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Author: Mark Nader

  • The Best and Worst of Pitching Defense

    We’ve all seen it.  Runner on first, chopper back to the pitcher for an easy double play…. and the throw sails into center field.   While watching a game last week where this exact event occurred, I asked myself who is actually the worst fielding pitcher in all of baseball, and what is the proper way of coming to the answer?

    Greg Maddux was universally regarded as the best fielding pitcher of his generation, and possibly ever, with a major league record 18 Gold Gloves.  More recently, Mark Buehrle has succeeded Maddux as the “best fielding pitcher,” winning the Fielding Bible Award and Gold Glove the last four years. He has a chance for his fifth in 2013.

    The likes of Maddux and Buerhle have helped their cause by fielding the position with quick reflexes, barehanded snags, and, for Buehrle, an unforgettable between-the-legs flip on Opening Day 2010.   It is easy to recognize those who show up on highlight reels and win the hardware.  However, how do we classify those who don’t?

    Worst Net (GFPs – DMEs) Since 2008

    Player

    GFP

    DM

    E

    Net GFP-DME
    A.J. Burnett

    14

    21

    22

    -29
    Matt Garza

    4

    15

    16

    -27
    James Shields

    15

    21

    18

    -24
    Clayton Richard

    9

    11

    20

    -22
    Jon Lester

    6

    16

    12

    -22

    Looking at good fielding plays (GFPs) and defensive misplays and errors (DMEs), A.J. Burnett could be seen as the worst fielding pitcher.  Since 2008, Burnett leads all pitchers in errors and is fourth in DMs.  Second on the list is Matt Garza, whose fielding woes received some attention earlier this season.  In an August game, Oakland bunted four times against Garza, who then expressed his anger on Twitter.  However, Oakland’s moves were with good reason as Garza has 12 errors since the beginning of 2011, the most of all pitchers.

    Best Net (GFP – DMEs) since 2008

    Player

    GFP

    DM

    E

    Net GFP-DME
    Zack Greinke

    31

    6

    3

    22
    Jake Peavy

    20

    8

    5

    7
    Bronson Arroyo

    20

    6

    7

    7
    Kenny Rodgers

    12

    4

    1

    7
    Livan Hernandez

    20

    11

    2

    7
    Jesse Litsch

    16

    3

    6

    7

    Buehrle has been the pitcher to receive the most accolades.  However, by using the measure of Net (GFP-DME), Zack Greinke has been the best fielding pitcher.  His 22 Net (GFP-DME) are 15 clear of second place since 2008, and Greinke has never won a Gold Glove in his career. Although Buehrle has the second most GFPs in this time frame, he only has a Net (GFP-DME) of 5, which ranks tied for twelfth among pitchers over that span.

     

     

    ALL STATS AS OF SEPTEMBER 17, 2013

  • Freddie Freeman Picking Up His Teammates

    The Atlanta Braves have arguably the best defensive shortstop in all of baseball in Andrelton Simmons. The slick-fielding 23-year-old leads MLB in Defensive Runs Saved with 39 in 2013, more than double Pedro Florimon, who is second among shortstops with 18.

    However, Simmons is not the only 23-year-old in the Braves infield who is showing a knack defensively. First baseman Freddie Freeman, too, has quickly become one of the best young players at his position. Since his first full season in 2011, Freeman leads all first basemen with 230 Good Fielding Plays (GFPs).

    A cornerstone for a first baseman is his ability to handle a difficult throw from a fellow infielder. Whether you choose to call it a scoop or a pick, Freeman again is the leader. Out of his 230 GFP’s, 128 of them have been considered “handling a difficult throw,” which are throws that first hit the dirt or are wide of the bag. To put that in perspective, only five other active first baseman have more than 90 (Carlos Pena, Eric Hosmer, Paul Goldschmidt and Adrian Gonzalez).

    Over the same period, Freeman has made few negative plays. Net GFPs are accumulated by adding player errors to their defensive misplays (DM) and subtracting that number from the number of GFPs they have recorded. Freeman is second with 147 Net GFPs, behind only Goldschmidt’s 154.

    You can’t pick your teammates, but Freeman can sure pick the bad throws his teammates throw his way.
    ALL STATS AS OF August 29, 2013