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Yankee's Defense
markj111
Posts: 2,921 ✭✭✭
in Sports Talk
From John Dewan's Stat of the Day:
The Tex-Factor
October 28, 2009
In 2008 the Yankees were the second-worst defensive team in baseball based on Defensive Runs Saved. Their defense cost them 38 runs. Only the Royals were worse with 42 lost runs defensively.
In 2009 the Yankees improved dramatically defensively. By becoming an average defense overall (with 2 runs saved as a team overall), they improved by 40 runs. Using the rule of thumb that 10 runs represents one win, that's a four-win improvement due to their defense.
Where was the improvement? Most Yankee fans can pretty much guess: first base. Mark Teixeira stabilized the Yanks' infield defense. In 2008, Yankee first basemen cost the team 18 runs overall. This year, even in a down year for Teixeira, they improved by 19 runs to one run saved at first base.
One thing to caution you, however. Teixeira is only average when it comes to scoops (saving a bad throw from a fellow infielder). There has been a lot of speculation that Jeter's and Cano's improvement on defense this year is because of Teixeira's ability to handle bad throws. He can make that play, but that was something that Jason Giambi did well defensively for the Yankees last year too.
Overall, we have Teixeira as one of the best first basemen defensively in baseball. Here are the top five first basemen in baseball over the last three years based on Defensive Runs Saved:
Defensive Runs Saved
2007-2009
Albert Pujols, Cardinals 56
Casey Kotchman, Braves 35
Kevin Youkilis, Red Sox 22
Lyle Overbay, Blue Jays 17
Mark Teixeira, Yankees 15
Joey Votto, Reds 15
The Tex-Factor
October 28, 2009
In 2008 the Yankees were the second-worst defensive team in baseball based on Defensive Runs Saved. Their defense cost them 38 runs. Only the Royals were worse with 42 lost runs defensively.
In 2009 the Yankees improved dramatically defensively. By becoming an average defense overall (with 2 runs saved as a team overall), they improved by 40 runs. Using the rule of thumb that 10 runs represents one win, that's a four-win improvement due to their defense.
Where was the improvement? Most Yankee fans can pretty much guess: first base. Mark Teixeira stabilized the Yanks' infield defense. In 2008, Yankee first basemen cost the team 18 runs overall. This year, even in a down year for Teixeira, they improved by 19 runs to one run saved at first base.
One thing to caution you, however. Teixeira is only average when it comes to scoops (saving a bad throw from a fellow infielder). There has been a lot of speculation that Jeter's and Cano's improvement on defense this year is because of Teixeira's ability to handle bad throws. He can make that play, but that was something that Jason Giambi did well defensively for the Yankees last year too.
Overall, we have Teixeira as one of the best first basemen defensively in baseball. Here are the top five first basemen in baseball over the last three years based on Defensive Runs Saved:
Defensive Runs Saved
2007-2009
Albert Pujols, Cardinals 56
Casey Kotchman, Braves 35
Kevin Youkilis, Red Sox 22
Lyle Overbay, Blue Jays 17
Mark Teixeira, Yankees 15
Joey Votto, Reds 15
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Comments
Steve
<< <i>I wonder if all those home runs they hit helped too?
Steve >>
Oh yeah. Definitely.
<< <i>
<< <i>I wonder if all those home runs they hit helped too?
Steve >>
Oh yeah. Definitely. >>
Probably all those steroids they took helped too.
Always buying Bobby Cox inserts. PM me.
<< <i>Probably all those steroids they took helped too. >>
ISO 1978 Topps Baseball in NM-MT High Grade Raw 3, 100, 103, 302, 347, 376, 416, 466, 481, 487, 509, 534, 540, 554, 579, 580, 622, 642, 673, 724__________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________ISO 1978 O-Pee-Chee in NM-MT High Grade Raw12, 21, 29, 38, 49, 65, 69, 73, 74, 81, 95, 100, 104, 110, 115, 122, 132, 133, 135, 140, 142, 151, 153, 155, 160, 161, 167, 168, 172, 179, 181, 196, 200, 204, 210, 224, 231, 240
and around and around and around we go with pathetic contribution
And every other team but the Yankees has been squaky clean!
Collecting 1970s Topps baseball wax, rack and cello packs, as well as PCGS graded Half Cents, Large Cents, Two Cent pieces and Three Cent Silver pieces.
To turn such a blind eye to the rampant usage of PED throughout baseball and point a finger solely at the Yankees (ARod most specifically) is, for lack of a better word, sour grapes. But then again, it's either PED's or excessive spending on salaries. The Yankees can never win because their detractors are too ignorant to look at the overall playing field. Too ignorant to realize that the Yankees (the ONLY team paying the "Luxury Tax") supplement their favorite team's payroll. Too ignorant to realize that the Yankees, no matter how despised, fill their favorite team's ballpark and add revenues to their coffers unlike any other team in baseball.
