Hart or Braun for centerfield?

[sbrylski]

Let's say player A plays left field and can cover 250 square foot area, which we'll say is exactly average for left fielders. Now move him to center - he's still going to cover 250 square feet. So the position itself I would argue is not necessarily inherently harder to play. Its relative to other players in the league that makes it harder to be good at, which I think is a bit different, though admittedly splitting hairs. But I think that would explain why some fielders argue centerfield is easier - he'll cover the same amount of ground either place, but he doesn't have to deal with the more extreme slices.

[TooLiveBrew]

I sucked as a CF - I felt it was a lot harder to judge balls coming straight at you than at the corner OF positions.

 

I played the OF as well, and agree with this. But I never played past H.S., so that might influence things.

 

 

If Weeks ever gets his OBP over .100, sure.

 

Is that funny because it's not true?

 

 

But I think that would explain why some fielders argue centerfield is easier - he'll cover the same amount of ground either place, but he doesn't have to deal with the more extreme slices.

 

Yeah, that makes sense to me (intuitively).

[olliegjw]

I am of the opinion that...

 

Next year will bring LF Braun, CF Hart, RF LaPorta

 

Tony Gwynn will not be a Brewer past July 31st 2008 (even though I really like him and want him to be around)

I totally agree, and I'm a big Gwynn fan too.

[JJHardy7]

Look at it this way.

 

Let's say we attached a bunch of ankle weights to Cameron, so he had the exact same speed as Carlos Lee.

 

Who would you rather have playing CF?

 

I understand your point, but I think at this point and time Braun hopefully hasn't reach his ceiling. If he doesn't make better adjustments on balls he won't be able to play CF. I think from seeing LaPorta in the OF we're going to need the player that can cover the most ground in the most efficient way in CF to make up for his lack of speed/instincts. I do think LaPorta can improve, but Braun is a lot faster than he is and has a higher defensive ceiling IMO.

[rluzinski]

This was brought up because someone said that if Braun and Hart can handle the corner outfield spot, they should be expected to be able to handle CF, because CFer is easier. I believe that is false. On the balance, an average CFer plays like an above average corner outfielder when moved there. In contrast, an average corner outfielder is a below average CFer. I've seen this illustrated in a few different ways, statistically.

 

If Braun and Hart are like an average corner outfielder, they would do worse if moved to CF. Now, we know that they are probably not like an average corner outfielder, as they possess more speed than most. Still, as we all seem to agree, speed is just one small part of what's required of a CFer. The average CFer also has to read balls off the bat better than an average corner OFer.

 

That's why I think it's odd that people think corner outfielders have some slice-reading skill that a CFer couldn't learn if they needed to. I think if you throw an average CFer into the corner outfield for the first time, he may find the slices initially problimatic. I just don't think that it would be much of an issue after a short time. And if it really is a skill, it's apparently not as valuable as just being able to cover more ground.

[jhart05]

If we're still taking about Hart or Braun in CF...

 

If you have to pick one, I'd put Hart there.

 

I wouldn't want to move Braun to yet another new position. Let the guy finally get comfortable at one position.

 

Plus Hart has played some CF before and didn't do too bad out there.

 

I agree with the LF Braun, CF Hart, RF LaPorta outfield, with Gwynn in San Diego.

[southpaw121505]

That's why I think it's odd that people think corner outfielders have some slice-reading skill that a CFer couldn't learn if they needed to.

That's not the point I'm making at all. If a corner outfielder misreads a ball or doesn't get an immediate jump, it's much easier to recover and still make the play. Think about how deep a corner guy can play relative to the wall. I might have missed it but I don't think people are saying a CF couldn't adjust to a corner. The difference is not a slice reading skill, it's the fact that you have a much larger margin for error in your initial reaction on a corner.

 

The main reason I consider the slice is because Braun is not a natural OF, and from my experience CF is the easiest to just see the ball and run it down. He does look tentative and slow in his breaks. At least for me, and I'm obviously not alone, it took me longer in left to get a beat on a ball and go get it compared to center. I guess that is why I consider Braun for center. I think Hart is closer to what he will be now as an OF because he has been playing it longer, but with Braun I think there is a lot of room for growth and maybe he is one of the outfielders that feel more comortable reading the ball off the bat in center.

[endaround]

Hart was average over his time in CF. Braun has been slightly below average in LF. Not sure how this approaches to be a hard decision.

[Brian the Automator]

Hart was average over his time in CF. Braun has been slightly below average in LF. Not sure how this approaches to be a hard decision.

The case I've been making is that the perception that CF is "harder" than LF to play, ignoring speed, might be incorrect. And if that's the case, it's not as slam dunk of a decision (although since I believe Hart is the faster player, I think he would get the nod over Braun).