Alfonso Soriano - Gold Glove candidate?

[son of sanford and son]

The new Sports Illustrated has a fun article on defensive metrics and how they're finally being embraced by MLB front offices. I found this nugget to be especially interesting, in reference to John Dewan's Plus/Minus Runs Saved metric:

 

In addition to telling us that [Torii] Hunter is an average defensive outfielder, the metric also suggest that the Yankees should relocate Derek Jeter, long rated by the metrics as the worst-fielding shortstop in baseball, to the outfield and that the Cubs' Alfonso Soriano, because of his strong arm, has saved more runs than any other leftfielder since moving from second base in 2006.

 

There's certainly appeal to having Soriano's bat a second base, but it seems he may indeed have similar/better value to the Cubs by saving runs in left field.

[SouthSideRyan]

Soriano's range grades out as pretty decent IIRC. It's why the idea of removing a non-gimpy Soriano from games at the end is ridiculous.

[Banedon]

I still hate the skip.

[otis89]

I still hate the skip.

 

Meh. As long as he catches the ball, he can do a backflip while catching it for all I care.

[David]

Soriano's range grades out as pretty decent IIRC. It's why the idea of removing a non-gimpy Soriano from games at the end is ridiculous.

 

I guess that just depends on how much stock we put into defensive metrics that we all know to be fairly flawed. They're getting better, but I don't know if I put enough stock in them to put them ahead of what my eyes tell me in a case like Soriano's.

 

 

Granted, the throwing out runners point is valid.

[TruffleShuffle]

there's a big difference between major league offices recognizing the value of defensive metrics, and rawlings using them to hand out gold gloves.

[biittner77]

Soriano's range grades out as pretty decent IIRC. It's why the idea of removing a non-gimpy Soriano from games at the end is ridiculous.

 

I guess that just depends on how much stock we put into defensive metrics that we all know to be fairly flawed. They're getting better, but I don't know if I put enough stock in them to put them ahead of what my eyes tell me in a case like Soriano's.

 

 

Granted, the throwing out runners point is valid.

 

Though you have to wonder when they're going to stop trying to run on him. How do you measure that value?

[Roast]

Soriano's range grades out as pretty decent IIRC. It's why the idea of removing a non-gimpy Soriano from games at the end is ridiculous.

 

I guess that just depends on how much stock we put into defensive metrics that we all know to be fairly flawed. They're getting better, but I don't know if I put enough stock in them to put them ahead of what my eyes tell me in a case like Soriano's.

 

 

Granted, the throwing out runners point is valid.

 

Yeah, he has a freaking cannon for an arm and he's quick enough to have pretty good range. That's not his problem, though. His problem is that he just tends to take either poor routes to balls or he (appears to, anyway) pull up on balls early sometimes out of fear of injury (i.e. collision with the wall/pulling a hammy)

 

All in all he's pretty good and his arm makes up for how godawful he looks on occasion. No one will confuse him with a great defender, but he's not bad.