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Tuesday, March 30, 2010

MLB: Improved defense is priority for Royals

10,000 times stranger than the wildest fiction! And it’s here now! Flee…oh, great people of the midwest, flee!

No AL team coughed up more unearned runs last year than the Royals’ 77.

So general manager Dayton Moore went to work and brought in second baseman Chris Getz, outfielders Rick Ankiel and Scott Podsednik, and Kendall to catch.

Getz was deemed rangier and more sure-handed than Alberto Callaspo. Ankiel and Podsednik teamed with David DeJesus would give the Royals three center fielders on the grass. And Kendall would stop those annoying balls that kept skipping toward the backstop and throw out some people, too.

“We’ve drawn the conclusion that our defense should be much improved,” Moore said. “But that’s all predicated on our pitchers throwing strikes and being aggressive and pitching to contact so we can utilize the defense in the flow and the rhythm of the game.”

Defense is a difficult commodity to evaluate. Beyond the basic compilation of putouts, assists and errors, various complex formulas have been developed and have become trendy and useful in the game. But there’s also the old-fashioned method of input from scouts and good ol’ horse sense. Moore says the Royals used a combination of those factors.

Repoz Posted: March 30, 2010 at 02:02 PM | 29 comment(s) Login to Bookmark
Tags: royals, sabermetrics

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1. JoeHova Posted: March 30, 2010 at 02:24 PM (#3488601)

Kendall is actually not good defensively and Podsednik is no CF. Not sure about Ankiel and Getz but judging from Moore's track record of thinking Yuniesky is a great defender, I'm sure they're terrible too.

2. Zach Posted: March 30, 2010 at 02:27 PM (#3488604)

In related news, Royals pitchers will be asked to relay shortstop Mike Aviles' throws to first "until his arm feels better," Billy Butler will be asked to put down the bat while receiving throws from the infield, and Jose Guillen will be replaced in the field by the Jose Guillen bobblehead doll.

3. RoyalsRetro (AG#1F) Posted: March 30, 2010 at 02:41 PM (#3488613)

The Royals are projected to be the third most improved team defensively. Unfortunately, it still shows them as having negative run saved.

Podsednik is no CF.

Pods is playing LF. But here's the kicker - Rick Ankiel is playing CF. Not because he's good at it. But because he insisted on it upon signing. Because you know, he had so much leverage.

4. Cooper Nielson Posted: March 30, 2010 at 02:47 PM (#3488618)

Ankiel and Podsednik teamed with David DeJesus would give the Royals three center fielders on the grass.

Except in the obvious literal way, playing center field does not make you a center fielder.

The Royals could throw Jose Guillen (14 games in CF in his career), Sammy Sosa (234 G) and Tris Speaker out there and crow about having "three center fielders on the grass," but one of them's retired, one's dead, and none of them would cover much ground.

I don't think DeJesus/Podsednik/Ankiel is anyone's idea of an outstanding defensive outfield.

5. jwb Posted: March 30, 2010 at 03:23 PM (#3488637)

But there’s also the old-fashioned method of input from scouts and good ol’ horse sense.

Maybe their horse needs Lasik surgery.

6. AROM Posted: March 30, 2010 at 03:26 PM (#3488640)

The stats say Getz will be an improvement on Callaspo with the glove. Old fashioned input from scouts says Pods/Ankiel/DeJesus will bring good speed to the OF (though isn't Ankiel the slowest of the 3 in center?). And the good ol' horse thinks Yuni Betencourt is a great defender at short. Why are the Royals making decisions based on what a stupid horse thinks?

As for Kendall, he threw out 36% in 2004, 18% in 2005, 30% in 2006, 15% in 2007, 43% in 2008, and 20% last year. So he's due for a good season, right?

7. Davo Malvolio Posted: March 30, 2010 at 03:29 PM (#3488641)

The Royals are projected to be the third most improved team defensively.

The Twins are 5th on that list. I hate hijacking a thread, but I don't see any possible way that's true. They're trotting out a Kubel-Span-Cuddyer outfield!

8. AROM Posted: March 30, 2010 at 03:33 PM (#3488648)

Twins have made their infield defense better and the OF defense worse. I guess it depends on whether you're a GB or FB pitcher.

9. snapper (history's 42nd greatest monster) Posted: March 30, 2010 at 03:36 PM (#3488650)

The Twins are 5th on that list. I hate hijacking a thread, but I don't see any possible way that's true. They're trotting out a Kubel-Span-Cuddyer outfield!

Well, they're actually planning on fielding an IF this year. Only Kubel is a change in the OF, and if he's replacing a significant number of Delmon Young starts, it won't be a net loss.

On the other hand, the infield adds Hardy and Hudson, who both have great reps.

10. Cris E Posted: March 30, 2010 at 03:40 PM (#3488654)

Except in the obvious literal way, playing center field does not make you a center fielder.

I was in my garage this morning so today I'm a car!

The Twins are 5th on that list. I hate hijacking a thread, but I don't see any possible way that's true. They're trotting out a Kubel-Span-Cuddyer outfield!

Agreed. I wonder how the grass v turf and outdoors v dome effects were measured. Also, this may end up being a huge Hudson effect. In the end a lot may depend on how the park plays so any estimates of Twins performance in 2010 should be viewed with healthy dose of skepticism.

11. Vida Blew Over the Legal Limit Posted: March 30, 2010 at 03:51 PM (#3488668)

And Sisyphus continues to push the rock.

