Soriano to take LF

 

JUPITER, Fla. -- Alfonso Soriano has decided to play left field in the Nationals' Spring Training game Wednesday against the St. Louis Cardinals, a team spokesman said.

 

Soriano, who on Monday refused to take the field for a game against the Dodgers at Space Coast Stadium in Viera, Fla., told MLB.com on Tuesday that he would think it over about playing and he would talk it over with his agent and wife. Apparently he had a change of heart after those discussions.

Also, just saw on ESPN where they say No-Show had like 105 E's since 2001. That's the most in the Majors for 2nd basemen Ladies and Gentlemen. They showed Vidro's E total but I didn't see what it was, but I do know that it was only like 30 since 2001. Yeah I realize that he missed alot of time last year but still, 70 less. Ok, so the grounds of the arguments of those that say Vidro is just as bad a fielder Soriano just got a little less sturdy.

 

Nevermind that Vidro has been injured many of those seasons.

Errors and fielding percentage only measure a player's ability to successfully convert a ball that he has reached into an out that should be out. But there's more to defense than simply fielding. Under that premise a metal trash can could be a Gold Glover. The more advanced defensive metrics, which measures everything from range to expected range to out success rate broken down by league average, position average and run value, conclude that neither are very good defenders. Range Factor, Zone Rating, Ultimate Zone Rating, Probablistic Model of Range, Fielding Runs. All conclude that they are on par with eachother, with Vidro slightly ahead in some and Soriano slightly ahead in others.

Also, just saw on ESPN where they say No-Show had like 105 E's since 2001. That's the most in the Majors for 2nd basemen Ladies and Gentlemen. They showed Vidro's E total but I didn't see what it was, but I do know that it was only like 30 since 2001. Yeah I realize that he missed alot of time last year but still, 70 less. Ok, so the grounds of the arguments of those that say Vidro is just as bad a fielder Soriano just got a little less sturdy.

 

Nevermind that Vidro has been injured many of those seasons.

Errors and fielding percentage only measure a player's ability to successfully convert a ball that he has reached into an out that should be out. But there's more to defense than simply fielding. Under that premise a metal trash can could be a Gold Glover. The more advanced defensive metrics, which measures everything from range to expected range to out success rate broken down by league average, position average and run value, conclude that neither are very good defenders. Range Factor, Zone Rating, Ultimate Zone Rating, Probablistic Model of Range, Fielding Runs. All conclude that they are on par with eachother, with Vidro slightly ahead in some and Soriano slightly ahead in others.

 

You got something against Plastics?

JUPITER, Fla. ? (AP) ? Alfonso Soriano agreed to play left field Wednesday and was in

the Washington Nationals' lineup for his first spring training game, two days after refusing to move from second base.

 

"It's a relief for everybody, it really is,'' manager Frank Robinson said before the Nationals played the Cardinals. "We get the distractions away from here and we can focus on baseball now and getting this ballclub tuned up and ready to go for opening day.''

 

Robinson said he gave Soriano the option of not playing Wednesday and making his outfield debut on Thursday for a home game. But he said Soriano wanted to get started now.

 

"All I wanted to know from him was, was he willing to play left field,'' Robinson

said. "He said he was ready to go, he wanted to get at-bats and get out there and

play.''

 

The Nationals did not have to wait long to see if Soriano fulfilled his commitment to

play. He was batting leadoff.

 

Soriano was not immediately available for comment.

 

The Nationals got Soriano in an offseason trade with the Texas Rangers. He's made the

AL All-Star team the last four years as a second baseman, but Washington wants him to

change positions because they have an established second baseman, three-time All-Star

Jose Vidro.

 

Soriano has been primarily a second baseman throughout his major league career, and

played there for the Dominican Republic in the World Baseball Classic earlier this

spring. He has never played the outfield in a major league game.

 

Soriano had been scheduled to make his first spring appearance on Monday night

against the Dodgers. But after being listed on the lineup card in left field, he refused

to play.

 

General manager Jim Bowden had threatened to put Soriano on the disqualified list,

which would prevent him from playing, accruing service time and receiving his $10

million salary.

Thank God he finally agreed to take his arse out to LF.. And it's nice to see the Marlins agreeing with me on this one. Good ol Lenny Harris telling it like it is.... gotta love it....

 

As for the errors, rferry is going on a tangent that makes no sense. To say a metal trash can be a Gold Glover proves my point.. Plain and simple, Soriano had more errors than any other second baseman in baseball since 2001. We're not talking about 3 or 4 more errors.. it was by like 30 over Jeff Kent..

To say errors and fielding percentage are an adequate assumption of a player's defensive prowess is wrong. It's as wrong as saying batting average is an adequate assumption of a player's offensive prowess. They are only measurement of one of the many defender's responsibilities, and in the case of a middle infielder, and not the most important of them. Range is what counts. The measure of a player's ability to cover the most expanded ground of the entire playing field. The difference between an out and hit. Stopping or deflecting balls into single rather than doubles into the gap is important as well at such a position. What use is a surehanded player at a position responsible for covering much territory if he can't cover that territory anywhere close to league average? Not much better than putting up a trash can and some scaried kid with his glove held high, his eyes shut and his feet frozen to the ground.

 

Those that care about placing a credible number to defensive ability have come to the conclusion that this is an inadequate measurement of defense and have developed better models in their mind, which suggest there is little to no difference between Soriano and Vidro.

