.
When it comes to defense in baseball? SSI pretty much trusts whatever the clubs say. They're the ones with the internal metrics. Especially that Statscast stuff that puts the player onto a little bow-and-arrow target and times his travel from crack-of-bat to fly ball intersection. I'll take that over UZR like I'll take a calculator wristwatch over a slide rule.
Have ta say, though, however quickly Leonydas can get from point A to points B twenty-seven point three yards distant, it hasn't been clear from the actual outs that have resulted on the green grass of AL baseball fields. Here's Inside Edge on his outfield results:
.
| Season |
Impossible (0%) |
Remote (1-10%) |
Unlikely (10-40%) |
Even (40-60%) |
Likely (60-90%) |
Routine (90-100%) |
| 2015 |
0%, on 0-for-42 |
0%, on 0-for-9 |
20%, 1-for-5 |
0%, 0-for-1 |
73%, 8-for-11 |
99.5% on 211 balls |
| Career |
0% on 189 plays |
3%, 1-for-36 (!) |
13.3%, 2-for-15 |
45.5%, 10-of-22 |
75%, 30-of-41 |
99.6% on almost a thousand balls |
.
It's great to make all the routine plays, I guess. But the above is not a picture of Devon White, diving into the gaps to produce video reels that will be enshrined at Cooperstown. According to John Dewan and according to UZR, he does wind up with a good steady +10 to +15 runs saved per season - apparently on getting to more 90% balls than other guys do. So aNOTHER thing you won't see is Brad Miller taking a wonky angle towards the warehouse doors in Houston.
The fans' scouting report -- also found on Leonydas' Fran-gaffes page -- corroborates: instincts average, hands average, first step and speed very good. A guy who's not easy to appreciate, in terms of his being a franchise glove.
Well, Mike Cameron didn't look spectacular in Safeco, either. And a +10-15 runs center fielder might actually get you more like 20, 25 in Seattle. Just don't expect the lad to time his routes so that he gets to dive at the end like Jim Edmonds :- )
Peace,
Jeff
