Is Castro destined to always be a SS?

[Benchwarmer]

I've seen alot of discussion about Castro ultimately headed to 3rd or 2nd, rather than always be a SS. There are questions about his footwork at short, that he hasn't figured it out yet. Others say he will grow more, put on some muscle and be a 3rd baseman with good power numbers. I think most of us were happy to see the kid get a chance last year, but where do you think he'll end up?

[Little Slide Rooter]

I've seen alot of discussion about Castro ultimately headed to 3rd or 2nd, rather than always be a SS. There are questions about his footwork at short, that he hasn't figured it out yet. Others say he will grow more, put on some muscle and be a 3rd baseman with good power numbers. I think most of us were happy to see the kid get a chance last year, but where do you think he'll end up?

 

The Yankees. I kid.

[Banghart]

Why would the Yankees want Castro? They have Eduardo Nunez. Who after listening to the Fox and ESPN broadcast I know is the second coming... of Derek Jeter...

[Hairyducked Idiot]

He'll end up at SS, where he belongs. He has excellent range and a strong arm. The only issue is consistency, which will get better with age.

[SouthSideRyan]

He's 21 years old. He's a SS

[Prizefight]

It's entirely on him. If he gets more consistent, he'll stay at SS. If the error totals remain high he'll move.

 

 

I still believe he'll work out the consistency at short.

[dew1679666265]

He'll end up at SS, where he belongs. He has excellent range and a strong arm. The only issue is consistency, which will get better with age.

 

Yeah, he's only 21, so any issues - especially mechanical issues like footwork and consistency - will improve with age and experience. He's not a 25 year old guy who is still struggling defensively. He's a kid who most players at his age are in A or AA ball and can struggle through defensive issues in relative anonymity (nationally at least).

 

I have little doubt he'll develop into at least a decent, if not a very good defensive SS. All the tools are there.

[Brett]

The "he's 21" point really drives me crazy. The fact that he's still very young says absolutely nothing about what his future position should be, especially if he isn't going to grow out of his inconsistencies. Worse, he's forgoing valuable learning time at another position.

 

I don't pretend to know where his future should be, but simply checking a box next to his age as a reason to leave him at short for now is, to me, a pretty lazy way to discuss the question.

[Banghart]

I think age makes this a viable question because it is possible that he could grow out of the position. I don't think he will, but it isn't unheard of guys to get bigger at this point in life. Right now he has the range and definitely the arm to play SS. Leave him where he is at because he is more valuable to this team playing SS than any other spot.

[Backtobanks]

I don't see anybody in the system that would make him move. Many experts see Baez as a future 3B.

[Sammy Sofa]

The "he's 21" point really drives me crazy. The fact that he's still very young says absolutely nothing about what his future position should be, especially if he isn't going to grow out of his inconsistencies. Worse, he's forgoing valuable learning time at another position.

 

I don't pretend to know where his future should be, but simply checking a box next to his age as a reason to leave him at short for now is, to me, a pretty lazy way to discuss the question.

 

What? He's playing the most difficult of the positions between 1B and 3B to play defensively. It doesn't make any sense to panic and move him to 2B or 3B instead when he's this young and it looks like he's got the ability to play SS. If ultimately he can't hack it there after a few years you move him to 2B or 3B and he's moving to an easier position to play. Besides, what's so unique about 2B or 3B that he'd be missing out learning by staying at SS for the time being?

[Hairyducked Idiot]

The "he's 21" point really drives me crazy. The fact that he's still very young says absolutely nothing about what his future position should be, especially if he isn't going to grow out of his inconsistencies. Worse, he's forgoing valuable learning time at another position.

 

I don't pretend to know where his future should be, but simply checking a box next to his age as a reason to leave him at short for now is, to me, a pretty lazy way to discuss the question.

 

Ignoring his age is the lazy way. "He makes a lot of errors now, so let's just assume he'll keep doing it."

 

Making a ton of errors at 21 is normal for a shortstop.

[abuck1220]

The "he's 21" point really drives me crazy. The fact that he's still very young says absolutely nothing about what his future position should be, especially if he isn't going to grow out of his inconsistencies. Worse, he's forgoing valuable learning time at another position.

 

I don't pretend to know where his future should be, but simply checking a box next to his age as a reason to leave him at short for now is, to me, a pretty lazy way to discuss the question.

 

well, this makes no sense.

 

so since you're not sure he can stick at ss (but you don't really know), you want to do what, exactly? move him to 3b so he gets practice there? but i guess he may not be a 3b either, so maybe just make him a utility guy to make sure he gets lots of practice at other positions?

[Backtobanks]

The "he's 21" point really drives me crazy. The fact that he's still very young says absolutely nothing about what his future position should be, especially if he isn't going to grow out of his inconsistencies. Worse, he's forgoing valuable learning time at another position.

 

I don't pretend to know where his future should be, but simply checking a box next to his age as a reason to leave him at short for now is, to me, a pretty lazy way to discuss the question.

 

Young players like Castro often make mistakes and learn bad habits because their amazing ability has been far superior to his peers at every level. Hopefully he will now see that he needs to improve at this level.

