https://www.mlb.com/news/best-projected-mlb-team-defenses-2024
 

This is easily our favorite projection, because Chicago was straight up bad with the glove last year – ranked last in MLB, in fact – to the point that new GM Chris Getz said he was having difficulty convincing free-agent pitchers to sign with the team for fear of playing in front of that defense. We figured he’d improve the gloves, and he has, but we thought it might be “poor, but better.” Instead, it might actually be good?

If it is, it’s because the returning Luis Robert Jr. is an excellent defender, and new middle infielders Nicky Lopez and Paul DeJong always play strong defense, even if the bats might lag. Max Stassi didn’t play in 2023 for personal reasons, but he had for years been an excellent framer. There are still weak spots here – notably Andrew Benintendi in left and Andrew Vaughn at first – but as we said above, up-the-middle fielding is more valuable than corner fielding. Less time in the field given to Oscar Colás and Gavin Sheets should help, and veterans who had seen better days than they showed in 2023 like Tim Anderson and Yasmani Grandal have departed. It's a different roster now.

The White Sox don’t have to be, and won’t be, baseball’s best defensive team. They might be the most improved, though.

Does not compute.

FanGraphs 2024 Fielding Projections:

(Cumulative Team Fielding Rating)

1. 34.9 Cleveland
2. 27.9 Texas
3. 23.0 New York A. L.
4. 22.0 Toronto
5. 19.7 Arizona
6. 18.7 Baltimore
7. 17.3 San Diego
8. 16.8 Chicago N. L.
9. 16.0 Milwaukee
10. 15.7 New York N. L.
11. 14.6 Minnesota
12. 11.6 San Francisco
13. 10.1 Colorado
14. 9.2 Atlanta
15. 6.8 Seattle
16. 4.2 Chicago A. L.
17. 1.2 Tampa Bay
18. -0.4 Houston
19. -1.3 Pittsburgh
20. -2.5 Philadelphia
21. -3.0 Detroit
22. -5.1 Los Angeles N. L.
23. -6.9 Boston
24. -7.3 Saint Louis
25. -10.0 Miami
26. -12.8 Kansas City
27. -14.8 Cincinnati
28. -18.1 Washington
29. -19.3 Oakland
30. -33.1 Los Angeles A. L.

We damn well better be top 10.

35 minutes ago, South Side Hit Men said:

Does not compute.

FanGraphs 2024 Fielding Projections:

(Cumulative Team Fielding Rating)

1. 34.9 Cleveland
2. 27.9 Texas
3. 23.0 New York A. L.
4. 22.0 Toronto
5. 19.7 Arizona
6. 18.7 Baltimore
7. 17.3 San Diego
8. 16.8 Chicago N. L.
9. 16.0 Milwaukee
10. 15.7 New York N. L.
11. 14.6 Minnesota
12. 11.6 San Francisco
13. 10.1 Colorado
14. 9.2 Atlanta
15. 6.8 Seattle
16. 4.2 Chicago A. L.
17. 1.2 Tampa Bay
18. -0.4 Houston
19. -1.3 Pittsburgh
20. -2.5 Philadelphia
21. -3.0 Detroit
22. -5.1 Los Angeles N. L.
23. -6.9 Boston
24. -7.3 Saint Louis
25. -10.0 Miami
26. -12.8 Kansas City
27. -14.8 Cincinnati
28. -18.1 Washington
29. -19.3 Oakland
30. -33.1 Los Angeles A. L.

Do we really trust defensive metrics yet? While they sometimes seem to get the larger picture right, the numbers seem so inconsistent. A player will be in like the 3rd percentile for OAA one year and then in the 99th percentile the next year...

1 hour ago, KipWellsFan said:

Do we really trust defensive metrics yet? While they sometimes seem to get the larger picture right, the numbers seem so inconsistent. A player will be in like the 3rd percentile for OAA one year and then in the 99th percentile the next year...

I think it's more believable / useful as a team stat than as an individual stat.

1 hour ago, KipWellsFan said:

Do we really trust defensive metrics yet? While they sometimes seem to get the larger picture right, the numbers seem so inconsistent. A player will be in like the 3rd percentile for OAA one year and then in the 99th percentile the next year...

I trust them more than media, FO and Manager proclamations / eyeball tests. 

There is a wider difference between systems for defensive metrics vs. hitting or pitching. Proprietary systems clubs use internally are ahead of what fans can access.

All that said, mid level defense would be an improvement over last year, and that’s likely where they land.

1 hour ago, South Side Hit Men said:

I trust them more than media, FO and Manager proclamations / eyeball tests. 

There is a wider difference between systems for defensive metrics vs. hitting or pitching. Proprietary systems clubs use internally are ahead of what fans can access.

All that said, mid level defense would be an improvement over last year, and that’s likely where they land.

I'd make a reasoned guess that in aggregate it's easier to project than at the individual level. The Sox will probably have an above average defense, cool. But defense is downstream of pitching and our pitching is probably going to suck. Hard to make a lot of plays when the ball is rifling over your head out of the ballpark or rattling into the corner. 

It's ironic the Sox finally recognize defense now that the pitching and hitting are awful enough for it to make little difference. 

Defensive efficiency will be solid, and that's probably the one and only area where this team will be better than average.

DJ read the article and just said we were going to be 7th.

Well, maybe not based on Spring Training play...obviously a lot of mistakes by youngsters. But not exactly encouraging performances, either.

Oscar held up his swing on a called strike on the outside corner, the next pitch he swung at a ball that would've gone through the 5-hole.