Mariners Dunn.... Astros just getting started.. GT

[Donn Beach]

Mallex Smith has improved so dramatically that he ranks among the best defenders in the Major Leagues at his position this year in some metrics.

Is that true?...If so i in fact do find it interesting...

[D-train]

Mallex Smith has improved so dramatically that he ranks among the best defenders in the Major Leagues at his position this year in some metrics.

Is that true?...If so i in fact do find it interesting...

Did you see the link I posted. He is 28th of 30 defensively for CFs. I would love to know what metrics he is talking about. The not dropping fly balls any more metric perhaps.

[D-train]

Mallex Smith has improved so dramatically that he ranks among the best defenders in the Major Leagues at his position this year in some metrics.

Is that true?...If so i in fact do find it interesting...

I just checked UZR/150 (range), arm and error rankings. He is 27th of 30 in all three. Maybe he is first in % of hat flying off when making a play.

[Donn Beach]

i didn't see it, but i don't think he is talking about the entire season, he is talking about improving during the season

[D-train]

i didn't see it, but i don't think he is talking about the entire season, he is talking about improving during the season

If you are 28th of 30 for the whole season, how good could you have been for even the last two months? As you can imagine there are no splits for defense so you can't see how he has done over less than a full season.

[Donn Beach]

there is the stat he is talking about, if you look at the artcle, its a statcast stat...don't know about you but i think its a plus if he is managing to create some value.

Smith has not only overcome that shaky start, he ranks seventh among all MLB outfielders in Statcast’s Outs Above Average metric that looks at the catch probability and number of balls tracked down, trailing only Victor Robles of the Nats, Kevin Kiermaier of the Rays, Lorenzo Cain of the Brewers, Byron Buxton of the Twins, Delino DeShields of the Rangers and Harrison Bader of the Cardinals.

[Donn Beach]

looks like an intesting way to look at outfield defense, applying the statcast data...

It basically uses stat cast data using the starting point and hang time to calculate how far the player had to run with an optimal route and how much time he had for this,
https://baseballsavant.mlb.com/outs_above_average

from that it calculates a catch probability using the league averages.

currently it only exists for outfielders but more will probably come.

Is this going to be the final solution for defense? zone ratings are great and I think they already have considered batted ball type but with statcast we can have the exact starting point of a fielder (shift problem) and then see exactly how much time he had to get to a specific batted ball.

[D-train]

I guess that is a good thing but bottom line is he is at 0.2 WAR 74 wRC+ and a .638 OPS. Unfortunately 2020 is another throw away year and we don't have anyone else to play CF so he probably gets another shot.

[D-train]

I know Johns has to find something good to write about given his paid shill role but write about prospects as opposed to a chap stick on a pig piece.

[Donn Beach]

I actually don't give a crap about prospects, that to me is the most pie in the sky fluff a franchise can sell...just wait, we have these great players for you someday in the future...