Say what you want about the Yankees, but baseball needs them. They need them for the fans to hate. They need them for the fans to justify why their own hometown club stinks. Without the Yankees, where would some of you point your fingers?
<< <i>Forgive me if this hits home for some, but isn't it a bit childish and bordering on moronic to keep pointing at the Yankees as the PED culprits of baseball? Seems that the only people that have come clean about their use have been ARod and Pettitte. Giambi sort of did, but that's about it. Manny? Nah, he was taking "hormones." Ortiz? Nah, it was something he was prescribed that showed up in a false positive. Any others? Clemens (a former Yankee, but user beginning in Toronto) is in complete denial. McGwire? Sosa? Bonds? Palmiero? Tejada? Nope... They were too busy lying to Congress.
To turn such a blind eye to the rampant usage of PED throughout baseball and point a finger solely at the Yankees (ARod most specifically) is, for lack of a better word, sour grapes. But then again, it's either PED's or excessive spending on salaries. The Yankees can never win because their detractors are too ignorant to look at the overall playing field. Too ignorant to realize that the Yankees (the ONLY team paying the "Luxury Tax") supplement their favorite team's payroll. Too ignorant to realize that the Yankees, no matter how despised, fill their favorite team's ballpark and add revenues to their coffers unlike any other team in baseball.
Say what you want about the Yankees, but baseball needs them. They need them for the fans to hate. They need them for the fans to justify why their own hometown club stinks. Without the Yankees, where would some of you point your fingers? >>
You make some valid points but you neglect a major point for the "hate" as you refer to it...and that is the fact, the FACT, that the Yankees for many years were like the Vikings of the Dark Ages, raiding and plundering other team's rosters whose players were free agents...because the Yankees had much more money to sign them.
How would you have liked it if the Yankees were a small market team, and say Derek Jeter around the year 2000 became a free agent and you watched helplessly as a favorite Yankee player signed with some large market team that constantly outbid other teams...you wouldn't like that very much would you, and if it kept happening year after year, you might even develop a "hate" as you call it. Capiche?
MLB doesn't "need" the Yankees - it needs a salary cap.
<< <i>You make some valid points but you neglect a major point for the "hate" as you refer to it...and that is the fact, the FACT, that the Yankees for many years were like the Vikings of the Dark Ages, raiding and plundering other team's rosters whose players were free agents...because the Yankees had much more money to sign them.
How would you have liked it if the Yankees were a small market team, and say Derek Jeter around the year 2000 became a free agent and you watched helplessly as a favorite Yankee player signed with some large market team that constantly outbid other teams...you wouldn't like that very much would you, and if it kept happening year after year, you might even develop a "hate" as you call it. Capiche?
MLB doesn't "need" the Yankees - it needs a salary cap. >>
And what would it do with a salary cap?
This is the tired mantra of many. Baseball doesn't share revenue. A poorly run organization should NOT be subsidized by other organizations that are run to the point that they become cash cows. The Yankees, because of developing the YES Network, branding their identity and reinvesting their profits have created one of the most valuable sports entities in the world. They already pay back MILLIONS to the EVERY other team in Major League Baseball (the ONLY team that does so).
Putting a salary cap on MLB would serve ZERO purpose (and will never happen unless the MLBPA is dismantled). It would not suddenly create an even playing field. It would not mean that the Pirates or the Padres would suddenly become competitive because no one else would be able to pay their players what they're worth. Poorly run organizations that opt to NOT pay their top talent would still be losing organizations. Teams that do not develop talent will still continue to falter.
Teams like the Mets, that refuse to look to draft first tier draft picks because they don't want to pay the bonuses, will still have barren minor league systems. Teams like the Royals and Pirates will still develop good young talent, but will not cap out their salaries and will eventually watch them go elsewhere.
All a salary cap would do is LOWER average player salaries. It will not deter players from signing with teams that have the best chance to win, especially if they know they're capped out. Would teams pay one monster salary and build around it? Would they succumb to the cap when their talent was ready to be resigned? Would there be a bunch of one-year contracts? It's a moot point, though, since a cap will not occur in MLB any time in the foreseeable future.
With regard to the Yankees "raiding" other teams, so be it. It's the nature of the beast. I'm a New Jersey Devils fan and I've watched as some of our best talent has left to sign elsewhere because ownership refused to pay them what they could get elsewhere. Unlike the Pirates, Royals, Expos/Nationals and others, the Devils have continued to invest in scouting and drafting and building their minor league system to ALWAYS be a feeder and to replace stars like they lost like Shanahan, Guerin, Niedermayer, Rafalski, Gomez and Gionta. And guess what . . . they continue to be a contender EVERY season and they did so before the NHL salary cap and after... So, to answer your question, if Jeter or Bernie or Mariano had left to sign for more money elsewhere, it would hurt, but it is what it is...
<< <i>
MLB doesn't "need" the Yankees - it needs a salary cap. >>
MLB needs to cut a dozen teams and kick out the bad ownership. Way too many teams with many in sub big league markets.
