Brewerfan Poll: Prince Fielder's Defense

[And That]

Same as the poll about Jon Lucroy's defense, please rate Fielder's defense on a scale of 1-10.

 

1 is bad, 10 is good.

 

The

rating should encompass everything he does at first base, from range to

scooping, and including taking how the Brewers' shifting might effect

him.

 

Thank you!

[Tbadder]

You can't really blame Prince for being a bad Fielder. He's so short. They list him at 5-11 and 275. Yeah. Well, I'm not blaming him for being god's definition of a DH.

[topper09er]

I remember seeing a study a while ago that basically concluded that the single greatest skill a 1B can have is height because their best value comes from saving errors. I think it also concluded that scooping is done at such a high level in MLB that you can pretty much assume most throws in the dirt will be scooped...which makes Prince look even worse because he doesn't do that very well. Also his range is pretty terrible, that double last night from Beltran in the 8th looked like it was about 2 feet from Prince but he couldn't do anything about it. And finally, although the chances are pretty rare for 1Bers, his throwing is terrible. It seems like every throw he makes is bad. I had to give him a 2 because of the Adam Dunn/Mark McGwire types earning the 1 score.

[Funketown]

I gave him a 3, which is relative to other MLB 1B's. He's bad, but he's not on the level of guys like Dunn and Jason Giambi. His scooping ability and his ability to save others from errors seems to be pretty poor, but there are quite a few 1B's who do both of those things poorly. His range is pretty poor, but could be worse for a guy of his size. So, I'm giving him a 3.

[Oxy]

For a guy his size he's probably around a 4, but I gave him a 2 because I wasn't grading on a curve. The only real positive thing I can say about him is that he seems to have pretty good instincts as a fielder (although not as a scooper), and doesn't make many outright errors on balls hit very near to him. Otherwise he is pretty much in the poor category at everything else.

[steve267268]

i don't watch every game, but his scooping and error saving ability is much better than just a few years ago. Perhaps this doesn't say much.

[TooLiveBrew]

I gave him a 3, which is relative to other MLB 1B's. He's bad, but he's not on the level of guys like Dunn and Jason Giambi

 

I gave him a 1, because guys like Dunn & Giambi are about what I think Prince brings defensively.

[dlk9s]

I gave him a 1, because guys like Dunn & Giambi are about what I think Prince brings defensively.

No way.

[chickinbrickin]

I gave him a 3, which is relative to other MLB 1B's. He's bad, but he's not on the level of guys like Dunn and Jason Giambi

 

I gave him a 1, because guys like Dunn & Giambi are about what I think Prince brings defensively.

I gave him a 1 as well, because he is easily one of the worst defensive first basemen in the league. When Fielder makes a scoop I am really pumped because he fails to do so most of the time. Like a previous OP stated, in the bigs scooping low throws should be routine. I know he can't control his body type, but that still doesn't mean he deserves a better defensive grade because of it. Horrible range, horrible arm, below average glove, and short = horrible.

 

With the bat he is unreal, but that is for a different thread.

[TheCrew07]

I gave him a 3, he's better than he was, but he's still poor.

[TooLiveBrew]

I gave him a 1, because guys like Dunn & Giambi are about what I think Prince brings defensively.

No way.

Based on what? He doesn't read the ball well off the bat, he has very limited range, & he's poor at scooping the ball. Dunn & Giambi have the built-in advantage of simply being taller.

[logan82]

I gave him a 2 because while I don't think he is the worst defensive 1B in baseball, I think he is the next thing to it.

[TheCrew07]

It's funny that there was negative reaction to a 1, but not to a 7 or 8 which of course isn't at all biased or contrary for the sake of being contrary.

[logan82]

It's funny that there was negative reaction to a 1, but not to a 7 or 8 which of course isn't at all biased or contrary for the sake of being contrary.

Nobody owned up to giving him that high of a mark.

[PrinceEatMeat]

I think he's barely a 3 right now, heading towards a 2, and will be a 1 in a few years.

