Defensive runs saved

[markedman5]

[newrivervalley]

Didn't expect this. Guess shifts work. I know if I were a hitter I'd try to break a shift. But I guess that's not in today's game.

[JosephC]

I was surprised to see the outfield was a combined -4 (would have expected much worse). But it looks like Hernan Perez has saved the group from a pretty bad number. Perez is a +7 DRS as a left fielder and a +2 DRS as a right fielder.

 

Total outfield DRS by player:

Hernan Perez = +9

Lewis Brinson = +2

Nick Franklin = +1

Brett Phillips = +1

Kirk Nieuwenhuis = 0

Domingo Santana = 0

Ryan Braun = -4

Eric Thames = -5

Keon Broxton = -6

[DuWayne Steurer]

Broxton at -6 is both a surprise and a disappointment

[pacopete4]

Broxton at -6 is both a surprise and a disappointment

 

He's gotta go. Next season needs to be either the Brinson or Philips show in CF. Hopefully Brinson as Phillips takes on the rover 4th OF role.

[benji]

I am a big believer in metrics/analytics but there is no way anyone can tell me Broxton is a "worse outfielder" than Santana or Braun. Guy is a good defensive CF. I think his place is a 4th OF going forward.

 

 

Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

[Thurston Fluff]

This should tell you as much about the accuracy of defensive metrics as it does defenses. I applaud the effort to quantify defense but this is far from a useful product. If this was medical a advancement discussion we'd still be talking about the harm miasma causes.

[Lathund]

I am a big believer in metrics/analytics but there is no way anyone can tell me Broxton is a "worse outfielder" than Santana or Braun. Guy is a good defensive CF. I think his place is a 4th OF going forward.

 

 

Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

 

It's not saying he's a worse outfielder than them, it's basically saying that compared to other CFs he's worse than what Santana is compared to other RFs. Not that I really agree with that either tbf (I think Santana is an awful defender), but I would imagine that while Broxton has great range, he doesn't have a very good arm, which is probably where he falls off a bit.

 

That being said, the main thing to notice here is that these defensive metrics are really only accurate over longer periods of time. Even 3/4 of a season isn't a whole lot.

[DuWayne Steurer]

I think one of the big knocks on Broxton is that he gets terrible reads on balls at times. Sometimes he goes back on balls that are hit in front of him or vice versa and that can definitely cost him ground.

[FVBrewerFan]

Broxton had a stretch of games a while back where he was horrible. Flat out missed a few balls. I still think he's an average at best starting C.F., but not as bad as that stat implies.

[SomewhereInTime]

Defensive metrics on individual outfielders are meaningless over the course of a single season (many will even say the same about infielders). Looking at it from the full team perspective is fine though, good to see they've been better than expected so far.

[MNBrew]

Defensive metrics, compared to pitching and hitting, involve so much conjecture and subjectivity even all these years into the stats world's attempt to objectively quantify defense. That said, trends seen through a big-picture lens can be assumed at least somewhat reasonably to have some validity.

 

Translating that into general terms.... I think this is saying that while the Brewers' players have much room for individual improvement in the field (on the surface, looking at the team's high error total and shameful fielding percentage), the defensive strategies the team/coaching staff employs are paying off pretty well.

[Ennder]

DRS takes 3 years to become meaningful. I'd also say it is one of the weaker defensive metrics with the best being the new stat cast metrics for OF at least which Broxton rates decently in though it doesn't count things like stupidly throwing to the wrong base or bobbling a pickup and giving an extra base which he does quite frequently. DRS may be picking up on all those little dumb mistakes he makes.

[JosephC]

The biggest contributor to Broxton's negative DRS is the plus/minus factor. His UZR/150 number is also on the negative side (-2.5) but looks much better than the DRS. DRS is also not innings adjusted. Broxton has played 810 1/3 innings in centerfield. Braun has played 484 innings in left field. If the amount of innings are taken into consideration then Thames is by far the worst performing Brewer outfielder in terms of DRS and Braun would be second worst.

[monty57]

Melvin did a lot well, but he definitely let the bat play at the expense of defense. It won't surprise me a bit if our pitching looks a lot better as the Brewers put more emphasis on defense.