Comments on: Taguchi the Defensive Liability http://www.fangraphs.com/blogs/index.php/taguchi-the-defensive-liability/ Daily baseball statistical analysis and commentary Sun, 12 Feb 2012 21:51:40 +0000 hourly 1 http://wordpress.org/?v=3.3.1 By: Eric Seidman http://www.fangraphs.com/blogs/index.php/taguchi-the-defensive-liability/#comment-32864 Eric Seidman Tue, 22 Apr 2008 19:43:11 +0000 http://www.fangraphs.com/blogs/index.php/taguchi-the-defensive-liability/#comment-32864 Kanka, Definitely, especially if the offensive dropoff is that severe. For me, as a Phillies fan, it is especially annoying because the bullpen is streaky. Even Romero, who, despite his 0.00 ERA has already allowed 5 of 8 inherited runners to score (last yr only 6 of 26). When the bullpen is going to give up leads I don't want one of the best offensive players on the team out of the game, and if his replacement is going to do a poor job at serving his purpose it makes no sense from a management standpoint. If Taguchi was a gold-glove caliber fielder it is one thing but he has been absolutely useless this year. I liked the signing, in theory, at first, but he cannot hit and he has been ineffective as a defensive replacement. Kanka,

Definitely, especially if the offensive dropoff is that severe. For me, as a Phillies fan, it is especially annoying because the bullpen is streaky. Even Romero, who, despite his 0.00 ERA has already allowed 5 of 8 inherited runners to score (last yr only 6 of 26). When the bullpen is going to give up leads I don’t want one of the best offensive players on the team out of the game, and if his replacement is going to do a poor job at serving his purpose it makes no sense from a management standpoint. If Taguchi was a gold-glove caliber fielder it is one thing but he has been absolutely useless this year. I liked the signing, in theory, at first, but he cannot hit and he has been ineffective as a defensive replacement.

]]> By: Kanka http://www.fangraphs.com/blogs/index.php/taguchi-the-defensive-liability/#comment-32860 Kanka Tue, 22 Apr 2008 18:58:25 +0000 http://www.fangraphs.com/blogs/index.php/taguchi-the-defensive-liability/#comment-32860 I know that Taguchi has mostly been used as a platoon player and defensive replacement in his career. But the last few times I've watched him play, he looked lost on defense. So I looked up his fielding stats, and almost every metric has him as a league average defender at best. That's not just recent -that's throughout his career. I think you'd expect a little more from a defensive replacement. I know that Taguchi has mostly been used as a platoon player and defensive replacement in his career. But the last few times I’ve watched him play, he looked lost on defense. So I looked up his fielding stats, and almost every metric has him as a league average defender at best. That’s not just recent -that’s throughout his career. I think you’d expect a little more from a defensive replacement.

]]> By: Eric Seidman http://www.fangraphs.com/blogs/index.php/taguchi-the-defensive-liability/#comment-32825 Eric Seidman Tue, 22 Apr 2008 03:39:19 +0000 http://www.fangraphs.com/blogs/index.php/taguchi-the-defensive-liability/#comment-32825 And keeping up with the trend, TJ Bohn replaced Burrell tonight and promptly bobbled a catchable ball coming in the form of the middle ground between a lineout and a flyball. 11 defensive replacements for Burrell and 5 misplayed balls. And keeping up with the trend, TJ Bohn replaced Burrell tonight and promptly bobbled a catchable ball coming in the form of the middle ground between a lineout and a flyball. 11 defensive replacements for Burrell and 5 misplayed balls.

]]> By: Eric Seidman http://www.fangraphs.com/blogs/index.php/taguchi-the-defensive-liability/#comment-32801 Eric Seidman Mon, 21 Apr 2008 17:07:08 +0000 http://www.fangraphs.com/blogs/index.php/taguchi-the-defensive-liability/#comment-32801 Yeah, Burrell won't make a ton of errors he just won't get to as many balls as someone like Michael Bourn would, which is evidenced by his bad UZR. Unless I'm sorely mistaken UZR measures the amount of range for a fielder, the amount of plays he makes relative to an average fielder. Burrell has been good at throwing runners out (outfield assists) in recent years, though by this article by John Walsh, <a href="http://www.hardballtimes.com/main/article/best-outfield-arms-of-2007/" rel="nofollow">Best outfield arms of 2007</a>, it would seem Burrell was closer to being neither positive or negative in 2007 with regards to his arm. I think a lot of it has to do with runners constantly testing him. For instance, Soriano will get many outfield assists because few think he can throw them out. Burrell definitely hurts the Phillies defensively but maybe these numbers can help, his Batting Runs Above Average (BRAA) and Fielding Runs Above Average (FRAA): 2005: -13 FRAA, + 41 BRAA, net +28 2006: +1 FRAA, +23 BRAA, net +34 2007: -16 FRAA, +35 BRAA, net +19 Based on these numbers his offense makes up for fielding inadequacies. Yeah, Burrell won’t make a ton of errors he just won’t get to as many balls as someone like Michael Bourn would, which is evidenced by his bad UZR. Unless I’m sorely mistaken UZR measures the amount of range for a fielder, the amount of plays he makes relative to an average fielder.

