I call sample size shenanigans.
Hairston's played a whopping 113 G in LF for his career. Not even 450 career defensive innings in LF.
A younger, more healthy Hairston was definitely better than Dunn defensively in LF, but the current older, clearly less healthy Hairston isn't a given that he's better than Dunn defensively in LF.
Hairston also grades out as a plus defender in CF with a +9.1 UZR/150 in 815.2 innings in CF. Listen, I love Dunner too but let's face it, he's an awful defender. I'm no fan of Hairston but he's a better defender than Dunn.
"This isn’t stats vs scouts - this is stats and scouts working together, building an organization that blends the best of both worlds. This is the blueprint for how a baseball organization should be run. And, whether the baseball men of the 20th century like it or not, this is where baseball is going."---Dave Cameron, U.S.S. Mariner
My blind grandmother who heard one play by play where Dunn made a diving catch. (I don't actually have a blind grandmother but found this to be an apt example).
Given the current 40 Man?
Against RHP/Against LHP
Dickerson/Hairston CF
Rosales/Keppinger 3B
Votto 1B
EdE LF
Bruce RF/Phillips 2B
Phillips 2B/Hernandez C
Hernandez C/Bruce RF
Janish SS
If I play my best offensively and defensively balanced team, some things have to be set down as rules that apply in all but emergency situations:
1. EdE at 3B is history.
2. Jeff Keppinger doesn't play an inning in the middle infield
3. Keppinger and Phillips need to be hitting in key spots against LHP.
4. Janish plays SS no matter how he hits unless Gonzalez returns to his former self (2005 or so version) or the Reds acquire somebody.
5. Willy Taveras doesn't see the light of day unless its to pinch run.
All my posts are my opinion - just like yours are. If I forget to state it and you're too dense to see the obvious, look here!
Hairston would have to be an all-world defender to offset the loss of offense. I know, we are strictly focusing on defense here. Overall the defense should be a bit better than last year. Could be quite a bit better if Bruce and EE take big steps forward. I think the folks expecting Gonzalez to go back to being an above-average defender at SS are going to be sorely disappointed. I really can't see the offense being much better though, if at all.
"I prefer books and movies where the conflict isn't of the extreme cannibal apocalypse variety I guess." Redsfaithful
Yeah, speed is one of the least valuable commodities of an OF defender if he takes bad routes and reads the ball off the bat poorly (Taveras ... Freel etc. etc.).
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