Note: A plus number in the Plus/Minus System signifies the number of additional plays made by the fielder compared to an average defender at his position.
Some comments:
Former catcher Daric Barton has done well so far at first base. Chase Utley wants to take over Albert Pujols' mantle as the best hitter in baseball and best fielder at his position as well. The injuries that plagued Troy Glaus are no longer an issue for him defensively. The loss of Torii Hunter hasn't hurt Minnesota with Carlos Gomez' stellar play so far.
An unrelated note: Pitcher Micah Owings has a 1.106 OPS thus far this year. That's better than every regular position player in baseball except Lance Berkman and Chipper Jones. Utley and Pujols are right there as well at 1.089 and 1.083. Owings was a tremendous hitter in college, hit .371 in the minors, .333 in the majors last year with a ton of power, and .417 so far this year. Can anyone say Babe Ruth?
Troy Glaus does have a high Rate2 - 121, so that pick is understandable. Yeah, Troy Glaus is going to have a 121 Rate2 the rest of the season just like Adam Wainwright and Todd Wellemeyer will both have ERAs near 3.00 and Yadier Molina and Ryan Ludwick will keep their averages above .300.
Note that Aramis Ramirez finished the 2007 season with a 123 Rate2, and this year he's at 108. Troy Glaus hasn't had a Rate2 of at least 108 since 2002.
Orlando Cabrera is overrated defensively. This year he has been solid with a 116 Rate2, but Ryan Theriot's Rate2 is 115, Cabrera has matched that once in his entire career, in 2001 with the Expos. Yet, he's credited for having his best defensive seasons with Boston and Anaheim. Ever since leaving Montreal, he's been only average at best.
I don't know what their problem with the Cubs is, but leaving Fukudome off that list is disgusting. Maybe that's why they don't have a catcher; they would have to give credit to Geovany Soto, a Cub.
no, they don't chart catchers for that system. my guess is because a) a catcher's main defensive responsibilities aren't to make fielding plays, b) fielding plays for catchers are so rare it wouldn't make sense to rate them on the plays above average that they make.
the plus-minus rating system is really simplistic, but no defensive metrics have been developed to date that are truly very good. i wonder if there ever will be, i think probably but it might be a while.
