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[nate]

I wasn't referring to you, nor anyone here.. just making a general statement.

I agree that it's difficult to gauge defense on TV even while sitting on a green couch. I'm just saying what it seems like to me, he doesn't get a good first step or he's slow or both.

Or maybe he needs glasses. I've seen him dive OVER a couple balls.

[Chip R]

I agree that it's difficult to gauge defense on TV even while sitting on a green couch.

Perhaps you need a different colored couch.

[nate]

Perhaps you need a different colored couch.

Maybe that's why the Reds haven't been good in a decade.

Although the couch is only a couple years old.

[lollipopcurve]

I'm not saying that lightly. He just truly is the worst I have ever seen.

I wouldn't go that far. Tejada last year is the worst I can remember. Lopez had a very inaccurate arm. Keppinger was similar -- limited range, weakish arm.

[VR]

I wouldn't go that far. Tejada last year is the worst I can remember. Lopez had a very inaccurate arm. Keppinger was similar -- limited range, weakish arm.

Yes, Tejada has no range left.

Cabrera just looks like he has old legs and reflexes...reminds me a bit of Griff's escapades in centerfield a few years ago.

[Kc61]

OC is sure handed, makes accurate throws. Upgrade offensively. Obviously lacks range.

All winter long it was obvious that there were several spots where the team had holes. SS. LF. Weathers spot in the pen. TOR starter.

Reds didn't go for any big, or even medium, contract type players for the major league team. The only major player contract acquired was Chapman.

If Cabrera still had all his defensive skills, he would have been out of the Reds' price range this winter.

If the Reds want good players in their prime, they will have to pay for them. Even if home grown, they tend to cost money. Reds didn't spend this off-season.

[TRF]

Cabrera at the plate last night was why Cabrera was in there instead of Janish. Dusty probably believes in the past performance indicates future success. Of course Cabrera was never THAT successful at the plate, but he does have a better track record than Janish. But in a game as close as that one was, Cabrera had no business playing 11 innings.

[flyer85]

Watching him play it is rather obvious he gets to very little. The shocking contrast was in the Pittsburgh series when Cedeno for the Rats was getting to everything, he easily had 10 feet more range in either direction that Cabrera. Cabrera moves so slowly to start it leads me to believe he is afraid of getting hurt by starting quickly.

Having said that he is the SS and will continue to be until he is traded or gets hurt, no way he will be benched.

[membengal]

Again, a compromise. Why can the Reds not make Janish Leake's personal SS? That gets Janish a start every five days, and makes maximum use of his glove behind a pitcher that actually has plus ground ball tendencies.

That way Cabrera isn't made sad, Jocketty doesn't have to admit a mistake, and the Reds give themselves a slightly better chance to win on days Leake pitches.

[Cedric]

I think Felipe was better than this. Felipe could at least get to some balls. Cabrera right now reminds me of a slow Royce Clayton out there

I have watched Kep this year and with the eye he looks clearly better than Cabrera. It's not just range that bothers me. He plays a deep SS and still can't get to any balls.

[OnBaseMachine]

I would be pleased if the Reds would simply make Janish Leake's personal SS. As many groundballs as Leake induces when he is pitching right, that simple step would go a long way toward hiding Cabrera's defense while letting him play the other games in whatever nod to his being a "winner" they are currently hung up on.

Agreed. AT LEAST play Janish at SS on days when Mike Leake pitches. He's a groundball pitcher, so why not put your best defensive infield out there?

[TheNext44]

Using a /150 number for UZR after a month might be illustrative, but let's remember that it's a very small sample. Compared to offensive stats, it's akin to 50 PA. He's at -2.4 runs.

If you trust UZR as a measure of performance, Cabrera has clearly struggled. But let's not get caught up in confirmation bias. Drew Stubbs is at -4.2 (-62.8/150!!). Rolen is at -1.8 (-20.6/150). Should we similiarly conclude that they are horrible defenders?

Don't get me wrong. I think Cabrera is a poor defensive SS based on what I see everyday and his performance last year. But a very small sample size is a small sample size and has no more (or less) validity based on how well it aligns with our expectations.

I agree that using UZR after one month is pretty meaningless, as you point out with Rolen and Stubbs.

But by combining what everyone is seeing everyday from these guys, their past performance, and their UZR, I think a clear picture evolves.

Rolen probably has lost a step and isn't the Gold Glover he used to be, but he still makes outstanding plays on a regular basis. Watching him play makes me confident that at the end of the season, he will still be above average defensively. I could be wrong, only time will tell, but the fact that his UZR isn't matching up with what I see, makes me at least have hope that he will be fine.

Stubbs has made a few dumb mistakes, which being a rookie is understandable, but he too is making outstanding plays on a regular basis. I feel even stronger about his defense that I do about Rolen's.

But Cabrara, looks so slow, is not making any tough plays, is missing many easy ones, and watching him, it seems very unlikely that he will get quicker or more sure handed. It's really hard to see him being even an average SS over the course of the season. When UZR matches up with what we all see, it easier to draw conclusions.

And as to the argument that the team needs his offense...

Can Janish really be much worse offensively than this:

250 .288 .348 .636?

[pedro]

I think Felipe was better than this. Felipe could at least get to some balls. Cabrera right now reminds me of a slow Royce Clayton out there

I have watched Kep this year and with the eye he looks clearly better than Cabrera. It's not just range that bothers me. He plays a deep SS and still can't get to any balls.

But Felipe made bad throws, played out of position, forgot to back up bases, didn't get in position to take cut offs. I'm not defending Cabrera's range but there is a lot more to playing SS than just range.

Lopez was a way worse SS than Cabrera.

[Cedric]

I agree that using UZR after one month is pretty meaningless, as you point out with Rolen and Stubbs.

But by combining what everyone is seeing everyday from these guys, their past performance, and their UZR, I think a clear picture evolves.

Rolen probably has lost a step and isn't the Gold Glover he used to be, but he still makes outstanding plays on a regular basis. Watching him play makes me confident that at the end of the season, he will still be above average defensively. I could be wrong, only time will tell, but the fact that his UZR isn't matching up with what I see, makes me at least have hope that he will be fine.

Stubbs has made a few dumb mistakes, which being a rookie is understandable, but he too is making outstanding plays on a regular basis. I feel even stronger about his defense that I do about Rolen's.

But Cabrara, looks so slow, is not making any tough plays, is missing many easy ones, and watching him, it seems very unlikely that he will get quicker or more sure handed. It's really hard to see him being even an average SS over the course of the season. When UZR matches up with what we all see, it easier to draw conclusions.

And as to the argument that the team needs his offense...

Can Janish really be much worse offensively than this:

250 .288 .348 .636?

Good post. The eyes and the UZR tell the story on this one. It's really going to be hard for someone to convince me of anything different.

[edabbs44]

And as to the argument that the team needs his offense...

Can Janish really be much worse offensively than this:

250 .288 .348 .636?

Sure.

And I think it is safe to assume that his numbers will get better from here on out. His OPS went up .036 yesterday.