http://www.fangraphs.com/blogs/the-best-an...-team-defenses/

Yeah its gonna be fun, for sure.

No surprise really. The OF defense has to be dragging these projections down.

I'm a bit surprised. We weren't any good in the first place.

No surprise really. The OF defense has to be dragging these projections down.

 

I think it is too soon to know what the Sox are going to be on defense. If Garcia is DFA'ed in ST and Cabrera becomes the everyday DH, they could have one of the better defensive OF's in baseball. Or they could with the all Garcia OF to try and tank. Too many permutations at this time to buy into what they are selling.

 

 

No surprise really. The OF defense has to be dragging these projections down.

I wouldn't think it would be that drastic of a change. Cabrera will be the same. They lose with Eaton gone but improve with Tilson in CF and I would think a better CF is more valuable than a decrease in RF.

I think it is too soon to know what the Sox are going to be on defense. If Garcia is DFA'ed in ST and Cabrera becomes the everyday DH, they could have one of the better defensive OF's in baseball. Or they could with the all Garcia OF to try and tank. Too many permutations at this time to buy into what they are selling.

Who is even left to play OF at that point to form "one of the better defensive OF's in baseball"?

I wouldn't think it would be that drastic of a change. Cabrera will be the same. They lose with Eaton gone but improve with Tilson in CF and I would think a better CF is more valuable than a decrease in RF.

Going from Adam Eaton (2016 version) to Avi Garcia in RF is probably as big of a defensive drop as conceivably possible. Tilson may be an improvement in CF, but he's not really not that good out there. He will not come close to making up the difference in lost RF defense.

Who is even left to play OF at that point to form "one of the better defensive OF's in baseball"?

 

Bourjos, who I think makes the team as 4th OF.

Who is even left to play OF at that point to form "one of the better defensive OF's in baseball"?

An outfield of Engel/Tilson/Bourjos would be quite stout defensively

Going from Adam Eaton (2016 version) to Avi Garcia in RF is probably as big of a defensive drop as conceivably possible. Tilson may be an improvement in CF, but he's not really not that good out there. He will not come close to making up the difference in lost RF defense.

I thought i read somewhere that he was the best defensive OF the Cardinals had. And they had some good ones.

An outfield of Engel/Tilson/Bourjos would be quite stout defensively

No way in hell Tilson would start in CF over Engel, but regardless that might be the worst offensive OF in baseball history. You might not get 15 HRs out of that OF.

Bourjos, who I think makes the team as 4th OF.

Is Bourjos even that good of an OF anymore? I really don't see a scenario where we have an elite defensive OF unless we go with Engel in CF & Tilson in LF, which would basically be giving up on having an offense.

I thought i read somewhere that he was the best defensive OF the Cardinals had. And they had some good ones.

Everything I've read suggests he's average at best out there.

No way in hell Tilson would start in CF over Engel, but regardless that might be the worst offensive OF in baseball history. You might not get 15 HRs out of that OF.

Didn't put them in any particular order in previous post. I'd go LF - Tilson, CF - Engel, RF - Bourjos. And yes it would be brutal offensively but so is Avi. Might as well field a top 5 outfield defense then. Sure would help our future trade chips Q and Robertson.

Didn't put them in any particular order in previous post. I'd go LF - Tilson, CF - Engel, RF - Bourjos. And yes it would be brutal offensively but so is Avi. Might as well field a top 5 outfield defense then. Sure would help our future trade chips Q and Robertson.

I mean, it's an interesting way to tank. I'll give you that. Just don't see them rushing Engel. He still has a non-zero chance of being a special player if (and it's a big one) he could ever learn to make consistent contact.

I wouldn't think it would be that drastic of a change. Cabrera will be the same. They lose with Eaton gone but improve with Tilson in CF and I would think a better CF is more valuable than a decrease in RF.

I'm guessing those projections were based on Melky in LF and Avi in RF. Both are below average defensively and can be absolute nightmares to watch on the field. I like Tilson in CF but how much of an improvement is he defensively over AJax? AJax played a pretty good CF last year so I'm really not sold on the perceived upgrade at this point.

 

Now if the Sox can get both Avi and Melky off the field, then the outfield could look much more lively out there if we see players like Bourjos, Engel, May thrown into the mix.

 

Screw it. Just DFA Avi, move Melky to DH, throw Tilson in LF, Engel in CF, Bourjos in RF. They won't hit much but at least their defense should save some wear and tear on the pitchers. Plus, their lack of hitting will add to the TANK FOR BEER '18 campaign.

I wouldn't think it would be that drastic of a change. Cabrera will be the same. They lose with Eaton gone but improve with Tilson in CF and I would think a better CF is more valuable than a decrease in RF.

If Tilson hits .175 or so, he won't be playing. Plus, we haven't seen him play out there yet. Hard to say he will be an improvement. I mean, we traded Duke for him, straight up.

I mean, it's an interesting way to tank. I'll give you that. Just don't see them rushing Engel. He still has a non-zero chance of being a special player if (and it's a big one) he could ever learn to make consistent contact.

Rushing Engel? This is his 5th year of pro ball, after 3 yrs of college ball.

Rushing Engel? This is his 5th year of pro ball, after 3 yrs of college ball.

He only has 161 plate appearances in AAA in which he struck out 31% of the time. I'd call giving him a stating gig out of spring training would be rushing.

He only has 161 plate appearances in AAA in which he struck out 31% of the time. I'd call giving him a stating gig out of spring training would be rushing.

Doesn't necessarily have to break camp with the big league team but I would be very surprised if he wasn't called up before July 4th (unless something went terribly wrong, like hitting .225 in AAA). Between injuries and trades it's hard to imagine a scenario where he doesn't get significant big league action in 2017.

Gotta get bad to get good.

Eaton had like +21 DRS in RF last year. So that's not surprising.

I'm guessing those projections were based on Melky in LF and Avi in RF. Both are below average defensively and can be absolute nightmares to watch on the field. I like Tilson in CF but how much of an improvement is he defensively over AJax? AJax played a pretty good CF last year so I'm really not sold on the perceived upgrade at this point.

 

Now if the Sox can get both Avi and Melky off the field, then the outfield could look much more lively out there if we see players like Bourjos, Engel, May thrown into the mix.

 

Screw it. Just DFA Avi, move Melky to DH, throw Tilson in LF, Engel in CF, Bourjos in RF. They won't hit much but at least their defense should save some wear and tear on the pitchers. Plus, their lack of hitting will add to the TANK FOR BEER '18 campaign.

Jackson only played about 50 games or so last year. i was comparing him to all of the others that played there. However, it also looks like I was wrong about his defense being really good.

If Tilson hits .175 or so, he won't be playing. Plus, we haven't seen him play out there yet. Hard to say he will be an improvement. I mean, we traded Duke for him, straight up.

This goes without saying. Unless of course they just want to tank and give him a full year post injury to adjust to the MLB.