shortstop development (or lack there of)... Topic

this has been my biggest complaint about hbd for some time...ss's develop much too slowly in this game...it's ridiculous that  you draft/sign a young ss who let's say his defensive projections are 92/92/94/94...but at 18 or 19 or 20 y/o....his current  numbers are something like 69/63/72/68...or worse...then by the time they are 24 or 25...their range will be getting close to projections 85(92)...but his glove will still be 80(92)...that is way too far off...in real life you can see a ss's potential because he is making plays...has a strong  arm...good range...etc...but how many of these real life ss's are that bad when they hit the minor leagues...50 and 60 errors in a miL season...there is no way...there has to be a way to speed up the defensive development of defensive ss's...especially as important as they are to the game...at least let the glove/arm develop more closely w/ the range...some of these guys will never hit there projections...now im not saying every player should...but i feel there is a large discrepancy w/ defensive ss's...i really hope my fellow owners agree...and that admin will help us out...again...im not asking for it to be "dumbed" down...just made a bit more realistic...thanks...charles...save_mr_x...
12/2/2010 1:24 PM
At age 19, Derek Jeter made 56 errors in 126 games.
At age 23, Ozzie Smith made 23 errors in 65 games.

That's just a couple of examples of HOF SS who would have made 50-60 errors in a minor league season(144 games).
12/2/2010 2:20 PM
thanks mike for looking it up...i guess i could have done that as well...just out of curiosity...do you think the ss development is satisfactory...or would you like it a bit speedier...would like to get your opinion...let me know...
12/2/2010 7:02 PM
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i will have to do more extensive research...but im guessing that jeter/wizard examples above are the exception and not the rule...
12/3/2010 8:16 AM
Those were two HOF-types I knew, off the top of my head, who struggled early on.   There are others, Alfonso Soriano for example, who started at SS but were so bad that they had to be moved. 

As for HBD, the guys who can play SS at an early age can't hit a lick.   This guy is a fine example: 

Hardball Dynasty – Fantasy Baseball Sim Games - Player Profile: Andres Ayala

He was SS-capable at 23 but can't hit a lick.   Guys like this aren't drafted, signed, promoted and used at the BL-level.   It's a trade-off.    If you want a young SS, you have to accept that he can't hit.    Truthfully, in MLB, how many GG-quality SS can hit?   And, of those, how many were GG-quality SS at 25?
12/3/2010 9:09 AM
Even a "5 tool guy"...how many are SS? It's usually "what an arm in RF" or "what a cannon from 3rd".

Range would make them a 6 tool guy, and there's no such thing.
12/3/2010 1:30 PM
I think because the draft pool seems to be generated by overall rating that there are some postions that are under represented in the draft. A 70 rated shortstop with average defensive rating can't barely hit because the defense counts so much in the overall rating. Same with pitching and durability stamina.
12/3/2010 4:32 PM
shortstop development (or lack there of)... Topic

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