Best positions for defensive improvement Topic

agentverde
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I've got two guys in LoA. One will be a ML 3B starter. The other will be a great ML defensive SS with mediocre bat.

I want both to improve as quickly as possible defensively, so where do I slot them? What's the best position besides SS to improve? 2B? CF? 3B?
12/4/2009 1:18 PM
MikeT23
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2B makes twice as many plays as the others.
12/4/2009 1:19 PM
agentverde
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that makes sense...and I'm assuming arm strength improves through conditioning, so it's not like I'd lose anything there?
12/4/2009 1:22 PM
iain
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Correct.
12/4/2009 1:24 PM
MikeT23
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For the record, I'm not of the belief that tougher positions increase development. That would force me to believe that I should play my slugging DH at SS thru the minors so he can fully develop his glove. Why would WifS encourage me to do something stupid like that?
12/4/2009 1:26 PM
iain
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I believe it's within reason.

Your 90+ glove SS will have a better chance to reach his ratings playing SS rather than LF or 1B.

I'm not sure the converse is true.
12/4/2009 1:28 PM
iain
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Plus, you'll get that annoying email from your FI.

I think as long as they're not getting flagged in that, you're golden.
12/4/2009 1:29 PM
MikeT23
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So why wouldn't my DH have a better chance at reaching his peak playing SS?
12/4/2009 1:38 PM
daweiproject
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Quote: Originally posted by MikeT23 on 12/04/2009For the record, I'm not of the belief that tougher positions increase development.  That would force me to believe that I should play my slugging DH at SS thru the minors so he can fully develop his glove.   Why would WifS encourage me to do something stupid like that?

There are a lot of things that look stupid in isolation. But in this case, you have to consider that playing your DH at SS means that you can't play your developing SS there. So add that together and WifS is actually encouraging you to play your SS there (assuming that that's how it actually works) since you derive greater benefit from that than the much smaller benefit of playing your DH there.
12/4/2009 2:27 PM
MikeT23
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You don't always have a prospect for each position at each level(if you do, you're the best HBD owner ever). If I have a SS who'll never be more the minor league fodder and a DH who'll be a top BL hitter(but on a NL team), there's absolutely no reason, assuming you buy the development process that's being sold, to not play him at SS. You'll want your DH to be the best he can possibly be, because he's going to end up at 1B, and your concerns over your non-prospect SS are virtually nil.
12/4/2009 2:31 PM
schedule1
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... except that you burn out your pitchers, reduce the likelihood of getting development cycles from playoff games, etc.
12/4/2009 2:35 PM
snake_p
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Y'all could debate whether a DH needs defensive development at all. (Hint, hint, miket, he never plays a position in the field). Who brought up such a stupid idea anyway? Did WIS make him do it?

But here's a suggestion: why not stay on topic and help the OP with his perfectly reasonable question?
12/4/2009 2:37 PM
schedule1
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actually, i think it's a good point. i'm currently playing a C/DH at 1B, even with the new defensive model, and having a point or two more in range / glove would feel like a HUGE boost.

i agree that 2B is the second-best place.
12/4/2009 2:41 PM
MikeT23
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Quote: Originally Posted By schedule1 on 12/04/2009... except that you burn out your pitchers, reduce the likelihood of getting development cycles from playoff games, etc


Sometimes you don't have prospect pitchers at certain levels either.

And, of course, if you have 2-3 pitchers at that level, you're really only concerned with their development.
12/4/2009 2:42 PM
MikeT23
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Quote: Originally Posted By schedule1 on 12/04/2009
actually, i think it's a good point. i'm currently playing a C/DH at 1B, even with the new defensive model, and having a point or two more in range / glove would feel like a HUGE boost.

i agree that 2B is the second-best place.



Of course it's a good point. If you have a 90/90/90/90/90 masher on a NL team, with 8/23/51/55/31 defensive ratings, you're going to play him somewhere. Under the discussed assumption, he has DH'd thru the minors because he's a defensive liability. But, had you played him at SS(with the magical tougher D position makes him develop better plan), maybe he's 14/31/55/58/31. That's still a sub-par 1B but it's a damn sight better than the first group of ratings.

12/4/2009 2:50 PM
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