12. AROM Posted: March 30, 2010 at 03:54 PM (#3488676)

Only Kubel is a change in the OF, and if he's replacing a significant number of Delmon Young starts, it won't be a net loss.

They'll be replacing 848 innings of Gomez with an bad outfielder. That's where the dropoff comes from.

13. Langer Monk Posted: March 30, 2010 at 04:01 PM (#3488681)

Defense is a difficult commodity to evaluate. Beyond the basic compilation of putouts, assists and errors, various complex formulas have been developed and have become trendy and useful in the game. But there’s also the old-fashioned method of input from scouts and good ol’ horse sense. Moore says the Royals used a combination of those factors.

Apparently, they had the scouts do some trendy math, the horse gave input, and none of it makes any sense.

14. snapper (history's 42nd greatest monster) Posted: March 30, 2010 at 04:02 PM (#3488682)

They'll be replacing 848 innings of Gomez with an bad outfielder. That's where the dropoff comes from.

Yes, what I meant was he's replacing a combination of good and putrid fieldersl, so the net won't be as bad as just replacing Gomez.

Also, according to UZR, Twins 2B and SS were pretty awful last year, so there's a big pickup to be had if Hardy is good and Hudson average.

15. Hang down your head, Tom Foley Posted: March 30, 2010 at 04:14 PM (#3488698)

If the Royals want "centerfielders," they should go ahead and sign Willie Wilson.

16. gef the talking mongoose Posted: March 30, 2010 at 04:18 PM (#3488699)

Now we know who's really callling the shots for the Royals.

17. Tim Wallach was my Hero Posted: March 30, 2010 at 04:26 PM (#3488705)

The Royals try so hard but are so obviously making all the wrong moves every year that I cannot help but feeling extremely sad for them. Every year, I have the impression that the management really thinks the team has improved a lot and that it will get a shot at the division.

At least the Pirates know they will s*** every year and don't try to hide it behind ludicrous analysis.

18. It's just Steve Posted: March 30, 2010 at 05:02 PM (#3488741)

Last off-season, we saw a bunch of articles about Dayton focusing on improving the team's OBP. Having checked that item off the needs list, it's good to see he's moving forward on the defense. The process, trust.

19. Bring Me the Head of Alfredo Griffin (Vlad) Posted: March 30, 2010 at 05:25 PM (#3488762)

The Royals could throw Jose Guillen (14 games in CF in his career), Sammy Sosa (234 G) and Tris Speaker out there and crow about having "three center fielders on the grass," but one of them's retired, one's dead, and none of them would cover much ground.

Speaker might, if you spread the bits around some.

20. Langer Monk Posted: March 30, 2010 at 05:29 PM (#3488765)

Next off-season, it's power. Maybe Andruw Jones, Aubrey Huff and J. Giambi are available.

21. Shooty: Applying to be Fearless Leader

Posted: March 30, 2010 at 05:33 PM (#3488771)

Next off-season, it's power. Maybe Andruw Jones, Aubrey Huff and J. Giambi are available.

Brian Sabean will be in that scrum.

22. Cooper Nielson Posted: March 30, 2010 at 05:45 PM (#3488783)

The Royals could throw Jose Guillen (14 games in CF in his career), Sammy Sosa (234 G) and Tris Speaker out there and crow about having "three center fielders on the grass," but one of them's retired, one's dead, and none of them would cover much ground.

Speaker might, if you spread the bits around some.

*Groan.* (But also LOL.)

23. Drew (Primakov, Gungho Iguanas) Posted: March 30, 2010 at 05:46 PM (#3488785)

But because he insisted on it upon signing. Because you know, he had so much leverage.

This is the biggest indication that nobody wants to sign with the Royals that I have seen.

24. JPWF13

Posted: March 30, 2010 at 06:24 PM (#3488827)

At least the Pirates know they will s*** every year and don't try to hide it behind ludicrous analysis.

Honesty came to the Pirates only after McClatchy and Littlefield left the building. IOW you won't see it in KC until Glass and Moore are gone.

25. Shibal Posted: March 30, 2010 at 08:55 PM (#3488952)

I don't think Glass is the problem anymore...he's given Moore plenty of cash to make it right.

26. Shibal Posted: March 30, 2010 at 08:58 PM (#3488956)

Is there a defensive projection anywhere? All the link above is listing is the five most improved teams.

27. DL from MN Posted: March 30, 2010 at 09:18 PM (#3488975)

Kubel's probably better than Delmon Young in the OF, it's hard to be worse than Delmon (Adam Dunn?). Having a competent middle infield will be a huge boost for the Twins. Their offense should improve by about the same amount also.

28. Steve Sparks Flying Everywhere Posted: March 30, 2010 at 10:04 PM (#3489007)

Last off-season, we saw a bunch of articles about Dayton focusing on improving the team's OBP. Having checked that item off the needs list, it's good to see he's moving forward on the defense. The process, trust.

Doing exact opposite as you're supposed to do is the new market inefficiency. You need to improve OBP bring in Mike Jacobs. You need to improve defense bring in Podsednik. If the Royals need more speed I suggest one of the Molina brothers.

29. asinwreck Posted: March 31, 2010 at 01:18 AM (#3489117)

Improving a defense by putting Podsednik in center is like improving apple pie by replacing the apples with Ritz crackers.

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MLB: Improved defense is priority for Royals

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