To say errors and fielding percentage are an adequate assumption of a player's defensive prowess is wrong. It's as wrong as saying batting average is an adequate assumption of a player's offensive prowess. They are only measurement of one of the many defender's responsibilities, and in the case of a middle infielder, and not the most important of them. Range is what counts. The measure of a player's ability to cover the most expanded ground of the entire playing field. The difference between an out and hit. Stopping or deflecting balls into single rather than doubles into the gap is important as well at such a position. What use is a surehanded player at a position responsible for covering much territory if he can't cover that territory anywhere close to league average? Not much better than putting up a trash can and some scaried kid with his glove held high, his eyes shut and his feet frozen to the ground.

 

Those that care about placing a credible number to defensive ability have come to the conclusion that this is an inadequate measurement of defense and have developed better models in their mind, which suggest there is little to no difference between Soriano and Vidro.

 

 

Yes, I agree that stats are not everything. But in this specific case (not speaking in general terms), the common consensus is that Soriano is a below average defender at 2b. I have seen him play and I have seen the others (with less errors) play. Soriano's range is not so much greater that the ridiculously high number of errors can be ignored. He is not that good. He is in the lineup for his bat.

 

All of this is now moot, as he has decided to do the right thing and play LF.

To say errors and fielding percentage are an adequate assumption of a player's defensive prowess is wrong. It's as wrong as saying batting average is an adequate assumption of a player's offensive prowess. They are only measurement of one of the many defender's responsibilities, and in the case of a middle infielder, and not the most important of them. Range is what counts. The measure of a player's ability to cover the most expanded ground of the entire playing field. The difference between an out and hit. Stopping or deflecting balls into single rather than doubles into the gap is important as well at such a position. What use is a surehanded player at a position responsible for covering much territory if he can't cover that territory anywhere close to league average? Not much better than putting up a trash can and some scaried kid with his glove held high, his eyes shut and his feet frozen to the ground.

 

Those that care about placing a credible number to defensive ability have come to the conclusion that this is an inadequate measurement of defense and have developed better models in their mind, which suggest there is little to no difference between Soriano and Vidro.

 

 

While I dont totally disagree with what you are saying about Errors and Fielding being the tell all be all stat about a fielders ability, I am having a difficult time agreeing with you in this instance. It sounds like you are saying that because Soriano has such great range alot of his errors are "forgivable" because the errors he commits would be base hits if other fielders were at the position. I don't buy that in this instance if that is what you are saying. In my opinion, if he is quick enough to get to the ball with his freakish range, he should be just as quick to get it to first to make the out. He is fast, I will give you that, but if he is that much quicker to get the ball than that means he is making the transition from glove to hand and hand to first with the ball at the same rate and time as other second basemen in the league. He only had to travel further to get the ball.

 

With that in mind, His range should be something that helps his fielding. If I was able to find the stats I would be willing to say that a majority of his errors were of the throwing variety. If anyone has proof I would like to see those stats

He actually boots alot of balls(literally), and just has attrocious glove work.

He actually boots alot of balls(literally), and just has attrocious glove work.

 

 

 

Thats what I thought. thank you for clarifying that.

 

BTW: thank you for settling an argument in my house spike. I was watching the Witchita st. game and I thought I saw that chick give the Shocker sign but my wife changed channels so I couldn't rewind my DVR back. that is awesome and I am glad I wasn't the only person to see that.

His first game in the outfield is over, and he already has an OF assist (it looks like he doubled someone off second; he threw to Vidro). Washington had 3 errors - although none of them by him. Vidro, in fact, committed one of them...

He actually boots alot of balls(literally), and just has attrocious glove work.

 

 

 

Thats what I thought. thank you for clarifying that.

 

BTW: thank you for settling an argument in my house spike. I was watching the Witchita st. game and I thought I saw that chick give the Shocker sign but my wife changed channels so I couldn't rewind my DVR back. that is awesome and I am glad I wasn't the only person to see that.

 

No problem. Yes, the chick in my screenshot is smokin hot, I plan to give her the shocker when I go to Wichita to watch my dawgs play. But if you ask them...that is the "w" for Wichita lol ya right.

 

Anyhow, I have no personal ill will towards Soriano, I hope he functions well in the OF. I think that his bat in RFK will be a bigger detriment to any payday he might get than him switching positions will.

His first game in the outfield is over, and he already has an OF assist (it looks like he doubled someone off second; he threw to Vidro). Washington had 3 errors - although none of them by him. Vidro, in fact, committed one of them...

 

 

It was Eckstein FYI :banghead :lol

I'm not saying Soriano is a good defender. Actually by all accounts, Soriano also has worse than league-average range as well as a terrible glove. I'm saying that Vidro is not either, with no range and a steady glove. And that because of that whether one or plays at expense of the other has little bearing to the team's success at that position. And that Soriano might in his mind think he is a better defender and some basis to stand on. (While some argue Soriano's speed is more helpful in the outfield, the lack of the sprinting, stopping, sliding and pivoting that so often occurs at 2B might help save Vidro's knee from acting up. But that's not going to be attempted)

Soriano finally comes to his senses. He was in a no win situation with the Nats holding all the cards. The best he can do now is ask to be traded - behind the scenes and out of the press.