December 3, 200817 yr http://www.beyondtheboxscore.com/2008/12/1...r-block-percent Last year I began calculating how successful each catcher was at blocking pitches. I tied together the MLB GameDay data with the Retrosheet play-by-play information to identify how many opportunities each catcher had to make a meaningful block. I then subtracted away the number of "misses" or wild pitches and passed balls to come up with a percentage of blocked pitches, which I called Catcher Block Percentage. Star-divide Since Retrosheet released their updated event files this week, I've run the calculations for the 2008 season which can be found in the table below. As always, results are limited to those catchers with greater than 100 opportunities (I used that correctly, right Sky?).
December 3, 200817 yr AJP has always been known as a great blocker of balls. (That doesn't sound right) I would say its a difficult thing to put a stat on because there are easy blocks and there are block attempts the catcher has zero chance at.
December 3, 200817 yr Well, hell, AJ can't block balls in the dirt or throw anyone out... We're not going to lose any defense switching to Flowers in two years!
December 3, 200817 yr QUOTE (Steve9347 @ Dec 3, 2008 -> 09:09 AM) Well, hell, AJ can't block balls in the dirt or throw anyone out... We're not going to lose any defense switching to Flowers in two years! I always thought AJ's ability to block balls was pretty overated. Just the fact he was able to hit after having nothing from that position for many years made me overlook his defense.
December 3, 200817 yr QUOTE (SoxFan101 @ Dec 3, 2008 -> 09:10 AM) I always thought AJ's ability to block balls was pretty overated. Just the fact he was able to hit after having nothing from that position for many years made me overlook his defense. Exactly. I love AJ.
December 3, 200817 yr He can block balls with the best of them, this "stat" is pretty useless. He cant throw anyone out, but calls a great game and does all the little things.
December 3, 200817 yr AJ is one of the few players I honestly don't care about stats with him. I absolutely don't want him to do anything but finish his career with the White Sox...the guy is tough, gritty, heady as hell, calls a great game, smart, other teams hate him, and he's a winner. Stats smats...AJP is the man.
December 3, 200817 yr AJP defense in general is just poor. Hes not the sox starting catcher b/c his defense. The guy can hit pretty well and is fundamentally sound. Hes a good game caller and works well with our staff and Coop, he is well liked for his work ethic. The point is he will make $ and be ur starter as long as the positives outweigh the negtives, and they do. Its really hard to find the perfect offensive and defensive catcher who calls good games, there are only so many Maur's and Martin's out there. AJP is not a top catcher but he is by no means below average at all.
December 3, 200817 yr AJ's catch blocking might be weak but I've heard his cock-blocking stats are through the roof.
December 3, 200817 yr QUOTE (BigSqwert @ Dec 3, 2008 -> 01:56 PM) AJ's catch blocking might be weak but I've heard his cock-blocking stats are through the roof. You hear this from BA?
December 3, 200817 yr QUOTE (Thunderbolt @ Dec 3, 2008 -> 01:07 PM) You hear this from BA? Damn. Baseball America apparently does keep detailed stats.
December 4, 200817 yr QUOTE (kwolf68 @ Dec 3, 2008 -> 10:07 AM) AJ is one of the few players I honestly don't care about stats with him. I absolutely don't want him to do anything but finish his career with the White Sox...the guy is tough, gritty, heady as hell, calls a great game, smart, other teams hate him, and he's a winner. Stats smats...AJP is the man. That's how I feel about it. He's a f***ing gamer. The reason other teams hate him is because he's smart, tough and never takes a play off.
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