[jjfanec]

I really would like to know how he got a 7 or an 8. He tries to improve but I think the height issue is huge, his range is not good, and he is not good at digging out low throws. If we did a poll on his bat though! Then an 8 to 9 makes complete sense.

[jazzytrav]

I would love to hear the justification for an 8. Hell, I would love to hear the justification for a 5. But I also don't really see this as a knock on Prince. Like Tbadder said, can't blame him for being God's definition of a DH. I think he works hard at it and has improved a lot since he first came into the league (when he was easily a 1), but he just doesn't have the physical makeup to be a good defensive player. In my mind, he went from a 1 to a 3 since his rookie year, and that's probably his ceiling on defense...but I'll take that + his bat any day.

[DHonks]

I gave him a 1 since his defense isn't up to par for A ball. His range is awful, his throwing accuracy pitiful, he never gets his knee dirty on low throws (as we're taught in little league), and he doesn't come off the bag to try to save throws that are high or off-line.

 

The one positive I'll say is that he does have a relatively strong arm for a first baseman.

 

I still fully expect a Canseco-like lowlight where Prince will whiff on a routine throw, causing it to hit him in the face.

[HiAndTight]

I gave him a 1, because guys like Dunn & Giambi are about what I think Prince brings defensively.

No way.

Based on what? He doesn't read the ball well off the bat, he has very limited range, & he's poor at scooping the ball. Dunn & Giambi have the built-in advantage of simply being taller.

He moves so much better than either of those two, that there's is just no way you can put him on the same level.

 

I agree, I think that's a gross exaggeration. He's not good, but lets keep it in perspective.

[HiAndTight]

I gave him a 1 since his defense isn't up to par for A ball. His range is awful, his throwing accuracy pitiful, he never gets his knee dirty on low throws (as we're taught in little league), and he doesn't come off the bag to try to save throws that are high or off-line.

 

The one positive I'll say is that he does have a relatively strong arm for a first baseman.

 

I still fully expect a Canseco-like lowlight where Prince will whiff on a routine throw, causing it to hit him in the face.

I sure wasn't taught that. In fact, I was taught you never do that as it's a terrible technique.

 

What's more, when have you ever seen another big league 1st basemen do that?

[DHonks]

I gave him a 1 since his defense isn't up to par for A ball. His range is awful, his throwing accuracy pitiful, he never gets his knee dirty on low throws (as we're taught in little league), and he doesn't come off the bag to try to save throws that are high or off-line.

 

The one positive I'll say is that he does have a relatively strong arm for a first baseman.

 

I still fully expect a Canseco-like lowlight where Prince will whiff on a routine throw, causing it to hit him in the face.

I sure wasn't taught that. In fact, I was taught you never do that as it's a terrible technique.

 

What's more, when have you ever seen another big league 1st basemen do that?

Yes, all the time. I remember first really noticing it with Richie Sexson. On throws that came lower than his waist, he would have his plant (bag) knee down so that it often got dirty. The result was that it got his arms, eyes, and balance all in a much better position to field low throws. Scooping the ball is much easier when the body is lower to the ground, and it also helped him stretch to the throws. It was then that I realized how I'd always done that naturally when I'd had to play some 1st base in emergencies growing up (perhaps it was some instinct from playing 3b, ss, 2b, and cf primarily).

 

I see it all the time from other 1st basemen in MLB, however, since I really am only paying close attention to Prince (as a Brewers fan) I don't have names that jump out at me.

[monty57]

I still fully expect a Canseco-like lowlight where Prince will whiff on a routine throw, causing it to hit him in the face.

 

First, that image made me laugh. Second, does this mean that Prince deserves at least a "2," since he must be better than someone like Almonte.

 

I gave him a "3" since he does seem to do a good job on balls hit at him, and he does have better than expected range for someone his size. He's probably hit his limited defensive ceiling, and I don't think he'll age well as a 1B, which is the only reason I won't cry when/if the Cubs sign him to a 7-year deal this offseason.