[dew1679666265]

At 23, in his first ML year, Hanley Ramirez committed 26 errors. At 22 in his second year in the majors, ARod committed 24 errors. At 24, in his first major league season, Ozzie Smith committed 25 errors. At 22 in his first season, Omar Vizquel committed 18 errors. At 22 in his first full year, Jose Reyes committed 18 errors.

 

 

Starlin, at 20 last year, committed 27. It's not out of the ordinary for a young SS to make a lot of errors early in his career. Ozzie Smith is one of the greatest defensive SS of all time and he made 25, 20 and 24 errors in his first three seasons - at 24, 25 and 26.

[dew1679666265]

The "he's 21" point really drives me crazy. The fact that he's still very young says absolutely nothing about what his future position should be, especially if he isn't going to grow out of his inconsistencies. Worse, he's forgoing valuable learning time at another position.

 

I don't pretend to know where his future should be, but simply checking a box next to his age as a reason to leave him at short for now is, to me, a pretty lazy way to discuss the question.

 

His youth actually says a lot about his experience level. Great defense is based both on natural ability and tons of practice and experience. A 21 year old kid already in his second season in the majors will have plenty of natural ability but not much experience, at least relative to other ML players. You mentioned he needed learning time at other positions, but he still hasn't fully learned SS yet - no kid as young as he is has.

 

If Starlin were a 25 or 27 year old 2nd year player making these mistakes, then it'd be clear he wasn't going to learn the position since at that point he'd have enough more than enough experience at the position. At 21, though, there's still plenty of reason to think he can continue to grow into the position as he gains more experience.

[Clem Fandango]

Also, a higher range = ability to get to more balls = increased chances at making an error in the first place.

[dew1679666265]

Also, a higher range = ability to get to more balls = increased chances at making an error in the first place.

 

Correct, which is why number of errors isn't a very good measure of defensive ability.

[champaignchris]

At the end of last year, I was among the "move him to 2nd base" camp. But after watching him more this year, I take it back. He's got a great arm and is very athletic. I think he's at SS for a long, long time.

[Splendid Splinter]

If Ryan Theriot (heck even Derek Jeter) can be a starting SS, then Castro SHOULD be a SS (regardless of his errors- which is a stupid stat to go by cuz of his range and the balls he gets to)... Theriot can only imagine getting to some of the balls that Castro gets to.

 

 

Castro just needs more coaching at SS (this is where I wish Trammell was still here to give him advice/coaching) and another thing I see with Castro's errors.... he does them in bunches instead of spreading them out over a whole season. It seems like when he gets an error in a game- he'll have 3 more in the next 4 games and then nothing for awhile. So his errors is misleading that way as well.

[davearm2]

If Ryan Theriot (heck even Derek Jeter) can be a starting SS, then Castro SHOULD be a SS (regardless of his errors- which is a stupid stat to go by cuz of his range and the balls he gets to)... Theriot can only imagine getting to some of the balls that Castro gets to.

 

 

Castro just needs more coaching at SS (this is where I wish Trammell was still here to give him advice/coaching) and another thing I see with Castro's errors.... he does them in bunches instead of spreading them out over a whole season. It seems like when he gets an error in a game- he'll have 3 more in the next 4 games and then nothing for awhile. So his errors is misleading that way as well.

Or two more in the same inning.

[Scotti]

At 23, in his first ML year, Hanley Ramirez committed 26 errors. At 22 in his second year in the majors, ARod committed 24 errors. At 24, in his first major league season, Ozzie Smith committed 25 errors. At 22 in his first season, Omar Vizquel committed 18 errors. At 22 in his first full year, Jose Reyes committed 18 errors.

 

 

Starlin, at 20 last year, committed 27. It's not out of the ordinary for a young SS to make a lot of errors early in his career. Ozzie Smith is one of the greatest defensive SS of all time and he made 25, 20 and 24 errors in his first three seasons - at 24, 25 and 26.

 

Correct. High error totals are even worse when you consider teenage shortstops in professional ball (lot of angst about Hak-Ju Lee and Castro when they were in the low minors).

 

Physiologically what is happening is that with each repetition (move to the ball, catch the ball, throw to the base, repeat) with each of the myriad of plays that occur at short, the brain's neural pathways fire and form stronger bonds. The less experience that a player has doing a given thing, the weaker those pathways are. Its like a pathway through a forest--the more traffic that there is the deeper and wider the pathway.

[Backtobanks]

Also, a higher range = ability to get to more balls = increased chances at making an error in the first place.

 

Correct, which is why number of errors isn't a very good measure of defensive ability.

 

A perfect example of this, my favorite player (Ernie Banks) held the record for fewest errors by a SS for quite a few years. I love Ernie, but he was never a great SS. Of course the reason he set the record was because he had such limited range that he made all the plays hit near him.

[Outshined_One]

UZR isn't a huge fan of him, but the tools are there for Castro to be a reasonably good defensive SS well into his prime years.

[9YRPLAN]

id like to see him pack on some more pounds and play 3B. i believe he will eventually be a 20 HR guy and i dont see his range staying good enough to remain at SS if he continues to fill out.