Drew Stubbs is way overrated defensively...

[ShaySongz]

Nyjer Morgan makes Stubbs look like he doesn't try hard...
Tom and George quit patting Stubbs on the back...because Morgan is what a real Centerfielder looks like.

[RedsFanInBama]

What? Morgan looks like he tries hard because he needs two steps to cover the ground Stubbs does in one. Stubbs is a very good defensive player.

[Falcon7]

Nyjer Morgan makes Stubbs look like he doesn't try hard...
Tom and George quit patting Stubbs on the back...because Morgan is what a real Centerfielder looks like.

I agree, Stubbs does not catch that ball. He is fast but he does not have that (I will run through a wall to make that catch attitude) he just doesn't. But he had a HUGE bomb tonight!

[RedsFanInBama]

Having that attitude doesn't make you a good defender. It just makes you more likely to end up on the DL.

[Old NDN]

I thought Stubbs gave up too early on Hart's double in the 8th. Coulda/shoulda been caught, imo. He's probably thinking about the injury that put him on the DL and unwilling to go wall crashing this soon. Props to him for his offensive output the last 2 games. Now , stay consistent!!

[5TimeWSChamps]

Shay and brm need to find each other

[Hondo]

Stubbs is one of the best defensive outfielders in the game.

[EMAW]

The Reds are GREAT defensively, anyone that thinks Stubbs is not an elite defensive CF has no clue

[ShaySongz]

Man with Drew Stubbs speed and the dimensions of the ballpark why are so many bloop hits falling in front of him???? if your playing in Petco it's ok to play deep to protect triples. But how many Triples are hit in GABP. Please..he should've caught that ball in the 8th! Protect your pitchers shut out. Arroyo probably would have taken him out for dinner afterwards. But he pulled up before the Warning Track!!! Overrated! the speed is not translating to the field! I think some of the Fans on here are so delusional to think he's an excellent fielder because he makes basic plays. If that ball was to keep the no hitter alive no doubt in my mind he would made a highlight catch. But that still doesn't make it right!

[ShaySongz]

Shay and brm need to find each other

I'm not comparing apples to oranges...i'm comparing morgan to stubbs. Never seen an ovation deion a stubbs catch. Stubs plays outfield like he doesn't want to get his uniform dirty..

[Larkin88]

I'm not comparing apples to oranges...i'm comparing morgan to stubbs. Never seen an ovation deion a stubbs catch. Stubs plays outfield like he doesn't want to get his uniform dirty..

There is some truth to the idea that because of the jumps he takes, his speed and his stride that Stubbs makes things look a little easier in center field than they are. Often times, he doesn't need to dive for a ball that Heisey needs to make a spectacular scoop on. That doesn't mean he's a liability defensively, in fact it probably means the contrary.

Stubbs has had his share of highlight reel catches. The play where he robbed Carlos Lee of a 2-run homerun during the clinch game in 2010 comes to mind. The way you talk about him, you make it sound like he is a subpar defender out there and that's just not the case.

I'm not going to argue the merits of Stubbs versus other all-time elite defenders in CF like Deion Sanders, but he's up there relative to who is in the league now... at least defensively. You're just cherry picking for things to get upset about since the Reds won the game.

[ShaySongz]

There is some truth to the idea that because of the jumps he takes, his speed and his stride that Stubbs makes things look a little easier in center field than they are. Often times, he doesn't need to dive for a ball that Heisey needs to make a spectacular scoop on. That doesn't mean he's a liability defensively, in fact it probably means the contrary.

Stubbs has had his share of highlight reel catches. The play where he robbed Carlos Lee of a 2-run homerun during the clinch game in 2010 comes to mind. The way you talk about him, you make it sound like he is a subpar defender out there and that's just not the case.

I'm not going to argue the merits of Stubbs versus other all-time elite defenders in CF like Deion Sanders, but he's elite relative to who is in the league now... at least defensively. You're just cherry picking for things to get upset about since the Reds won the game.

I'm upset because I know he could've made that catch to preserve the win for arroyo! I'm not picking on him..maybe my expectations for him are higher than yours!

[xsteve1]

This team is so much better with Stubbs in the lineup compared to Heisey. He can just do so many things with his speed. I'd only give Heisey a spot start a couple times a month as we've seen he is terrible when he plays full time and is so undisciplined at the plate.

[P.E.R#14]

Drew Stubbs will make catches that would be highlight reel catches for slower outfielders who have to dive because they can't cover the ground that Stubbs can. (big pet peeve is the slow OF'er who covers 20 feet and falls to the ground getting in the Top 10)
HOWEVER, Stubbs does seem to give up on balls and I honestly can't tell you the last time he dove/slid after a ball.

I agree that he doesn't have the killer instinct to go after a ball like the great outfielders do. Also, the word "elite" was thrown out there and that, my friends, is ridiculous. Edmonds, Griffey Jr, Torii Hunter just to name a couple recent guys. Stubbs couldn't carry thier jocks, nor has he made ONE catch that cracks the top 50 plays from the four of them.

Great speed, decent fielder, good power, poor contact hitter, average arm. All of that equals trade bait.

[smixsell]

Having that attitude doesn't make you a good defender. It just makes you more likely to end up on the DL.

This. I'd rather lose a regular season game in June than have my starting CF out injured. (Espesically with our "bench.")

[arkimadee]

Well I'm sure that Brewers fans will be happy to give you Morgan for Stubbs. The guy didn't have an RBI for like the first 2 months of the season.