The NBA and its salary cap still has the same ol teams at the top as yesteryear. A salary cap is only part of the problem. The huge DISPROPORTIONATE payroll of the Yankees has been only so for the past 10 years. Before that there were ALWAYS at least a half dozen and more teams in the ballpark. Do the research.
Just as the biased media in this nation has brainwashed many politically, they have done so too as far as the Yankees are concerned in the sports world.
One great example were your own 1977 Phillies who had a higher payroll than the Yankees who won it all. Obviously the Yanks were at the top most years but not nearly as lopsided as so many think.
As far as your comment about "plundering" other teams rosters .... that had to do with the extreme thirst to win. GREAT ownership. When CBS owned the Yanks they ran the team into the ground because they had NO DESIRE to put forth the effort to be great owners like so many in the game today.
ISO 1978 Topps Baseball in NM-MT High Grade Raw 3, 100, 103, 302, 347, 376, 416, 466, 481, 487, 509, 534, 540, 554, 579, 580, 622, 642, 673, 724__________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________ISO 1978 O-Pee-Chee in NM-MT High Grade Raw12, 21, 29, 38, 49, 65, 69, 73, 74, 81, 95, 100, 104, 110, 115, 122, 132, 133, 135, 140, 142, 151, 153, 155, 160, 161, 167, 168, 172, 179, 181, 196, 200, 204, 210, 224, 231, 240
Some star instead of making 20 mil, may only possibly make say 10 mil - I doubt if there would be any complaints about that from any player....if they don't like it, they can quit and use their high school or college degree and get some job making 25K a year.
<< <i>
<< <i>Probably all those steroids they took helped too. >>
Clemens was arguably a top-5 pitcher of all time. Who knows where A-Rod will end up, but perhaps a top-10 hitter of all time. One of two things is true. Either they were both excellent athletes that needlessly tarnished their reputations by cheating OR they were both average athlethes who rose to excellence with the aid of PED. I'll let you decide which of those two scenarios is more accurate, but either is equally pathetic. No one is saying that PED is a Yankees-only story, but because the Yankees will be forever linked to Clemens and A-Rod, they will also be forever linked with steroids.
Always buying Bobby Cox inserts. PM me.
<< <i>Clemens was arguably a top-5 pitcher of all time. Who knows where A-Rod will end up, but perhaps a top-10 hitter of all time. One of two things is true. Either they were both excellent athletes that needlessly tarnished their reputations by cheating OR they were both average athlethes who rose to excellence with the aid of PED. I'll let you decide which of those two scenarios is more accurate, but either is equally pathetic. No one is saying that PED is a Yankees-only story, but because the Yankees will be forever linked to Clemens and A-Rod, they will also be forever linked with steroids. >>
And conveniently neglected are the other teams that have MANY PED users.
BTW, Clemens had a great career BEFORE he joined the PED bandwagon in Toronto. It resurrected his career.
In neither case were both "average athletes." And yes, they've tarnished their careers. Just as so many others that have not been named have escaped such treatment while committing the same "crimes." Many of those players are on a team near you!
Actually, many of those players aren't on my team. The Braves might not win championships like the Yankees. But the Braves are led by Chipper, Brian McCann, Yunel Escobar, Martin Prado, and a host of other midgrade talent, MOST of which were brought up through the Braves farm system, and NONE of which got caught up in the steriod scandal.
Always buying Bobby Cox inserts. PM me.
<< <i>Many of those players are on a team near you! >>
Actually, many of those players aren't on my team. The Braves might not win championships like the Yankees. But the Braves are led by Chipper, Brian McCann, Yunel Escobar, Martin Prado, and a host of other midgrade talent, MOST of which were brought up through the Braves farm system, and NONE of which got caught up in the steriod scandal. >>
Don't be too sure about that... Remember, there are more than 100 names that weren't released and EVERYONE knew about the testing in advance!!! BTW, haven't a few of the Braves top prospects already served PED suspensions in the minors?
<< <i>
Actually, many of those players aren't on my team. The Braves might not win championships like the Yankees. But the Braves are led by Chipper, Brian McCann, Yunel Escobar, Martin Prado, and a host of other midgrade talent, MOST of which were brought up through the Braves farm system, and NONE of which got caught up in the steriod scandal. >>
egads .....
ISO 1978 Topps Baseball in NM-MT High Grade Raw 3, 100, 103, 302, 347, 376, 416, 466, 481, 487, 509, 534, 540, 554, 579, 580, 622, 642, 673, 724__________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________ISO 1978 O-Pee-Chee in NM-MT High Grade Raw12, 21, 29, 38, 49, 65, 69, 73, 74, 81, 95, 100, 104, 110, 115, 122, 132, 133, 135, 140, 142, 151, 153, 155, 160, 161, 167, 168, 172, 179, 181, 196, 200, 204, 210, 224, 231, 240
Collecting 1970s Topps baseball wax, rack and cello packs, as well as PCGS graded Half Cents, Large Cents, Two Cent pieces and Three Cent Silver pieces.