The value of outfield defense

DMZ · August 5, 2007 at 12:44 am · Filed Under Mariners 

After tonight’s game, I can’t help but feel that anyone who doesn’t think outfield defense isn’t important hasn’t been watching the M’s lately.

Also, given the Red Sox lineup, their performance against Washburn, why in the world do you bring in the relief version of Washburn to relieve Washburn?

Comments

61 Responses to “The value of outfield defense”

  1. thefin190 on August 5th, 2007 12:03 pm

    47 – You are right, it wouldve probably been a 3-2 win and the M’s would’ve already have been out of that inning before facing Varitek if Raul made the play. But even if he made the error they still couldve been out of the inning if he had caught Varitek’s double.

  2. King on August 5th, 2007 12:09 pm

    Anyone see line-ups for todays game yet?

  3. John in L.A. on August 5th, 2007 12:11 pm

    52 – Yes. As expected, in regards to outfield defense, it’s Raul-Adam-Jose.

  4. terry on August 5th, 2007 12:14 pm

    #52:
    Ichiro (DH)
    Vidro (2b)
    Guillen (RF)
    Broussard (1B)
    Beltre (3B)
    Ibanez (LF)
    Jones (CF)
    Burke (C)
    Bettie (SS)

    I think Mclaren missed the memo explaining the point of calling Jones up was to improve the defense….

  5. bigdad03 on August 5th, 2007 12:15 pm

    I don’t think I can continue to read this or any other blog. I get so frustrated reading the same thing written ten different ways.

    It seems like every baseball fan except Mac knows exactly what to do:

    Put Jones in LF.
    Have Vidro play a little second base for Lopez.
    DH Ibanez when Vidro plays second.
    Continue to platoon Ben/Richie or just sit Richie for a few games.
    Let Willie rest Betancourt/Beltre and Guillen on a regular basis.

    Then turn the runners LOOSE and get more aggressive on the basepaths. I’m so sick of seeing Ichiro NOT steal. If it’s HIS choice, then kick him in the ass and tell him to get going. If it’s Mac’s choice, then SEND him.

    The team needs to start to moving runners. It’s ridiculous to get runners on first and second with no outs then not get them to third where a sac fly can score them. More importantly HIT the damn sac fly when there’s a runner there!!!

  6. shortbus on August 5th, 2007 12:19 pm

    Sweet jeebus.

    Can I send my dentist bill to McLaren when I’ve ground my teeth to nubs? Jones

  7. lokiforever on August 5th, 2007 12:26 pm

    Don’t expect to see 2 high profile, highly paid veterans on the bench the same day. When Sexson sits, Raul plays…due in most part to there being a RHP on the mound, but all the other stuff as well…like chemistry, veteran ego coddling, marketing……

  8. shortbus on August 5th, 2007 12:27 pm

    Hmm…last post got cut off because I used a “less than” symbol. Oops.

    Unless Ellison got a start in CF this season I believe that this is the worst outfield, defensively, we’ve put out there this year. Jones is good, but he’s no Ichiro. On the infield, Vidro is definitely worse than Lopez and Broussard isn’t as good a receiver at first as Sexson…from what I’ve seen.

    This could be a very long game.

  9. terry on August 5th, 2007 12:46 pm

    I dunno, playing Vidro at second seems worse than Ichiro successfully stealing 94% of the time.

  10. gag harbor on August 5th, 2007 12:47 pm

    For now, sit Sexson and use Ibanez as DH (part time with Vidro) as has been stated numerous times her before but I would have liked to see the club make a bold decision and DFA Sexson and pretend that Jones’ salary is the combination of Sexson and his league minimum combined.

    The fact that Jones is not playing full time is purely ego on the part of the front office for failing with Sexson/Vidro/Ibanez. The next big contract idea Bavasi has should be vetoed immediately.

  11. shortbus on August 5th, 2007 1:02 pm

    I don’t see the point in splitting DH between Vidro and Ibanez. There’s no performance advantage to doing so. Platooning Ibanez and Guillen in RF makes a lot more sense offensively, and is defensively not a huge difference. But then Guillen explodes and shoves McLaren into his locker or something.

    Sounds like a Win-Win scenario to me!

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