7/16 Cubs (Marshall) vs Mets (El Duque) 5 pm ESPN

[baseball7897]

No baseball team has won a world series without a solid defense.

 

That's probably not true--or even close--but I'm way too lazy to actually look it up.

Boston 2004 had Cabrera and Mientkewicz but everyone else was average or worse defensively

 

Bill Mueller was solid at 3b, Trot Nixon was solid in RF, Varitek solid behind the plate, Damon was average in CF. So that was a pretty solid defense.

 

I've heard nothing about Trot Nixon being solid, unless by solid you just mean average at best, which doesn't really say much for the claim that nobody has won without a solid defense.

 

2001 D-Backs led the league in fielding with a .986% commited the lowest amount of errors in the league with 84. 2002 Angels were 2nd in the league in fielding with .986. 2003 Marlins led the league in fielding with a .987%. 2004 Redsox had a .981 fiedling%. The led the league in the second half with the best fielding%. 2005 Whitesox were 2nd in the league in defense with a .985 fielding%. I probably can go even further back with the previous world series winners who had a solid defense.

[Drew Doughty]

fielding percentage is still a horrible way to judge defense.

 

The 2004 red sox hit the ball very very well. They ran a couple of hot pitchers through the WS with their very good hitting.

 

I think this is right though. If I have someone wrong, feel free to correct me.

 

Varitek is average.

Mientkiewicz is very good.

Bellhorn is average at best.

Mueller is average.

Cabrera is very good.

Ramirez is below average.

Johnny Damon is average with a poor arm.

Trot Nixon is average at best.

 

That's not exactly a solid defense, it's average.

[baseball7897]

fielding percentage is still a horrible way to judge defense.

 

The 2004 red sox hit the ball very very well. They ran a couple of hot pitchers through the WS with their very good hitting.

 

I think this is right though. If I have someone wrong, feel free to correct me.

 

Varitek is average.

Mientkiewicz is very good.

Bellhorn is average at best.

Mueller is average.

Cabrera is very good.

Ramirez is below average.

Johnny Damon is average with a poor arm.

Trot Nixon is average at best.

 

That's not exactly a solid defense, it's average.

 

If there is one thing I feel helped the Redsox reach the world series was luck and the improvement of their defense. Cabrera was a huge addition to that team. The Redsox struggled the majoirty of that year with poor defense. If they kept Nomar that year I dont think they would of won the world series.

 

Cabrera was one guy I wished the Cubs would of got instead of Nomar. Would you want a guy who would play everyday? Or a guy who would play everyother day? I would want a guy who would play everyday.

[Blueheart05]

it would behoove them to make infield defense (specifically up the middle) more of a priority.

 

No

 

The one word response is always good.

 

Offense makes up more of the game than defense. Considering the makeup of the Cubs, with a lack of offense at SS, CF, and at least one corner OF spot, it would definitely make more sense to get an offensive minded 2B, even if they are not gold-glove caliber. Why would it behoove them to make infield defense more of a priority? That sounds nice to say, but what's the justification?

 

You're not understanding me. My whole point is that the Cubs are flawed as currently constructed, and as long as they are in a position to make changes they can't go wrong with adding defense up the middle. IMO, they shouldn't be dependent on offense from secondbase.

 

 

Edit: Also, to answer your question about why good infield defense is justified, I think the best answer is because it makes the pitching staff better because there is a greater chance for infield balls to turn into outs... Zambrano, Maddux, Marshall, and Dempster are all ground ball pitchers and the Cubs have other pitchers who, although they are more dependent on air-outs, can also benefit from having a solid defense behind them.

[cheapseats]

No baseball team has won a world series without a solid defense.

 

The 2003 Florida Marlins were #23 out of 30 in defensive efficiency.

The 1996 Yankees were #22 in defensive efficiency.

Toronto was #18 out of 28 in 1993.

 

Most teams that win the world series do have good defense, but to say that no team has won without a solid defense is incorrect.

 

As for up-the-middle defense, the 2000 Yankees had Jose Vizcaino at 2nd. His fielding rate was 100, exactly the same as Todd Walker's rate this year. Derek Jeter was one of the worst defensive shortstops in baseball that year. Bernie Williams was below average in CF.

[RonnieWooWooSanto]

No baseball team has won a world series without a solid defense.

 

The 2003 Florida Marlins were #23 out of 30 in defensive efficiency.

The 1996 Yankees were #22 in defensive efficiency.

Toronto was #18 out of 28 in 1993.

 

Most teams that win the world series do have good defense, but to say that no team has won without a solid defense is incorrect.

 

As for up-the-middle defense, the 2000 Yankees had Jose Vizcaino at 2nd. His fielding rate was 100, exactly the same as Todd Walker's rate this year. Derek Jeter was one of the worst defensive shortstops in baseball that year. Bernie Williams was below average in CF.

 

That 1993 WS had two horrid defenses if I recall. I can't remember if it affected that series in any manner.