Weekly DRS Update (Defensive Stats Thru July 14, 2010)

Defensive stats through the All-Star Break

We reached the ASB, and innings are starting to pile up for players.  The NL still has an idle Chase Utley at the top, but his numbers are regressing, and Scott Rolen is still climbing.  Justin Upton and Matt Holliday lead the outfielders.  The American leader is now Brett Gardner, and as he plays more LF instead of center, he’ll continue to add value.  Brandon Inge and Jose Lopez are still starring at third base.

The trailers in each league are holding relatively steady.  Michael Cuddyer has wrested the bottom spot, -11 DRS, as Howie Kendrick’s number improved and Jeter has settled in nicely at -10 DRS.  The National League is starting to see something special in San Francisco.  I am not talking about Buster Posey - Pat Burrell is working to set a new low in defensive performance in left field.  Players that catch fly balls as rarely as he is generally are not allowed to play very long in the outfield, and I doubt he’ll reach anything like 1000 innings, but his lack of putouts is at an historic low.  Looking back over 20+ years of data, Burrell is in uncharted waters.  He’s playing LF like he is the most indifferent Manny in front of the biggest “wall ball” season in Fenway.  Maybe Burrell’s had some poor BIP distribution, but I have never seen a player with this terrible performance in the outfield.  Michael Barrett at third base was a similar disaster, but never in the outfield.  We’ll see if the Giants let it continue.