[Ironman92]

I'll add.

I LOVE the outfield and everything about it. First off...Nyjer made one play....we can't compare him to Stubbs, we know Stubbs and see him everyday...we rarely see Nyjer. That play Morgan made last night....WOW! He ran 21 strides in the gap (Willie Mays famous catch was 21 strides) and caught ball going into the fence at a a great speed. It was an amazing catch and it was just a courageous. You will see very few more difficult OF plays all year.

Stubbs is not an elite CF. His speed is elite for sure. His arm is very good, his jumps are very good and he is very good at jumping at the fence on balls that you have time to get back and set and the slower-timed jumps. He's one of the smoothest runners I've ever seen and it shows on balls in the gap.

Stubbs weakness is line drives directly over his head, balls that are hit hard he has to jump before the wall on the warning track (again most everyone has trouble with those) and of course the refusal to go all out diving. No matter how fast he is there are balls that he could dive head first and get to...but he will not. Has difficulty making the sliding catch as well. (only a few in his nearly 500 game career.

Would love to watch him run the 200m.

He's plenty good in CF (as is Heisey) I just hope he keeps getting walks and hitting like the past 2 games.

[ShaySongz]

Stubbs is one of the best defensive outfielders in the game.

I really hope this is sarcatic humor..haha

[ShaySongz]

Speed does not equate to elite fielder..put it this way. Who would win a foot race between stubbs, griffey, and tori hunter? If all athletes are in the prime..my money on stubbs but you dont see it on the field lol

[Larkin88]

Speed does not equate to elite fielder..put it this way. Who would win a foot race between stubbs, griffey, and tori hunter? If all athletes are in the prime..my money on stubbs but you dont see it on the field lol

As it is, people in this thread seem upset that he is not in the running with some of the all-time great defensive center fielders that have been named. I'm not comparing him to Deion Sanders or Griffey in their primes, because how could you? He's only "overrated" if you rate him in that class, but I think you'd be pretty silly to do that from the get go.

But if you really do take issue with someone suggesting that (currently) Stubbs is one of the better center field defenders in baseball, we're just going to have to agree to disagree. Which is totally fine by me. :beerme:

[RedsFanInBama]

Stubbs isn't elite in the way Andruw Jones or Griffey or Edmonds were, but he's very good relative to today's center fielders. He covers a ton of ground and runs down balls that a lot of guys can't get to or would have to lay out to have a chance at.

[Larkin88]

Stubbs isn't elite in the way Andruw Jones or Griffey or Edmonds were, but he's very good relative to today's center fielders. He covers a ton of ground and runs down balls that a lot of guys can't get to or would have to lay out to have a chance at.

A better articulation of the point I was trying to make.

I've been as frustrated as anyone with Drew as a player on the whole, but most of that stems from his at-times anemic approach at the plate. Of all the many things you could pick on him about (and there are many), I guess all the defensive backlash is just a little surprising to me.

[BluegrassRedleg]

He's pretty good between the gaps, but struggles on the ball hit right at him or over him. Doesnt get good breaks on those, and has awkward footwork.

[Ironman92]

The better CFs today aren't as widely known as in the past. Guys like Gomez, Span, Granderson, Schaffer, Victorino and others are all very good but when you had Andruw Jones, Griffey, Edmonds, Hunter, Kenny Loften....loaded

[Kingspoint]

Nyjer Morgan makes Stubbs look like he doesn't try hard...
Tom and George quit patting Stubbs on the back...because Morgan is what a real Centerfielder looks like.

I agree.

Heisey should be the everyday CenterFielder. Stubbs should be the everyday Left Fielder. Ludwick's at-bats should be 3rd most among those three, but splitting more with Stubbs than Ludwick.

[big boy]

When did Deion Sanders get mentioned among elite center fielders? He has as many gold gloves as I do. At least Stubbs didn't have a foul ball bounce off of his head (http://reds.enquirer.com/97season/06/062897_redsdeion.html).

[Ironman92]

When did Deion Sanders get mentioned among elite center fielders? He has as many gold gloves as I do. At least Stubbs didn't have a foul ball bounce off of his head (http://reds.enquirer.com/97season/06/062897_redsdeion.html).

No idea...but again, nothing trumps fast.

Went to a game when Deion played and watched him get throw out stealing and by so much he didn't even slide....but also saw him hit a triple that no one else even attempts.

[Assembly Hall]

Can someone put up a list of all starting CF's in MLB?

[Ironman92]

Can someone put up a list of all starting CF's in MLB?

Probably not cause 1/2 of them a lot of you have never heard of.

[Ironman92]

NL....probably need help

Stubbs
Gomez
Morgan
Bourn
Fowler
Pagan
Kemp
Campana
Shaffer
McCutchen
Victorino
Harper/Ankiel
Torres

AL definitely need help
Granderson
Span
Trout/Bourgeois
Adam Jones
Josh Hamilton
Austin Jackson
Rasmus
Darnell McDonald/Ellsbury
Gutierrez
Crisp
Brantley
De Aza

Got bored

[BluegrassRedleg]

When did Deion Sanders get mentioned among elite center fielders? He has as many gold gloves as I do. At least Stubbs didn't have a foul ball bounce off of his head (http://reds.enquirer.com/97season/06/062897_redsdeion.html).

Dude was awful. Fun to watch, but awful.