Thread: Article: It's All Good in the Outfield

Originally Posted by John Bonnes

I think we should note that Willingham, according to UZR, has cost the Twins less than four runs compared to the average left fielder. He's about average per that metric.

I think our perception of him as worse than that is because he's bad at something it doesn't measure - picking up balls on the ground. But he's not bad at getting to balls in the air, which is probably a more valuable skill. That costs outs AND bases, whereas not picking up a ball cleanly just costs bases.

I think there's some truth to this, John, but being even just a little below average (and certainly unlikely to get BETTER as he ages) in a roomy outfield like TF has can be problematic when combined with a pitching staff that doesn't miss bats. My point was that I don't want TWO OFs like that in the corners.

I don't think Willingham is brutal (thanks to Delmon Young, I may never think another Twins OF ever meets that definition again). I certainly believe Willingham's bat (as long as it remains close to current productivity) is worth having his glove in one OF corner. I simply am not anxious to start seeing what seems like every ball hit in the general vacinity of an OF gap go for extra bases like last season (and this season, prior to Revere and Span consistently making up 2/3 of the OF).

Originally Posted by Brock Beauchamp

Originally Posted by stringer bell

Target Field Span is an All-Star. Road Span is Rich Becker. How can you say that Target Field has hurt Span when he has hit great there all three years? Span's home/road split in OPS since 2010: .761 H .602 R in 2010 .728 H .660 R in 2011 and .937 H and .545 R this year.

I think he's had to change his play to accomodate TF. He was on track to become a 10-12 homer player in the dome and that number was crushed with the move to TF. I think that change of style has been a cause of his pretty bad road splits. There's nothing about Target Field that makes Span a better offensive player while there's a lot to dislike about the park as a lefty.

Span used to get lots of infield hits on high-bouncing balls he'd pound into the Dome turf. Subtract all those hits at Target Field, and his average goes down below .300.

Ben Revere's throw from CF in Saturday's game was a revelation. That was at least mlb average velocity, and he put that ball right on the money. Granted, he had his weight moving into the throw, but that's part of how you're supposed to do it. I was also impressed by how he cranked his scapula, finishing his throw with his left elbow pointing directly away from the target.

Much better form, Mr. Revere. Now if somebody will teach him to throw a fast cartwheel and a shoulder roll, he can start really getting his legs into it. There's no reason an athlete with his body can't uncork a 90mph throw, or better.