All major league baseball data including pitch type, velocity, batted ball location, Frank Howard could've had a lengthy career as an NBA power forward. Saying Devers is worse than Andujar on the sole basis that he has more errors is like saying Mike Moustakas has been a better hitter than Mike Trout this year because he has more RBI (its true!). In today's statistical world, every single player in baseball is measured in terms of different metrics. Only the . The Baby Braves might be ready ahead of schedule, Real or Not? His longevity definitely wasn't tied to his ability to field the ball. For this calculation, we use a replacement level on defense is the league average. There are two easy ways to explain Nolan Ryan's low number of chances over 27 seasons in the majors he's the MLB career leader in both walks and strikeouts. Moving elsewhere, heres the big-league landscape in terms of Outs Above Average, which is a metric for outfielders: The Phillies dont look good, again, and this particular metric doesnt consider outfield arms. It's tough to separate Derek Jeter from his place as one of the worst defensive shortstops of all time statistically because he won five Gold Gloves and his hustle play in the 2001 ALCS against the A's is one of the greatest defensive plays of all time. Awards are voted on by the same knuckle dragging journalists. Hobson committed a whopping 43 errors at the hot corner in 1978, finishing the season with an .899 fielding percentage, one of the lowest at any position for a full-time player in the modern era. Play-by-play data prior to 2002 was obtained free of charge from and is copyrighted Vaughn's range was so bad that the Anaheim Angels often had Vaughn playing behind the baserunner, so that he could get to a ball quicker. Sorry, the RF variance is not enough to claim 1) Devers is better (certainly not offensively) and 2) Andujar has the worst DRS Evah, as you suggest. If you've ever had the pleasure of watching Edwin Encarnacion play, you know the three-time All-Star will make you hold your breath when he's in the field. Individual Player Totals Team Defensive Runs Saved Defensive Runs Saved Leaderboard DRS Components In-Depth Team Fielder Totals Total Runs Old School Data DRS Pre-2020 Historic Win Shares Find our Data. Details are actually sketchy regarding Browning's defensive prowess, but several accounts claim that Browning played defense standing on one leg to prevent opposing players from running into him. He made it in on the fourth try. Just cant field em. Usually, teams realize these defenders are significantly costing the team runs, and the offending player is moved to another position or benched altogether. Teams: Toronto Blue Jays (198991), Cleveland Indians (199193), Chicago Cubs (199394, 1998-2000), San Francisco Giants (199597), Seattle Mariners (1998), New York Yankees (2000), Anaheim Angels (2001), Stats: 1,586 chances, 1,488 putouts, 41 assists, 57 errors. * Indicates MLB All-Star. Frank Thomas was nicknamed Big Hurt for the way he punished baseballs, hitting 521 home runs during his career. Chuck Knoblauch had a pretty amazing career on paper. He was pretty decent with his bat for most of his career, but his Total Zone Runs allowed of -65 is horrendous as well. DEVERS has 23 errors to Andujars 15 in 200 fewer innings. Here, then, is a list of 40 of the worst defensive players in MLB history. The official scorer of the game took pity on Jolley, actually only giving him two errors. But the numbers don't lie. Teams: New York Highlanders (1908, 1910-12), Washington Senators (1912), Chicago Cubs (1913-21), Stats: 906 chances, 92 putouts, 740 assists, 74 errors, Caught stealing percentage: .519 (incomplete). Jolley committed 44 errors in just four seasons, and was once credited with three errors on the same play, having the ball actually go through his legs twice on the same batted ball. Teams: Detroit Tigers (197476), Seattle Mariners (197781), Oakland Athletics (198285), Stats: 5,259 chances, 4,562 putouts, 608 assists, 89 errors. What a weak comeback. He committed 76 errors over his career and had a career average of -29 total zone runs allowed. worst defensive runs saved all time - grupoguepardo.com Matt Kemp, CF, 2010 Dodgers (minus-37). They moved him to third base the following season. In The Fielding Bible, Volume II, John Dewan takes the defensive metrics in the first volume and translates them into runsinto runs saved, that is, or Defensive Runs Saved. The power that Kingman generated with his body hindered him greatly in the field. Theres not nearly enough evidence to say the Phillies have absolutely had the worst team defense in a very long time. Kansas City lacks an above-average position anywhere on the infield . The phenomena became known as the "Steve Sax Syndrome." Wil Myers won American League Rookie of the Year in 2013 with the Tampa Bay Rays, then was traded to the San Diego Padres after the 2014 season. 