Or Maybe the Atlanta Braves Do… Nothing for 3rd Base?
Aug 28, 2015; Atlanta, GA, USA; Atlanta Braves third baseman Adonis Garcia (24) dives but is unable to make the catch on a two RBI single by New York Yankees shortstop Didi Gregorius (not pictured) in the second inning of their game at Turner Field. Mandatory Credit: Jason Getz-USA TODAY Sports
Sometimes, you almost wish you don’t hear quotes from your team. Here’s a prime example:
#Braves Coppy said Garcia most likely 3B if Olivera in LF. Mentioned FAs KJohnson & Uribe as possibilities. Olivera also could play some 3b
— David O'Brien (@DOBrienATL) November 11, 2015
Seriously? Oh my…
As we understand it, the reason that the Braves are thinking that Hector Olivera needs to go ahead and move to the outfield is because they believe his work at third base is not major-league-adequate. Okay, I can accept that.
So instead, Plan A becomes “put the worst actual third baseman you have in the organization at the position instead” (now that Edward Salcedo is gone).
Yes, Kelly Johnson would be better there; so would Juan Uribe… but how does this any of this make the Braves any better in 2016… other than having Olivera in the lineup rather than Jonny Gomes? Certainly, this hurts the defense on the left side.
I realize that I could be accused of touting my own ideas by bashing this one, but I can assure you all that this is not the case. Of all the third base solutions I can think of, this is pretty much the least appealing of the lot.
Here’s Hoping That’s a Feint
Now these numbers will be skewed somewhat, given that Adonis Garcia had one game with 3 errors, but…
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- In the majors, 19 players committed 10 errors or more from the 3rd base position in 2015.
- Most of these 19 had over 1000 innings at the position…. only 3 had less than 930.
- 2 of them saw under 550 innings. Garcia needed only 345 innings to collect 10 errors.
- Garcia was also 49th in the majors (among 3B with 100+ innings) in RZR – Revised Zone Rating: the percentage plays made on balls in his expected zone turned into outs.
- Hector Olivera, by the way, was 66th out of 68 in RZR (curiously, a ‘Gold Glove’ winner named David Wright was 67th).
Yes – I suggested that Garcia might be able to help the Reds in that proposed trade, but he’s actually worse than I’d thought (his Range Runs saved rating is high, which helped his overall defensive rating to leap to ‘average’: a 1.1).
But does Coppolella really believe that he can enter the season with that sketchy a defense behind his starting rotation?
Next: I Have Binders Full of 3rd Basemen... and 1 that I Want
John – if you don’t have anything better to tell reporters… just make up something else. Please.