Proceeds from the ads below will be donated to the
Bob Wuesthoff scholarship fund.
Wednesday, September 27, 2006 |
Defensive Flexibility Is Not To Blame For The Angels' Errors
There is a persistent, pernicious myth that somehow positional flexibility, one of Mike Scioscia's cornerstones in team construction, is somehow the cause of this year's absurd error totals. While I'll concede that, yes, it is a factor, there is simply no way it is causing the majority of the errors. Here's a handy table that makes this terribly obvious.
|
|
Here's what I consider out-of-position:
- Chone Figgins at any position besides third, where he spent the most innings defending in 2004 and 2005.
- Robb Quinlan in the infield, because he is a converted outfielder
- Maicer Izturis at third, as he's really a middle infielder
- Howie Kendrick at any position besides second
- Juan Rivera in center (but not the corner outfield spots)
By a three-to-one ratio, regulars playing in position are recording errors. The Angels committed a collective 87 errors in 2005 (80 if you believe the totals from ESPN, which disagree with the team totals from Baseball-Reference), and yes, the 26 errors this year from players playing out of position were a lot, it's true, but the Angels also had guys like Chone Figgins in centerfield last year as a secondary position, one in which he recorded 398.1 innings with three errors; this year, he's got five errors in 812 innings.
"Ah," you might say in response, "but the difference between the previous year and the current one is easily explained by the number of errors from out-of-position players!" Well, maybe. The problem I have with that analysis is that it doesn't look at the year-to-year growth in errors. Let's build the same table for 2005:
|
|
So out-of-position players made about the same number of errors in 2005 as they did in 2006, but the big increase came from regulars who had mammoth numbers of brain farts. But one thing is pretty clear, and that is that players moved around the diamond didn't have much to do with the Angels' fielding failures.
Comments:
Rob, I think it's a bit more complex than that. It's hard to quantify, but it sure seemed like there were lots of plays that simply weren't made (but that didn't necessarily count as errors) due largely to players playing out of position. I can think of several specific instances involving Kendrick at 1B where he ranged too far to his right to make a plan on a ball that should have been & was fielded by Kennedy, leaving Kendrick unable to take the throw. The result? Infield hit, no error. But an experienced 1B is on the bag to take the throw, resulting in a 4-3 groundout.
# posted by 
: 9/27/2006 02:49:00 PM
: 9/27/2006 02:49:00 PM
I don't deny that some of that is in play here, but the overwhelming majority of errors in 2006 and the increase in errors over 2005 are coming out of the regulars.
Just wondering: how much of the difference comes from Darin Erstad's absence at first base?
I ask out of curiosity, because just the other day I saw Erstad save Cabrera from an error with a spectacular dive (photo of which is over on Catfish Stew).
I ask out of curiosity, because just the other day I saw Erstad save Cabrera from an error with a spectacular dive (photo of which is over on Catfish Stew).
The 3 errors for Figgins at 3rd base in 2005 should be changed to "in position." Presently you have Figgins out of position for all positions in 2005. Thanks for compiling this data. It was on defense that the Angels lost the A.L. West in 2005. This year's Angel defense reminds me of the early 70's Mod Squad Dodgers defense. At their spectacular worst those Dodgers made seven (7!) errors in one game in the nightcap of a doubleheader vs Cincinnati on 4 Sep 1972. I believe the Angels are in an excellent position to string together say five consecutive west division titles beginning next year. The Mod Squad Dodgers jelled into a multi-World Series team and so will most of the current Angels. Stay tuned for next year!
# posted by : 9/27/2006 03:36:00 PM
: 9/27/2006 03:36:00 PM
That should have read "It was on defense that the Angels lost the A.L. West in 2006" NOT 2005. My bad.
# posted by : 9/27/2006 03:40:00 PM
: 9/27/2006 03:40:00 PM
A few thoughts: Vlad's 11 errors are totally unacceptable for an OF, and OC's 17 is much too high for a "glove guy" such as him. Also, I wouldn't consider Izturis out of position at 3B. He can play SS and 2B, and as Major League backup INF, you better be able to hold your own at 3B.
# posted by : 9/27/2006 06:55:00 PM
: 9/27/2006 06:55:00 PM
Why don't you erase the pitchers and their errors from the total to see what it would like featuring the stats of the players with whom Scioscia plays musical positions.
My guess is you'll see how flexibility is the Seraph Albatross.
My guess is you'll see how flexibility is the Seraph Albatross.
# posted by : 9/27/2006 10:19:00 PM
: 9/27/2006 10:19:00 PM
The Angels had 15 errors from the pitching staff in 2005, and cleaned it up to 10 this year... if anything, that makes the position players even more culpable...
Rev, the Angels pitchers made 15 errors in 2005, 10 in 2006. Therefore the percentage of errors made by fielders went down, not up, from 05 to 06. So taking the pitchers out doesn't work to prove your thesis.
The Angels have allowed 80 unearned runs this year, 2nd most in the AL. But they're 4th in the AL in DER and 4th in Runs Allowed. So as unpleasant as the errors are to watch, they don't appear to have cost them anywhere near as dearly as the crappy offense.
# posted by : 9/27/2006 11:42:00 PM
: 9/27/2006 11:42:00 PMNewer› ‹Older
 |
Post a Comment
Note: Only a member of this blog may post a comment.