He hasn't been that great this year though defensively. He has lost a step range wise and isn't getting to as many balls as he should. Sure, he still makes the GG play here and there, but so much of being a great SS is making the normally hard plays look routine.

 

I have been a huge supporter of Alexei, but it's clear he is a bottom five SS this year in the AL. The stats back that up, both defensively and offensively.

 

Jeter wins the GG every year based on naked-eye scouting. People see him make the great plays. But the metrics show he sucks.

There is no way anyone is going to convince me that Alexei is one of the 5 worse shortstops in baseball. Even as bad as he's been as a whole, he's one of the 10-15 best shortstops and if his past month is an indication and he does his normal thing, by year end, he'll be one of the 7 best. And defensively he's still one of the best.

I don't know if he's lost a step or not, but just catching throws at second base instead of 2 feet in front of it has meant several outs for White Sox pitchers this year instead of another RISP.

He hasn't been that great this year though defensively. He has lost a step range wise and isn't getting to as many balls as he should. Sure, he still makes the GG play here and there, but so much of being a great SS is making the normally hard plays look routine.

 

I have been a huge supporter of Alexei, but it's clear he is a bottom five SS this year in the AL. The stats back that up, both defensively and offensively.

 

Jeter wins the GG every year based on naked-eye scouting. People see him make the great plays. But the metrics show he sucks.

 

So if he's bottom 5 of the AL, who are the 9 shortstops that you would rather have? I can't think of any.

Yesterday is the kind of game that makes me cautious when using run differential to evaluate a team. Once the Sox got ahead by 10 or so, the Rangers weren't going to trot out their best relievers to try and keep the run differential down.

Also, when teams get out ahead like that, they tend to let off the pedal or pinch hit to rest some guys. So it can go either way.

So if he's bottom 5 of the AL, who are the 9 shortstops that you would rather have? I can't think of any.

I am not saying that. I am saying THIS SEASON, he has been below average. He is 11th of 13 qualified SS in OPS. And out of the 12 qualifying player for UZR, he ranks 9th.