Quote:
Originally Posted by teachermike
I'd like to see an overhaul of the defensive ratings system. The current system works fine until you start trying to move players around the diamond, and specifically from catcher to any other position, or from the infield to the outfield. Since catchers often have very low infield defensive ratings, it's not always clear if they'll be able to make the successful transition to 1B; many slick-fielding, athletic infielders have terrible outfield defensive ratings, so making that transition (even to a low-intensity defensive position like LF) can be unsuccessful even for great infielders.
The current root (i.e. editable) defensive ratings, IF/OF Range, Error, and Arm, and Turn Double Plays, should all become derived ratings like the Contact rating, or be merged. The error ratings should become a single rating; it seems intuitive that a player's ability to catch and hold onto the ball should translate pretty well across positions, given an equal amount of experience at each position. Similarly, the three arm ratings (Catcher, Infield, Outfield) could be replaced by or derived from two universal arm ratings, an Arm Strength and Arm Accuracy. (Maybe these could even tie directly into pitchers' velocity/stuff and control ratings.) OF Range should be largely derived from speed and a dose of intelligence (picking the right route to the ball), and also be affected by a quickness rating; IF Range should be mostly dependent on quickness. Turn Double Plays might be some combination of quickness, intelligence, and arm ratings.
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Agree with this concept very much. I get so tired of seeing players with great OF range but 40 speed, or 80 speed and poor range, or guys with 80 arms at 3B but 40 in RF.
No, throwing isn't the exact same at every position, but when teams scout players, they grade throwing as a single tool; in the same way, a guy who is a fast runner on the basepaths isn't going to become slow in CF, so it's a single tool. It doesn't guarantee he'll have great range, but it's a good bet.
In real life, if teams see a guy with a 60 arm and 70 speed making a lot of errors at 3B, they're going to move him to the outfield. If a 6'4" power hitting OF has poor range, he's going to get moved to 1B. If he's 5'11" and can throw, they may try him behind the plate.
Here's a slight amendment to your suggestion. There are currently 10 defensive ratings generated for each player ... I think you could make a better model by generating 7, plus using speed and IQ.
Throw strength
Throw accuracy (affects throwing errors)
Fielding Error
Fly ball judgement (affects range for both OF and IF)
Reflexes (affects IF range, also matters a bit for catchers)
Turn DP
C ability (affects throwing at C position)
Speed
Intelligence
That's a more accurate reflection of the kind of tools scouts look at, and a system built around them is going to build a more realistic model than one that says that Ozzie Smith would have been a disaster in LF because he didn't have an "OF range" skill.