Minor League Discussion & Boxes 6-8-12

[Guest]

Yes, because SS and 3B are the exact same position. And because Vitters is the same caliber athlete as Castro. And because 6 years in the minor with no defensive improvement is the same as the 4 years in the minors, 3 in the majors with constant improvement.

Of course Vitters is not the same caliber of athlete as Starlin. Otherwise, we'd be really excited about him as a SS.

 

btw - Vitters has improved defensively. Even this season he's improved significantly by most measures over just last year.

 

Castro was a 17-year old off a small island in the Carribbean. Vitters was a 17-year old with US highschool instruction.

Castro has consistently shown the range, arm, hands, and ability to be a good defensive SS. Vitters has consistently shown that he doesn't have the range, hands or ability to ever be more than an average defensive 3B.

Fair point on quality of instructions as kids, though we really don't know if the quality of instruction Vitters got was better that what Castro got on the island. You're making a guess and positioning it as fact.

 

Range isn't nearly as important at 3B as SS. Most plays only have time for a step and a dive. It's really impacted by positioning and reaction as much as anything.

 

Picking the ball is addressed through the above notes on fielding percentage. I'll just add here that if he maintains his current pace, he will post his best fielding percentage in the minors over a full season. You know, he's showing improvement.

 

I'm not sure what you mean by the "ability" part of range, hands and ability.

 

I know you like Vitters (I do too actually), but if the team isn't comfortable with the thought of him at 3B now, they aren't going to be happy with him there with a couple more years of seasoning in the minors.

I'll give another example: Aramis. He was considered an awful defender at 3B at this same age, but was certainly league average in his prime. Ian Stewart was questioned defensively at a young age, as well. Improvement can and does happen beyond the age of 22, even for kids from the states.

[Guest]

btw, Hispanola is a BIG island. :)