7. The A's managed to figure Long into the equation by moving him to left field, and it ended up being more about the naked eye than sabermetrics. Teams: San Francisco Giants (1971-74), New York Mets (1975-77, 1981-83), San Diego Padres (1977), California Angels (1977), New York Yankees (1977), Chicago Cubs (1978-80), Oakland Athletics (1984-86), Stats: 6,702 chances, 5,835 putouts, 693 assists, 174 errors. However, defensively he never seemed to really be in the right place. Madlock's zone rating and other defensive variables were far below that of the league average, and in a report that measures Total Zone ratings for players between the years 1956 and 1986, Madlock places dead last among all third basemen. But also consider that he's one of the worst defensive players of all time. The above numbers represented Samuel's career primarily at second base, although he played six different positions during his career. Bichette was second in the National League in errors committed by an outfielder in 1998 and 1999, and oftentimes could be seen flailing in the corner as a ball caromed off a wall and between his legs. story about something funny we saw him do as he stumbled and bumbled his way through major league outfields. Hell, he doesnt even have 2018s worst DRS! Theres no reason for them to have a bias. But over the years, despite Jeter's success he had widely been deemed as one of the sport's most overrated players ever. Philadelphia Phillies are worst defensive team in MLB. Can they do Jose Offerman secured his place on this list with an atrocious run through the early 1990s, when he led the National League in errors three times in four years from 1992 to 1995. That's just the first two pages of searches. The Phillies knew theyd be sacrificing some defense this season. So hes always been considered a plus defender, but Davenports numbers have never loved him. The chances of the Phillies making up that ground are exceptionally slim. So let's take a look at his undoing. Let's get "Bobby Bonilla Day" out of the way at the jump. Dahlen still holds the record for total chances by a shortstop, and oftentimes led the league in putouts and double plays as well. Orioles are anywhere near the all-time worst. And not in a good way. Luzinski's misplay of a line drive to left field in the 1977 National League Championship Series against the Los Angeles Dodgers triggered what Phillies' fans call "Black Friday.". His mobility declined rapidly, and he was in the negative for defensive wins above replacement for 14 straight seasons, bouncing between left field, right field and first base. the official stats partner of the NBA, NHL and MLB. Defensively, sabermetricians use such terms as dWAR, UZR, Rtot (Total Zone Total Fielding Runs Above Average) along with many others. Yes, folks, there is a reason that the Chicago White Sox signed Adam Dunn strictly as a designated hitter, and they had better hope he snaps out of his slump this coming season. It's a good thing they don't look at defense. worst defensive runs saved all time - aima.org.af Glenallen Hill's defensive struggles were infamous. So why did the White Sox not force Thomas into a role as their everyday designated hitter earlier in his career? Jose Lima was one of the more entertaining players in the major leagues throughout the 1990s and early 2000s. They talk about batting average and RBI, too, which are easy to discuss in the casual context of a game broadcast, but they are obviously not a good measure of a players full contribution to the game (even their full contribution to the offense). Here are the ten worst team DRS marks from the leaderboards: There are three teams in there from this season alone. Nothing has been catastrophic. Im older than him, and I can barely catch the TV remote when my roommate tosses it to me (from a couple of feet away mind you lol). He ended up there because it lined up more with his offensive production than putting him at one of the corner outfield spots or at first base. During his time with the Texas Rangers, Incaviglia's nickname was "Oops," primarily because of the way he patrolled the outfield. Early in his career with the