggling pitcher they’ve handled in the past (Wang). The MFY are facing our #1 (Beckett), #4 (Wakefield), and #5 (Penny). So, overall, the pitching match-ups favor the MFY. Also, the Sox are a bit banged up right now and the MFY are hot.
But, even if the Sox overcome these disadvantages and win the series, I wouldn’t think it will mean all that much for the rest of the season. Fans put too much emphasis on particular games or series. There’s still about two-thirds of the season to play. A MFY sweep wouldn’t kill the Sox any more than a Sox sweep would kill the MFY.
I gotta go 'cause I'm probably definitely gonna nod out again.
by Drugs Delaney on Jun 9, 2009 1:45 PM EDT up reply actions 0 recs
As evidenced by our 2 sweeps of the Yankees.
Where are they now, right?
by USG on Jun 9, 2009 1:46 PM EDT up reply actions 0 recs
This is definitely front-page material.
My first thought was that perhaps we should trade Lowell and move Youk to third, put a guy like Johnson at 1B, and watch the defense improve. But Johnson is also having a bad year defensively (-3.7 UZR). This is rather surprising considering that he’s been a good fielder at 1B the last three years.
"It's just a tiny little nick, but it hurts when I get champagne in there."
- Jason Bay, on getting spiked scoring the winning run in ALDS Game Four.
by 0157H7 on Jun 9, 2009 1:14 PM EDT reply actions 0 recs
Perhaps, after the draft, we should ask the Nationals fans on FedBaseball about it.
They’re a bit distracted right now, I’d imagine.
by bs.uf15bosox9bears23 on Jun 9, 2009 3:55 PM EDT up reply actions 0 recs
Lowrie by UZR
2008 at SS: 5.9 UZR, 24.6 UZR/150
Assuming that performance wasn’t a fluke, we need him back badly.
"It's just a tiny little nick, but it hurts when I get champagne in there."
- Jason Bay, on getting spiked scoring the winning run in ALDS Game Four.
by 0157H7 on Jun 9, 2009 1:17 PM EDT reply actions 0 recs
That's a turnaround of, what, nearly 14 UZR over the season so far?
We went from a guy who seems to be a very talented SS to 2 of the worst defensive drains at the position…
by USG on Jun 9, 2009 1:45 PM EDT up reply actions 0 recs
Small sample. But it is encouraging.
I gotta go 'cause I'm probably definitely gonna nod out again.
by Drugs Delaney on Jun 9, 2009 1:46 PM EDT up reply actions 0 recs
Ellsbury's UZR down this year too
Last year Jacoby had a UZR of 3.0 in CF (6.9 UZR 150). So far this year, he has a UZR of -1.3 (-0.2 UZR 150). Interestingly, Ells was better in LF than CF last year.
I gotta go 'cause I'm probably definitely gonna nod out again.
by Drugs Delaney on Jun 9, 2009 1:53 PM EDT reply actions 0 recs
I think Ells should come around.
It seems that a lot of guys are just having bad starts to the season by UZR. It was only a few weeks ago that Drew had a negative UZR as well. Ells should be positive by UZR and I would hope Lowell could pick it up a bit. Performance at SS has made of for almost half of the -20 by UZR, so that is obviously fixable. I am convinced that Bay sucks in the field and thats not changing. So maybe the best remedy would be to start DHing Bay a little bit.
"Ninety percent [of my salary] I'll spend on good times, women, and Irish whiskey. The other ten percent I'll probably waste."
-Tug McGraw
by BTLove on Jun 9, 2009 2:14 PM EDT up reply actions 0 recs
Option
Just putting it out there…
Manny comes back at the start of next month meaning that Juan Pierre may become available(I do admit that he wasn’t available at any other point Manny was on the team), he has a 11.5 UZR/150 this year in LF (career 2.3), his career UZR/150 in CF is 5.6. Maybe if he could be had at a decent price (not too likely considering he would probably start in most places) we could get him, put Bay at DH and put Juan in LF or put him in CF and move Ells over to left. Of course he is by no means an offensive dynamo and his stats are quite close to Ells’.
"We are not normal, We are Legends. People will tell their kids about us." - Deon Butler before Ohio State Game 2008.
by Rogue Nine on Jun 9, 2009 2:21 PM EDT up reply actions 0 recs
His arm is worse than Ells and Bay's combined.
It’s almost wiped out entire seasons’ worth of range at points in his career.
He’s actually projected to be about average as a batter for the rest of the year, in terms of wOBA.
by bs.uf15bosox9bears23 on Jun 9, 2009 4:01 PM EDT up reply actions 0 recs
well sure
if you combine two arms, doesn’t that make for a much stronger arm?
by RickD on Jun 9, 2009 8:54 PM EDT up reply actions 0 recs
Viewing there arms as negative values.
Yeah, baseball doesn’t always translate well to English.
by bs.uf15bosox9bears23 on Jun 9, 2009 10:23 PM EDT up reply actions 0 recs
Pierre has a terrible contract.
$10M this year and next then $8.5M in 2011. If some people think committing $16M to Adam Dunn is a bad investment, then $23M to Juan Pierre would be horrid. The guy plays good defense, and is hitting well this year, but has a career OPS of .722. Not worth the investment.
"Ninety percent [of my salary] I'll spend on good times, women, and Irish whiskey. The other ten percent I'll probably waste."
-Tug McGraw
by BTLove on Jun 9, 2009 5:12 PM EDT up reply actions 0 recs
He really makes that much? Wow, nevermind.
