Highs and Lows of UZR 2007-9: Gutierrez
As explained in the overview post, here, this is part of a series looking at the best and worst defensive performers over the past three combined seasons. Rankings are done by adding a player’s UZR with his aggregate positional adjustment so as to level the playing field with regards to difficulty. Essentially, it’s removing the grading curve.
Previously covered:
5th, Ryan Zimmerman 43.7 runs above average.
4th, Omar Vizquel 45.8 runs above average.
3rd, J.J. Hardy 48.7 runs above average.
Tonight, the second best player from 2007-9: OF Franklin Gutierrez.
Gutierrez only got in a half-season in 2007 and three-quarters of a season in 2008. None of that mattered thanks to his outrageous 2009 season. Not to dismiss 2007 or 2008 as irrelevant. They certainly pointed out how good with the glove Gutierrez was and lend us some additional credence for the ridiculous 2009 figure. In 2007, Gutierrez posted a +1.0 UZR for every 70 innings fielded. In 2008, that ratio was one run for every 45 innings. That actually fell to one run for every 47 innings this past season, but that it was accomplished over a full season and in center field rather than right makes it all the more impressive.
To try and put into context just how amazing Franklin Gutierrez’s 2009 season was, here are two figures. First, his combined 30.9 runs in 2009 was the best in baseball by 5.5 runs. His defense was worth half a win more than anyone else’s. Furthermore, the 30.9 was the highest individual season mark in the entire 2007-9 sample. And that 30.9 figure, taken alone would have been good enough for 27th on our three-year list.
Simply by taking the field and playing defense, Gutierrez totaled over five wins of value. That he added some value with his bat, as a right-handed hitter in Safeco Field no less, was pure cherry-flavored gravy atop the ice cream sundae of awesome that was Gutierrez’s 2009.
And as historic as that season was, and as great as that three-year period was, it wasn’t enough to make Gutierrez our top ranked fielder from 2007-9. Edging him out by just over a run per season is the next profile.
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/mancrush
It almost has to be a shortstop for the top spot, right?
Without checking, Adam Everett?
it’s not everett, if only because he hasn’t played enough games over the past 3 seasons.
hope its utley
“Cherry-flavored gravy”is a phrase that will haunt my dreams. Ick.
It’s going to be Utley…
carl crawford?
they said there was only one OF on the list, and gutierrez was it.
There is no way it isn’t Utley. He didn’t mention him in the preview as coming up just short, and you cant be #1 in 08 and not be in the top 20.
Utley is so dreamy.
Chase.
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“To try and put into context just how amazing Franklin Gutierrez’s 2009 season was….”
I am not doubting that he had an excellent season, or that he and the others on this list have been among the best fielders in the game over the last few years.
But we also have to keep in mind that there is almost certainly some noise in these defensive stats, enough that we probably can’t quantify runs saved down to the nearest tenth of a run, and maybe not even the nearest run, without there being at least some disclaimer regarding a probable margin of error. Speaking of which, are there any estimates as to what this margin of error is?
What WY said, which is why:
“his outrageous 2009 season”
Outrageous is the right word for it.