Burrell has been good at throwing runners out (outfield assists) in recent years, though by this article by John Walsh, Best outfield arms of 2007, it would seem Burrell was closer to being neither positive or negative in 2007 with regards to his arm.

I think a lot of it has to do with runners constantly testing him. For instance, Soriano will get many outfield assists because few think he can throw them out.

Burrell definitely hurts the Phillies defensively but maybe these numbers can help, his Batting Runs Above Average (BRAA) and Fielding Runs Above Average (FRAA):

2005: -13 FRAA, + 41 BRAA, net +28
2006: +1 FRAA, +23 BRAA, net +34
2007: -16 FRAA, +35 BRAA, net +19

Based on these numbers his offense makes up for fielding inadequacies.

]]> By: David Appelman http://www.fangraphs.com/blogs/index.php/taguchi-the-defensive-liability/#comment-32799 David Appelman Mon, 21 Apr 2008 17:03:19 +0000 http://www.fangraphs.com/blogs/index.php/taguchi-the-defensive-liability/#comment-32799 Here's some additional info: UZR had Burrell as the worst defensive LF last season at -34. <a href="http://www.insidethebook.com/ee/index.php/site/comments/best_and_worst_of_2007_uzr/" rel="nofollow">Best and worst of 2007 UZR</a> I think Taguchi is around 0, might be slightly negative. Here’s some additional info:

UZR had Burrell as the worst defensive LF last season at -34.

Best and worst of 2007 UZR

I think Taguchi is around 0, might be slightly negative.

]]> By: Larry Seltzer http://www.fangraphs.com/blogs/index.php/taguchi-the-defensive-liability/#comment-32796 Larry Seltzer Mon, 21 Apr 2008 16:52:46 +0000 http://www.fangraphs.com/blogs/index.php/taguchi-the-defensive-liability/#comment-32796 I'm also skeptical of the routine defensive replacement strategy. The Phillies often seem to be short of batters late in the game. Burrell has no speed and therefore covers little ground, but he's competent with his glove and - correct me if you have numbers on this - it seems to me he has an excellent arm. I’m also skeptical of the routine defensive replacement strategy. The Phillies often seem to be short of batters late in the game.

Burrell has no speed and therefore covers little ground, but he’s competent with his glove and – correct me if you have numbers on this – it seems to me he has an excellent arm.

]]> By: Eric Seidman http://www.fangraphs.com/blogs/index.php/taguchi-the-defensive-liability/#comment-32794 Eric Seidman Mon, 21 Apr 2008 16:25:00 +0000 http://www.fangraphs.com/blogs/index.php/taguchi-the-defensive-liability/#comment-32794 TC, my feeling has always been that it depends on the situation, as obvious as that sounds. For instance, up 5-1 with the closer coming in, yeah letting Burrell come out is fine. The original idea was to rest his injured feet which I'm not too sure are still an issue. Last year Bourn could field everything due to his speed. He couldn't hit, so when it was Utley-Howard-Bourn it hurt the team but at least Bourn was a legitimate defensive upgrade. This year, so far, Taguchi has been bad in the sense that Utley-Howard-Taguchi is not anywhere near as good as Utley-Howard-Burrell and on top of that he has not been much better than Burrell in the outfield. I'm not a fan of taking Burrell out either. If it's a legitimate upgrade, yeah, let's talk, but otherwise it makes no sense to bring in someone MUCH worse offensively and barely better defensively. TC, my feeling has always been that it depends on the situation, as obvious as that sounds. For instance, up 5-1 with the closer coming in, yeah letting Burrell come out is fine. The original idea was to rest his injured feet which I’m not too sure are still an issue. Last year Bourn could field everything due to his speed. He couldn’t hit, so when it was Utley-Howard-Bourn it hurt the team but at least Bourn was a legitimate defensive upgrade.

This year, so far, Taguchi has been bad in the sense that Utley-Howard-Taguchi is not anywhere near as good as Utley-Howard-Burrell and on top of that he has not been much better than Burrell in the outfield.

I’m not a fan of taking Burrell out either. If it’s a legitimate upgrade, yeah, let’s talk, but otherwise it makes no sense to bring in someone MUCH worse offensively and barely better defensively.

]]> By: TC http://www.fangraphs.com/blogs/index.php/taguchi-the-defensive-liability/#comment-32789 TC Mon, 21 Apr 2008 16:01:39 +0000 http://www.fangraphs.com/blogs/index.php/taguchi-the-defensive-liability/#comment-32789 I could be wrong, but Burrell's defense (though still less than impressive) seems a lot better this year than in years past. I've long been an opponent of taking PB out of the game (in most situations), but it would seem to me that, if his LF defense is close to league average for the season, there's hardly any excuse to sub him out for Taguchi's mediocre glove and subpar bat. I could be wrong, but Burrell’s defense (though still less than impressive) seems a lot better this year than in years past. I’ve long been an opponent of taking PB out of the game (in most situations), but it would seem to me that, if his LF defense is close to league average for the season, there’s hardly any excuse to sub him out for Taguchi’s mediocre glove and subpar bat.

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