Texas Rangers, Sierra quickly fell out of favor when he concentrated solely on hitting, completely ignoring any effort to even practice defensively. But he got worse at framing pitches and is costing his team more in that area. Even a few Hall of Famers. The Phillies havent done enough hitting, and so theyll go into the offseason looking to make a major splash. And Luzinski's eventual trade to the White Sox. What's worse? While Nolan Ryan may be in the Hall of Fame, have seven no-hitters to his credit and be the all-time strikeout king, he will never be compared to either Jim Kaat or Greg Maddux in terms of defense. And yet Phillies non-pitchers have a combined wRC+ of just 98, which is two points below average. In fact, in the early 1990s, many would argue that the Pittsburgh Pirates outfield of Barry Bonds, Andy Van Slyke and Bonilla was one of the best in baseball at the time. Each player's total points are later adjusted based on league averages, both with regards to average defensive performance, and with regards to how many runs a "point" equates to.[7]. It may be a bit unfair to include long-time shortstop Bill Dahlen on this list. Grieve's -76 total zone runs allowed for his career is truly horrendous. Truly one of the more despicable people to ever play the game, Kingman could do one thing well hit for power. Teams: Cincinnati Reds (2001-08), Arizona Diamondbacks (2008), Washington Nationals (2009-10), Chicago White Sox (2011-14), Oakland Athletics (2014), Stats: 6,453 chances, 6,002 putouts, 331 assists, 120 errors. I didnt say Andujar was better, I was just establishing 1) they are comparable yet seymour singled out Andujar, 2) thats intellectually dishonest. Their frustration was understandable since 1979 was the first year in LeMaster's career that he had at least 20 errors and started a stretch where he had at least 20 errors in six of the next seven seasons. He also was among the league leaders in passed balls and errors committed by a catcher on a regular basis. Why is Eduardo Escobar a defender to watch in 2023? . Defensive metrics aren't as foolproof as some other numbers, so let's dig deeper into what may have caused these poor ratings. It's no surprise that he rated poorly in the outfield -- minus-20 runs -- but he also rated minus-23 runs at first base in just 540 innings. 3. Worst Defenses, 2003 - 2018 There are three teams in there from this season alone. Howard spent the last year of his career as a DH in 1973, the first year the DH was in place. Sheesh! These are the worst glovemen of all time at every position. Real or Not? Smith had great speed and would often get a great jump on the ball, only to bobble it several times once he actually got there. Orioles fielders have combined for negative-84 runs of defensive value compared with the average team, per the advanced stat defensive runs saved. cafe under the spire newcastle; worst defensive runs saved all time. Teams: Los Angeles Dodgers (1990-95), Kansas City Royals (1996-98), Boston Red Sox (1999-2002), Seattle Mariners (2002), Minnesota Twins (2004), Philadelphia Phillies (2005), New York Mets (2005). For several years, outfielder Dante Bichette was one of the most popular and beloved players for the Colorado Rockies, and his offensive exploits in the Mile High City were certainly highly regarded. Dunn recently confirmed his retirement and I'll miss a guy who had a unique career in major league history. Kemp also had just three assists in 2010 compared to 14 in 2009 and 11 in 2011. But, knowing what they know now, the Phillies presumably wouldnt choose to repeat this. It's true that this. While the numbers above don't appear to be horrible, noted baseball statistician Bill James once said that Smith should teach a course in "defensive recovery and cost containment" since he spent so much of his time working on it. Groom's fielding percentage hovered around or below .900 for most of his career and finished at an atrocious .940 in 13 seasons. Manny's "amazing" catch of a Johnny Damon relay is absolutely priceless. We hate to put Frank Thomas on this list. Its one of the few advanced defensive metrics that exists. What's impressive is that he's actually gotten better on defense over his career, and his real struggles in the field were mostly over his first six seasons. He made his lone All-Star appearance in 2016 and parlayed that into a six-year, $83 million extension in 2017. How did Duane Kuiper play 10 seasons in the majors? "We think Mark is a lot better than he's shown statistically. He also was among the league leaders. Who had the worst defensive season ever? - SweetSpot- ESPN It's time to unveil the 2022 MLB All-Underrated Team. 5. Stats: 3,940 chances, 3,684 putouts, 208 assists, 48 errors. 