AI Defensive Choices/IF Defensive Ratings

[RchW]

Originally Posted by ike121212

The Braves tried it briefly with Chipper Jones and the Met's with Howard Johnson. Anything to get a little more offense.

Part of the problem is that 1B is considered an IF position (I feel a little stupid writing that, but I think you know what I mean). If you can play 1B, you've got at least some ability to play everywhere in the IF, and the game will use that at some point. Then it snowballs, as they accumulate experience. The flip side is that an Omar Vizquel makes the best defensive 1B ever. Anyone believe that a 5'9'' career SS would make a great 1B?

Vizquel played 1B for the first time in his career this year in a game I attended vs the Blue Jays. He has played 93% of his games at SS.

[ike121212]

Originally Posted by RchW

Vizquel played 1B for the first time in his career this year in a game I attended vs the Blue Jays. He has played 93% of his games at SS.

Ya, I saw he played 3 innings there this year. What happened to cause that?

His 1 inning in RF looks strange too.

[ike121212]

Originally Posted by jbergey22

Good points.

Thats a good question you have about Omar. He would make plays other 1st baseman wouldnt make but on the other hand the other infielders would hate throwing it to him because hes so short. I really have no idea how he would grade out at that position.

I really don't know either, but it seems to me that a significant part of fielding at 1B is handling throws, and that just doesn't translate from any other position. I'm not sure how well SS range translates to either corner IF position either. They're just different positions by nature.

[Chicagofan76]

Originally Posted by ike121212

The Braves tried it briefly with Chipper Jones and the Met's with Howard Johnson. Anything to get a little more offense.

Part of the problem is that 1B is considered an IF position (I feel a little stupid writing that, but I think you know what I mean). If you can play 1B, you've got at least some ability to play everywhere in the IF, and the game will use that at some point. Then it snowballs, as they accumulate experience. The flip side is that an Omar Vizquel makes the best defensive 1B ever. Anyone believe that a 5'9'' career SS would make a great 1B?

Chipper came up as a SS not 3B (never played 3B in minors), Mets had Dave Magadan at 3B and yes needed to play Johnson somewhere.

Vizquel played his one and only game at 1B for the Sox this year perfect 1.000 FLD pct

[ike121212]

Originally Posted by Chicagofan76

Chipper came up as a SS not 3B (never played 3B in minors), Mets had Dave Magadan at 3B and yes needed to play Johnson somewhere.

That's my point. They chose to sacrifice defense for offense.

[Chicagofan76]

Originally Posted by ike121212

That's my point. They chose to sacrifice defense for offense.

Braves sacrificed Defense for Offense no matter where Chipper played, but considering the fact he is 1 of the best 4 switch hitters hitters of all time it was worth it.

[ike121212]

Originally Posted by Chicagofan76

Braves sacrificed Defense for Offense no matter where Chipper played, but considering the fact he is 1 of the best 4 switch hitters hitters of all time it was worth it.

Hmm, I always thought of Chipper as a decent 3B. Looking at the stats, I guess he was below average. He probably rates as the 2nd or 3rd best 3B of all time, so you're right, he was well worth it.

[CBL-Commish]

Originally Posted by ike121212

The flip side is that an Omar Vizquel makes the best defensive 1B ever. Anyone believe that a 5'9'' career SS would make a great 1B?

Yes, yes I do. I think Omar Vizquel would have gotten to balls that other first baseman don't even think about. And I think people overstate the impact of a short first baseman on throws. I don't see any reason Vizquel couldn't have been a +15, maybe a +20 first baseman. That's a great defensive first baseman. In the entire bb-ref database Albert Pujols' '07 is the only year by a first baseman above +18.

But he wasn't allowed to try because the math doesn't work out. The positional difference between shortstop and first base is 20 runs. Vizquel would have had to been a +27 first baseman just to break even. For a -20 hitting first baseman to make sense he really would have to be the best defensive first baseman ever.