It will be so refreshing after 2009 to have a third baseman that doesn't look like he needs a Hoveround. I love Mike Lowell, but he was just painful to watch last season.
On the play at 1:21 I have to keep reminding myself that it's Coco Crisp at the plate, not Bengie Molina. The ball bounces off Beltre; he recovers, picks it up, throws and *still* beats Coco to first. Sweet...
He makes so many barehanded plays that you wonder if he first learned to play without a glove, or if he played cricket for a while (the latter seems unlikely since not many people play it these days in the DR, although I read that it used to be very popular pre-baseball).
Gareth - really interesting comment. I was thinking the very same thing. Being a Brit, I've always wondered how good top class cricketers would be as baseball infielders, just for that very reason - ie they have spent their entire life barehanding it and would presumably be able to do it in their sleep. You would think they would be pretty good at hitting a baseball too.
I know that the purists and WBC-objectors would probably hate it, but I think it would be fun to see top-notch folks in both sports take each other on in some form of "compromise rules" format like the Gaelic football-Aussie rules series every couple of years.
Plus it would be interesting to see how the baseball players dealt with something like this!
[John Dewan, owner of Baseball Info Solutions and a creator of most of the best-known defensive metrics] sees no coincidence that three positions the Red Sox focused on fixing this offseason - shortstop, third base and center field - were their three worst positions in terms of runs saved last season.
The dramatic turnaround: Adrian Beltre's plus-22 ranking is 40 runs (or four wins) higher than that of the player he will replace, Mike Lowell (minus-18 in 2009).
In fact, the defense of those three positions alone should be worth about nine more wins for the Sox this season, according to Dewan.
sees no coincidence that three positions the Red Sox focused on fixing this offseason - shortstop, third base and center field -
That is why I don't like those "new" defensive stats, I thought and mentioned on more than one occasion that LBJ should win the gold glove for centerfield. I also beleive he was named the top web gem winner for cf last year , I know great plays don't make you a great player, but I thoughi he was fantastic in cf last year...
Ellsbury was quite good in 2008 and bad in 2009. The general feeling was that he was playing too deep -- why? we don't know, the team positioning him, his own comfort level re the wall, ?? -- and let a lot of balls fall in shallow. Plus he gets shitty jumps on balls, often breaking back on short pops, though he can often outrun his mistakes.
Plenty of catches are made one-handed in cricket (for evidence, see here, here, or here), but I think there's also a very different feel to having one hand in a large glove as opposed to both hands "free".
His arm is unreal. Damn.
ReplyDeleteIt will be so refreshing after 2009 to have a third baseman that doesn't look like he needs a Hoveround. I love Mike Lowell, but he was just painful to watch last season.
ReplyDeletemy favorite is the one that goes way up in the air, and he barehands it and throws him out at like 1:50
ReplyDeletemmmmmmmmm, SO looking forward to this season!
ReplyDeleteOn the play at 1:21 I have to keep reminding myself that it's Coco Crisp at the plate, not Bengie Molina. The ball bounces off Beltre; he recovers, picks it up, throws and *still* beats Coco to first. Sweet...
ReplyDeleteI agree. Lowell was an integral part of Boston's championship but they get a nice upgrade with Beltre. Fenway will certainly help a .260 average.
ReplyDelete"Leather porn" - I love it! Great clips!
ReplyDeletemy favorite is the one that goes way up in the air, and he barehands it and throws him out at like 1:50
ReplyDeleteMe, too. I didn't notice he had barehanded it until the replay.
Plus the off-balance throw from one knee in foul territory is also pretty nice.
He makes so many barehanded plays that you wonder if he first learned to play without a glove, or if he played cricket for a while (the latter seems unlikely since not many people play it these days in the DR, although I read that it used to be very popular pre-baseball).
ReplyDeleteGareth - really interesting comment. I was thinking the very same thing. Being a Brit, I've always wondered how good top class cricketers would be as baseball infielders, just for that very reason - ie they have spent their entire life barehanding it and would presumably be able to do it in their sleep. You would think they would be pretty good at hitting a baseball too.
ReplyDeleteI know that the purists and WBC-objectors would probably hate it, but I think it would be fun to see top-notch folks in both sports take each other on in some form of "compromise rules" format like the Gaelic football-Aussie rules series every couple of years.
ReplyDeletePlus it would be interesting to see how the baseball players dealt with something like this!
Silverman:
ReplyDelete[John Dewan, owner of Baseball Info Solutions and a creator of most of the best-known defensive metrics] sees no coincidence that three positions the Red Sox focused on fixing this offseason - shortstop, third base and center field - were their three worst positions in terms of runs saved last season.
The dramatic turnaround: Adrian Beltre's plus-22 ranking is 40 runs (or four wins) higher than that of the player he will replace, Mike Lowell (minus-18 in 2009).
In fact, the defense of those three positions alone should be worth about nine more wins for the Sox this season, according to Dewan.
***
With only a 1 year we should see some good things from him.
ReplyDeleteredsock said...
ReplyDeleteSilverman:
sees no coincidence that three positions the Red Sox focused on fixing this offseason - shortstop, third base and center field -
That is why I don't like those "new" defensive stats, I thought and mentioned on more than one occasion that LBJ should win the gold glove for centerfield. I also beleive he was named the top web gem winner for cf last year , I know great plays don't make you a great player, but I thoughi he was fantastic in cf last year...
andy said...
ReplyDeleteWith only a 1 year we should see some good things from him.
It is amazing to think if they gave him three years , you would be expecting something less.....
Ellsbury was quite good in 2008 and bad in 2009. The general feeling was that he was playing too deep -- why? we don't know, the team positioning him, his own comfort level re the wall, ?? -- and let a lot of balls fall in shallow. Plus he gets shitty jumps on balls, often breaking back on short pops, though he can often outrun his mistakes.
ReplyDeleteBalls aren't caught one-handed in cricket, so I doubt any experience would translate if he had some.
ReplyDeletePlenty of catches are made one-handed in cricket (for evidence, see here, here, or here), but I think there's also a very different feel to having one hand in a large glove as opposed to both hands "free".
ReplyDelete