November 3, 201016 yr This is sweet. Not expecting any drastic changes in our D but at least a little better.
November 3, 201016 yr Take your word for it that this is good news for the team! Hill was basically before my time of following baseball and the Marlins (bar 2006 but that is when I was learning about the game etc)
November 4, 201016 yr Take your word for it that this is good news for the team! Hill was basically before my time of following baseball and the Marlins (bar 2006 but that is when I was learning about the game etc) There isn't anyone any better. And the Marlins defense was a lot more fun to watch back then.
November 11, 201016 yr MIAMI -- When Spring Training gets under way in February, each Marlins player can anticipate a gift awaiting him in his locker. Courtesy of new infield coach Perry Hill, they each will receive a black T-shirt with "Defense" written on the front and "27 outs, No More" on the back. "I've been doing that since 1997 when I was in Detroit," said Hill, long considered one of the top defensive instructors in the game. "The idea behind it is when the ball is put in play and we can get to it comfortably -- not diving or jumping -- those have to be outs. "You need to get 27 outs in a game. The more times you throw a ball away, you give teams extra outs. You don't want to give them 32 outs. How many times have you seen an error and the next guy pops a home run? Well, he should never have gotten to the plate. Pitchers need to make their pitch and we need to help them defensively." The motivational T-shirts will serve as a reminder of what defenders will be hearing all year long, starting with Spring Training. "You'll hear me in the drills yelling, 'These are outs. These have to be outs.' You'll hear it over and over and over again," Hill said. "We have to make every play. We have to be fundamentally sound." It's hard to argue with success. And wherever Hill has been, defensive success has followed. This marks Hill's second stint with the Marlins. Previously, he was with the organization from 2002-06, and he has worked with shortstop Hanley Ramirez and second baseman Dan Uggla (in '06). The 2003 World Series champion Marlins committed 78 errors, which was the third fewest of any team in baseball. Two big reasons why the Marlins have their 2003 title banner are pitching and defense. The organization is stressing a return to being a top-ranked defensive club. Spotty defense has been a problem for the Marlins the past five years. In 2010, the Marlins made 123 errors, the fifth most in the Majors. Florida infielders won five Gold Gloves Awards under Hill's guidance -- Derrek Lee (2003), Luis Castillo ('03-05) and Mike Lowell ('05). When Hill was with the Montreal Expos in 2001, shortstop Orlando Cabrera also won a Gold Glove Award. At age 58, Hill brings high energy and a philosophy centered around strong technique and precise positioning. "I learned a long time ago, range is positioning," Hill said. "You get caught up with, 'This guy gets to this many balls.' But if you pay attention to the game plan and what the pitchers are going to do to a hitter, and how a hitter's approach changes during the count because of the situation, and you move yourself accordingly, the ball will be hit right to you." When the ball is put into play, Hill will be keeping a watchful eye on each defender's technique. In order to eliminate mistakes, Hill will place an emphasis on his defenders having "less movement" in what they do. "With our philosophy, the less motion, the less chance of error," Hill said. "In a lot of cases, a lot players have too many unnecessary movements. They make things way too hard. Our philosophy is to break things down. It makes it simple. It eliminates a lot of movements. The less you have to do, the less likely you will mess it up." Based on Hill's track record, defenses can turn around with basically the same players. In 2009, Hill was with the Pirates, and witnessed the organization accomplish a Major League first. Despite losing 99 games, that Pirates club became the first team to lose that many games and still lead the Major Leagues with the fewest errors. Similar success occurred under Hill's watch in Detroit. In 1996 -- the year before Hill's arrival -- the Tigers paced the Majors in errors. In '97 -- Hill's first season in Detroit -- they committed the fewest errors. The turnaround gave the Tigers the distinction as the first franchise to go from worst to first in errors in MLB history. With the Marlins, Hill is expected to work with Ramirez at shortstop, Uggla at second base, Gaby Sanchez and first base and Chris Coghlan at third base. Coghlan, who is recovering from surgery on his left knee, is converting from left field to third. Third baseman Matt Dominguez, the club's first-round pick in 2007, is getting closer to being big league ready after he spent 2010 on Double-A Jacksonville's Southern League championship team. Dominguez is very strong defensively. To prepare for Spring Training, Hill has his program and a general idea of the players he will be working with. "I come in with no preconceived notions," he said. "I've worked with Hanley and Danny before, and I've got an idea of what they need to do in our program. I'm going to have to just watch the other guys, in the drills, in Spring Training and what we do early. I'll just see what I see and just make suggestions and hope they buy into it. "We have to make the plays we're supposed to make in order to make our pitching staff and our team better." MLB.com http://florida.marlins.mlb.com/news/article.jsp?ymd=20101110&content_id=16049834&vkey=news_fla&c_id=fla
November 12, 201015 yr The future is bright..or should I say "D future..." :blink: D for Defense? heh ok a bad pun, sorry
November 13, 201015 yr The future is bright..or should I say "D future..." :blink: D for Defense? heh ok a bad pun, sorry Not just bad, terrible! lol
November 13, 201015 yr Making improvements on the defensive end of the ballclub is GREAT news. This should help Coghlan's shift to 3rd base, yeah?
November 13, 201015 yr I'm anxious to see him work with Maybin. Can he teach him how to hit as well? lol
November 13, 201015 yr I'm anxious to see him work with Maybin. He only works with infielders... My bad, bro.
November 13, 201015 yr I'm anxious to see him work with Maybin. He only works with infielders... My bad, bro. If he's also a 1st base coach, I was thinking you were implying that he'd help Maybin be a better basestealer.
November 13, 201015 yr I'm anxious to see him work with Maybin. He only works with infielders... My bad, bro. If he's also a 1st base coach, I was thinking you were implying that he'd help Maybin be a better basestealer. Nah, I thought he'd be working with the outfield as well. People were talking about him like he was going to completely change our defense, so I just assumed he would help that mess of an outfield we have right now.
November 13, 201015 yr Moot point about Maybin now :lol At least Bonifacio and Stanton would be a good defensive 2/3rds of an outfield.
November 13, 201015 yr Moot point about Maybin now :lol At least Bonifacio and Stanton would be a good defensive 2/3rds of an outfield. Yea :'(
November 14, 201015 yr The future is bright..or should I say "D future..." :blink: D for Defense? heh ok a bad pun, sorry Not just bad, terrible! lol I take pride in that..thank you. lol I have to appologize every once a week or so for my bad puns and jokes..ya know, just to avoid being banned or something :boxed
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