Alonso in Left?

[kpresidente]

Well, I can attest that 1B is a pain (but I love it). However, regarding the SS-3B thing, I'm really not seeing how 3B is the harder one. I've never played either one though, so I'm certainly open to explanation.

320

3B plays closer to the batter, the balls get hit harder there, and you have a longer throw, plus you have to handle bunts. All of that means you have to make a lot of difficult plays. SS gets a lot of easy, routine grounders. Right handers trying to pull an outside pitch and such. I've played every infield position except 1B and including catcher. My order of difficulty goes like this: CA, 3B, SS, 2B.

[RedsManRick]

3B plays closer to the batter, the balls get hit harder there, and you have a longer throw, plus you have to handle bunts. All of that means you have to make a lot of difficult plays. SS gets a lot of easy, routine grounders. Right handers trying to pull an outside pitch and such. I've played every infield position except 1B and including catcher. My order of difficulty goes like this: CA, 3B, SS, 2B.

Let's not confuse skill with athleticism. 3B may require more skill, but SS requires more athleticism. And looking around baseball,there are more guys who have the skill to play 3B adequately than guys who have the athleticism to play SS adequately.

[11larkin11]

Let's not confuse skill with athleticism. 3B may require more skill, but SS requires more athleticism. And looking around baseball,there are more guys who have the skill to play 3B adequately than guys who have the athleticism to play SS adequately.

Having played both, I'd definitely say 3B is the hardest as you move up the ladder. You play deep, you open up the bunt. You play in, you get screaming one hoppers that you usually don't even see. SS obviously requires more athleticism, but 3B definitely takes more skill and is overall a harder position, IMO.

[Big Klu]

SS is more difficult than the hot corner? Not in my book. Catcher is the hardest position to play, 3B is next. You don't want to confuse "difficult" with "important". In the case of Votto, I'd say LF is easier than 1B, as long as you're not slow. No digging balls in the dirt, no screamers from the lefties.

That may be your opinion, but the sabermetric view based on the defensive spectrum (created by Bill James in the 1980's) is as follows (from easiest to most difficult):

DH--1B--LF--RF--3B--CF--2B--SS

Pitcher and catcher are often considered "specialty" positions, due to their unique skillsets.

Players gradually move to the left along the spectrum as their defensive skills decline. They rarely "go against the current" and move to the right.

[bucksfan2]

That may be your opinion, but the sabermetric view based on the defensive spectrum (created by Bill James in the 1980's) is as follows (from easiest to most difficult):

DH--1B--LF--RF--3B--CF--2B--SS

Pitcher and catcher are often considered "specialty" positions, due to their unique skillsets.

Players gradually move to the left along the spectrum as their defensive skills decline. They rarely "go against the current" and move to the right.

I don't think that is saber at all. IMO its more reality based upon years and years of evidence. Every once in a while you have someone with a unique skill set to go C-2B-CF.

[Big Klu]

I don't think that is saber at all. IMO its more reality based upon years and years of evidence. Every once in a while you have someone with a unique skill set to go C-2B-CF.

The sites I checked listed it as a sabermetric idea (primarily, I suspect, because Bill James devised it).

[remdog]

I've said this before (and I played 3B, SS and 2nd) and 3B is a reflex position. If you don't have quick hands (and feet) the ball will eat you up. At SS and 2nd you need quick hands a little less but more speed and range.

JMO.

Rem

[bucksfan2]

The sites I checked listed it as a sabermetric idea (primarily, I suspect, because Bill James devised it).

I thought it was a Bill James idea, but didn't really think it took into consideration advanced saber type stats. Not big deal, just one of those thing when you try and think about makes a whole lot of sense. To be honest its very difficult to think of someone who went left to right on that list.

[OnBaseMachine]

Speaking of Yonder, he switched agents according to Jerry Crasnick.

Yonder Alonso, #reds top pick in 2008, is now a Dan Lozano client. He said he switched from Legacy Sports "about a month ago.''

http://twitter.com/jcrasnick

[Big Klu]

I thought it was a Bill James idea, but didn't really think it took into consideration advanced saber type stats. Not big deal, just one of those thing when you try and think about makes a whole lot of sense. To be honest its very difficult to think of someone who went left to right on that list.

I would think the most likely left-to-right move would be LF to RF, and that would most likely involve someone who had the skill to play RF from the beginning, but was just playing alongside an even better RF.

[Big Klu]

I don't think that is saber at all. IMO its more reality based upon years and years of evidence. Every once in a while you have someone with a unique skill set to go C-2B-CF.

Also (and maybe this is the saber part of it), James says that as a player moves to the left on the spectrum (and therefore becomes less valuable defensively), he need to step up offensively to maintain his overall value.

[bucksfan2]

Also (and maybe this is the saber part of it), James says that as a player moves to the left on the spectrum (and therefore becomes less valuable defensively), he need to step up offensively to maintain his overall value.

There's the saber.

You made a going point earlier about a LF-RF swap. I would imagine this spectrum has to do with overall skill set than anything else. You often see CF type players who move to LF or RF because there is a better defensive CF currently in place. Even looking back to Pokie Reese with the Reds. He was a SS but was moved off it to 2b because he wasn't going to move Larkin off SS.

[IslandRed]

Players gradually move to the left along the spectrum as their defensive skills decline. They rarely "go against the current" and move to the right.

Right. It's not that third base is easier in absolute terms, but it's a little easier to fill. Most shortstops can slide over and play an acceptable third base; the reverse is not necessarily true.

Third base is demanding defensively, though. But guys are still expected to hit there. It might explain why third-sackers are relatively under-represented in the Hall of Fame.

[Brutus]

Well, I can attest that 1B is a pain (but I love it). However, regarding the SS-3B thing, I'm really not seeing how 3B is the harder one. I've never played either one though, so I'm certainly open to explanation.

320

Glad to see you're a fellow 1B

[kpresidente]

That may be your opinion, but the sabermetric view based on the defensive spectrum (created by Bill James in the 1980's) is as follows (from easiest to most difficult):

DH--1B--LF--RF--3B--CF--2B--SS

Pitcher and catcher are often considered "specialty" positions, due to their unique skillsets.

Players gradually move to the left along the spectrum as their defensive skills decline. They rarely "go against the current" and move to the right.

All that's expressing is a decline in athleticism, which is different than "ease" in the sense that it's being discussed here. SS takes a lot of speed and quickness, when you get old, your body simply can't do it any more, even if the spirit is willing. It's a physical thing. We're talking more about how demanding a position is. About how much a player might "want" to play a position. That assumes that he's athletically "capable" in the first place.