OOTP Developments Forums - View Single Post - Relationship between range and fielding pct.

Vajracchedika · 11-28-2003, 08:55 PM

Well, until I see numbers from the 50's, 60's, and 70's, I'm not going to conclude that the correlation is minimal. To me, it's straight forward. Range Factor clearly tabulates outfield putouts and assists. You can't argue with the fact that many great defensive players have put up much larger assist numbers from the outfield than other players. Those assists are part of RF, but if you want to throw out RF, then just look at the assists. A player with great range is going to have more chances to cut down hits into the gap and make shorter throws. And they may also tend to have better throwing arms. The assist numbers clearly support this. You often see high assist totals for players with, say, a .989 fielding percentage in the outfield. They didn't just get all of those assists because the baserunners were slow.

But there is no data exists for ZR before 2000, so if everyone is going to insist on using ZR, then I think the debate is pointless. I'm sorry, but it makes no sense to judge the correlation based on players who are playing at a time when defense is valued less than it ever has been before, and the home run ball has completely morphed the game into some kind of bastardized form. What use is emphasizing great defense when a one or two-run lead is never safe under any circumstances? And do all the steroids have an effect on throwing ability or range, or both? We'll probably never know.

11-28-2003, 08:55 PM	#19
Vajracchedika Minors (Rookie Ball) Join Date: May 2003 Posts: 36	Well, until I see numbers from the 50's, 60's, and 70's, I'm not going to conclude that the correlation is minimal. To me, it's straight forward. Range Factor clearly tabulates outfield putouts and assists. You can't argue with the fact that many great defensive players have put up much larger assist numbers from the outfield than other players. Those assists are part of RF, but if you want to throw out RF, then just look at the assists. A player with great range is going to have more chances to cut down hits into the gap and make shorter throws. And they may also tend to have better throwing arms. The assist numbers clearly support this. You often see high assist totals for players with, say, a .989 fielding percentage in the outfield. They didn't just get all of those assists because the baserunners were slow. But there is no data exists for ZR before 2000, so if everyone is going to insist on using ZR, then I think the debate is pointless. I'm sorry, but it makes no sense to judge the correlation based on players who are playing at a time when defense is valued less than it ever has been before, and the home run ball has completely morphed the game into some kind of bastardized form. What use is emphasizing great defense when a one or two-run lead is never safe under any circumstances? And do all the steroids have an effect on throwing ability or range, or both? We'll probably never know.