8. He didn't make his major league debut until he was 26 years old and ended up pitching in the majors until he was 40 years old. Gold Glove Awards: 5 (2004, 2005, 2006, 2009, 2010), Stats: 10,679 chances, 3,820 putouts, 6,605 assists, 254 errors. Rickie Weeks, 2B, 2012 Brewers (minus-30). But Anson could hit (.334 lifetime batting average), and he was inducted into the Baseball Hall of Fame in 1939. Check. Weeks has never had a good defensive reputation and in 2012 he started 152 games at second base and made just 4.08 plays per nine innings compared to the league-average range factor of 4.77. Martin had a horrendous -52 total zone runs allowed for his career, with a -39 mark in left field, where he started almost 843 games. Teams: Pittsburgh Pirates (2005-09, 2012), Atlanta Braves (2009-11), Baltimore Orioles (2012-13), Washington Nationals (2014), Stats: 1,820 chances, 1,780 putouts, 23 assists, 17 errors. The MLB All-Underrated Team for 2022 - MLB.com But over the last . Worst MLB Defensive Players of All Time | Stadium Talk Teams: New York Yankees (1999-2003, 2013-2014), Texas Rangers (2004-05), Washington Nationals (2006), Chicago Cubs (2007-13), Stats: 5,823 chances, 3,456 putouts, 2,198 assists, 169 errors. But watching Bernie Williams play center field for the Yankees for almost two decades was a study in perseverance. Which isn't totally fair because he was a decent hitter most of the time and had a .253 batting average. Could be the new position. The division was already more or less decided, but an unlikely Phillies sweep couldve at least brought it down to the wire. In retrospect, you could say the story of the 2018 Phillies is represented by the acquisition of Carlos Santana. By most defensive metrics used, McLouth was regarded as one of the worst defensive center fielders that year, which proves our point once again that voters are completely out of touch as to the significance of a Gold Glove Award. MLB - 2022. by Retrosheet. While the surgery will no doubt help his swing, Hawpe had better hope that he can make the Rangers' 25-man roster with his bat. Sanchez, who relies on unbelievable power at the plate to change games, improved on blocking pitches in 2019. Teams: Oakland Athletics (197782, 1985), Milwaukee Brewers (198283), California Angels (1984), Stats: 2,440 chances, 952 putouts, 1,417 assists, 71 errors. Good plays and misplays runs saved: runs saved by heads-up-plays. Yes, this era of non-traditional defensive alignment has made things ever more complicated. He was just 37 years old. Maybe that's why the Hall of Famer was so poor at fielding the ball. Teams: San Francisco Giants (1975-85), Cleveland Indians (1985), Pittsburgh Pirates (1985), Oakland Athletics (1987), Stats: 4,535 chances, 1,545 putouts, 2,811 assists, 179 errors. Nick Castellanos, 3B, 2014 Tigers (minus-30). Anyone who can bounce a ball off their glove 20 feet into the stands for a home run deserves a spot on this list. By just about every defensive metric available, Escobar is a much better defensive option. Santanas been a useful first baseman, and Hoskins has been a useful left fielder. Except for catchers, Plus/Minus represents the majority of a player's DRS. Ich-i-ro!' UZR includes errors as part of its calculation, too. Nobody talks about errors. It is no surprise that this Top 10 list consists of many AL and NL All-Stars. Its something for them to figure out moving forward, assuming they dont figure Hoskins range will improve. Theyll have a roster good enough to hang around. This one may be a bit surprising as Young was regarded as a solid shortstop and even won a Gold Glove in 2008. Gimme some glove! Forecasting MLB's best, worst fielders Real or Not? By just about every measurement available, either through STATS Inc., Baseball Prospectus, FanGraphs or Baseball Reference, there is no documentation anywhere that supports the fact that first baseman Mo Vaughn was anything close to a good fielder. Red Sox bullpen's tightrope act will wear thin, Real or not? I checked Baseball-Reference.com for their list of worst individual fielding seasons and thought it would be fun to look at the bottom 10. However, Madlock's prowess at the plate did not transfer to the field very well at all. They did, however, cost him being a first-ballot Hall of Famer. Derek Jeter is Statistically the Worst Fielder in Baseball History