Pick one to play 2B and one to play CF:

Player Profile: Orber Gallardo - Hardball Dynasty Baseball | WhatIfSports (84/79/61/60) has been above average at 2B, but would be below average in CF.

Player Profile: Hak-Ju Chang - Hardball Dynasty Baseball | WhatIfSports (92/83/77/84) would likely be a GG defender at either position.

Knowing that 2B gets more chances per game, should I stick Chang at 2B and suffer with Gallardo's sub-par defense in CF? If I do the opposite, I'm above average at both positions, but I feel like I'd be wasting Chang's arm in CF.
5/10/2017 3:29 PM
I like Chang in CF personally.
5/10/2017 4:27 PM
With Chang in CF they both make plus plays. Gallardo in CF seems more likely to make some minus plays. My personal feeling is that Chang at 2B doesn't make enough extra plays to offset the net negative of Gallardo in CF, but I could be wrong.

5/10/2017 4:33 PM
Gallardo's stats indicate he plays 2B just fine. Chang's better range will help more in CF. Maybe his arm keeps more runners in check and/or leads to more assists.
I put Paddy Miller. in CF on a very bad team. He's a +8 with 4 assists and 0 errors.
5/10/2017 11:29 PM
This has an obvious answer and it's based on the Big League Averages on the Position Assignment screen:

2B 80 75 55 65
CF 85 85 60 65

Chang in CF, Gallardo in 2B.

Assuming two players both throw R (throwing L automatically makes you OF or 1B), the better player always plays CF, period. Ignore Range Factor and the fact that 2B's get about 5.00-5.50 chances per game and that CF's only get about 2.00-2.50. Your objective is the CUMULATIVE effect of having defense everywhere simultaneously. Also, the consequences of bad defense at CF is worth more total bases for the hitter, so it sorta counter-balances the difference in Range Factor. Over the long run, the cumulative effect of having ++ defense at both of those positions saves you more runs and wins you games more dramatically than if you flipped them and went all-in on 2B.

Also, HBD is programmed weird in the sense that it has a maximum cap on the number of + plays that any specific player can get in one season. IOW if you play Chang in CF and Gallardo at 2B, if they each get 20+ plays at those positions, if you flip them and Gallardo gets 0 in CF, Chang is maxed out at 30-35 or whatever at 2B, he can't get you 50-60+ just because he's way better. It's capped. Even 99-99-99-99 at 1B is capped.
5/11/2017 2:20 PM
Gallardo has two full seasons at 2B: 15+ plays, 11 errors. So on average, 7.5+ plays and 5.5 errors. Slightly above average, I'd think, but nowhere near 20+ plays per. I've always thought (based on Booger's Fielding Thread) that infield defense is more important than outfield defense.
5/11/2017 2:32 PM
Truth is, the answer is obvious and doesn't require a long-winded response.

Player A - Above average in CF, above average at 2B
Player B - Below average at 2B, above average in CF

You can have 2 above average or 1 above/1 below
5/11/2017 2:38 PM
Thought experiment:
Your best player is Nick Holmes (75-84-86-87) and he gets to play 3B and he never leaves the game or plays any other position.
Your other players are, alphabetically, Petey Giolito, Pat Suzuki, George Wright. They will be assigned to 4 6 and 9; which do you assign where, and why
5/11/2017 2:38 PM
Posted by pjfoster13 on 5/11/2017 2:38:00 PM (view original):
Thought experiment:
Your best player is Nick Holmes (75-84-86-87) and he gets to play 3B and he never leaves the game or plays any other position.
Your other players are, alphabetically, Petey Giolito, Pat Suzuki, George Wright. They will be assigned to 4 6 and 9; which do you assign where, and why
Second, short and right? Did you mean CF?
5/11/2017 2:43 PM
Lots to comment on. In order:
1) I like the arm at second base-- OFs don't make throwing errors in HBD, it's a bug-- but in this case the range is so different that I think the "best range in CF" argument wins out.
2) Or you could play the better fielder at CF when your pitcher's GB/FB is low and 2B when it's high.
3) pjf-- can you show me an experiment you did to prove that (+) plays are capped? I will admit I've never seen more than 42-- but I've never seen a situation where I thought more than 42 should have clearly been achieved.
4) I understand this is a thought experiment-- and in that spirit, the 99 arm plays SS (also the best overall defender), and I don't care how you manage the other 2. But the real answer is, "trade yourself out of this mess and try to score some runs."
5/11/2017 11:53 PM
Posted by MikeT23 on 5/11/2017 2:43:00 PM (view original):
Posted by pjfoster13 on 5/11/2017 2:38:00 PM (view original):
Thought experiment:
Your best player is Nick Holmes (75-84-86-87) and he gets to play 3B and he never leaves the game or plays any other position.
Your other players are, alphabetically, Petey Giolito, Pat Suzuki, George Wright. They will be assigned to 4 6 and 9; which do you assign where, and why
Second, short and right? Did you mean CF?
You're right, I did. Gronk moment maybe
5/12/2017 10:14 AM
dedelman


Lots to comment on. In order:
1) I like the arm at second base-- OFs don't make throwing errors in HBD.

I didn't realize that. But do you think a better arm would reduce those throws up the line allowing runners to score?
5/12/2017 2:48 PM
Posted by donaldjl on 5/12/2017 2:48:00 PM (view original):
dedelman


Lots to comment on. In order:
1) I like the arm at second base-- OFs don't make throwing errors in HBD.

I didn't realize that. But do you think a better arm would reduce those throws up the line allowing runners to score?
Yes. Arm Accuracy isn't meaningless in the OF, it's just of somewhat reduced importance compared to what it could/should be.
5/12/2017 4:25 PM
I'll keep that in mind.
5/12/2017 5:17 PM

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