"We are not normal, We are Legends. People will tell their kids about us." - Deon Butler before Ohio State Game 2008.
by Rogue Nine on Jun 9, 2009 6:22 PM EDT up reply actions 0 recs
I think you’re right in ALL facets, but your answer to fixing the defense (or at least one of them), is to DH Bay/Lowell and give more time for NICK GREEN AT THIRD BASE? Did I read that right? If Green struggles that much at shortstop, he’s going to get killed at third base.
by Randy Booth on Jun 9, 2009 2:09 PM EDT reply actions 0 recs
Agreed
Nick Green would be a stretch at 3B, however, I think he would still be better then Lowell is this year. He does have a decent arm, he is just erratic at points. Ideally I think if we did acquire a player I think it should be at 3B. Both Rocco and Kotsay can play good OF.
by drabidea on Jun 9, 2009 2:41 PM EDT up reply actions 0 recs
Agreed
I looked up Rocco and Kotsay after I made my Juan Pierre suggestion. 3B would be okay but getting someone who can play 1B and move Youk over would probably be fine too.
"We are not normal, We are Legends. People will tell their kids about us." - Deon Butler before Ohio State Game 2008.
by Rogue Nine on Jun 9, 2009 2:49 PM EDT up reply actions 0 recs
I disagree
Youk is a Gold Glove 1B and an above average 3B. Moving him over would be a bad move unless we get a 1B that’s just as good or better — which would be hard to find.
by Randy Booth on Jun 9, 2009 3:01 PM EDT up reply actions 0 recs
Agreed
I think it would be harder to find an excellent 1B then an above average 3B.
by drabidea on Jun 9, 2009 3:05 PM EDT up reply actions 0 recs
Yeah, but 1B is supposed to be easier.
So the difference between a competent 1B and Youk shouldn’t hurt us too much.
by bs.uf15bosox9bears23 on Jun 9, 2009 4:03 PM EDT up reply actions 0 recs
Also (more thoughts)
The one thing about Rocco and Kotsay is that probably neither of them would be able to play full time allowing us to make any permanent OF moves. Kotsay is older and does have some injury problems and Rocco has his disorder which prevents him from playing everyday.
"We are not normal, We are Legends. People will tell their kids about us." - Deon Butler before Ohio State Game 2008.
by Rogue Nine on Jun 9, 2009 2:51 PM EDT up reply actions 0 recs
Kotsay also makes a GREAT defensive first baseman.
by Randy Booth on Jun 9, 2009 3:02 PM EDT up reply actions 0 recs
All true
the main points of this post are all entirely true. However, it should be noted that of nearly all statistical metrics, UZR is the most fluctuating, and most prone to small sample size issues. You can’t really take much from soneones UZR over 1/3 of a season, really. I think this means it is hard to tell in some of these cases, while all we need are our eyes for others. As an aggregate, sadly, the picture painted by the #’s is likely closer to truth than we would all like.
by Buzzy on Jun 9, 2009 2:24 PM EDT reply actions 0 recs
Matt Holliday at LF and Jason Bay at DH.
"We're not going to give up," It doesn't happen, so who cares? There's always next year. It's not like it's the end of the world."
by revigik on Jun 9, 2009 3:04 PM EDT reply actions 0 recs
You have something against every one of our top prospects?
Because that’s what it’s gonna take to get Beane to trade him to us.
by bs.uf15bosox9bears23 on Jun 9, 2009 4:04 PM EDT up reply actions 0 recs
true
Billy beane never loses
Big Numbers
by homerun013 on Jun 9, 2009 7:14 PM EDT up reply actions 0 recs
Except in the playoffs.
Heh.
"It's just a tiny little nick, but it hurts when I get champagne in there."
- Jason Bay, on getting spiked scoring the winning run in ALDS Game Four.
by 0157H7 on Jun 9, 2009 8:41 PM EDT up reply actions 0 recs
People will still laugh at me
Jack Wilson anyone?
Big Numbers
by homerun013 on Jun 9, 2009 7:15 PM EDT reply actions 0 recs
This just underlies the fact
That our current SS problem can be basically summed up like this: we have NO shortstops.
"Are you a real doctor, or a doctor like Dr. Pepper is a doctor?"
by Allen Chace on Jun 10, 2009 1:57 AM EDT reply actions 0 recs
UZR Does Bay No Favors
Where can you find splits for UZR? Or is the sample size to small? I don’t think UZR likes LFs in Fenway. Baseball Prospectus has Bay above average this year when it comes to his rate, rate2 and fielding runs above average after being below average last year.
Same guy, new name.
by stillredsoxfan on Jun 10, 2009 1:21 PM EDT reply actions 0 recs
It doesn't...
But Fangraphs has UZR broken down by position and season.
by bs.uf15bosox9bears23 on Jun 10, 2009 4:33 PM EDT up reply actions 0 recs
forget the defense...........
just remind me why it was that we traded crisp for f’in ramirez!!!!!!!!!!!!!
"Yeah, why rely on "facts" and "evidence" to support your arguments? Stupid me." BTLove
by irish republican army on Jun 12, 2009 10:19 PM EDT reply actions 0 recs
B/c he was f'n brilliant till a few appearances ago.
Maybe he just needs some rest…
Also, Coco [and some seagulls] just lost a game for the Royals recently.
by bs.uf15bosox9bears23 on Jun 13, 2009 3:01 PM EDT up reply actions 0 recs
And we have a cheap, young CF that is as good as Coco.
"Ninety percent [of my salary] I'll spend on good times, women, and Irish whiskey. The other ten percent I'll probably waste."
-Tug McGraw
by BTLove on Jun 13, 2009 3:26 PM EDT up reply actions 0 recs
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