Michael Taylor superstar

[Baseball is Life]

I don't like to judge a guy on one game or one play. But after watching Taylor play CF off and on for the last two years, whatever scout referred to him as "the best Center Fielder on the Planet" should never be trusted to evaluate players.

The guy takes the worst routes I've ever seen. Really obvious when you see him live.

[Minty Fresh]

I don't like to judge a guy on one game or one play. But after watching Taylor play CF off and on for the last two years, whatever scout referred to him as "the best Center Fielder on the Planet" should never be trusted to evaluate players.

This.

[Lintyfresh85]

Anyone who thinks Michael Taylor takes bad routes never saw Roger Bernadina play.

However hyperbole is to be expected after a bad game.

[DPMOmaha]

Taylor played really well defensively when I saw him in Kansas City. I'm generally comfortable with him in CF.

[nattily attired]

Anyone who thinks Michael Taylor takes bad routes never saw Roger Bernadina play.

However hyperbole is to be expected after a bad game.

Has talent but doesn't seem to have much at all between the ears. Blunders, worthless ABs, baserunning gaffes. Need somebody else. 

[BrandonK]

Taylor is a best CF, defense-wise, that the Nats have had. Guy makes one error and you guys say he's the WOAT. Crazy.

[nattily attired]

Taylor is a best CF, defense-wise, that the Nats have had. Guy makes one error and you guys say he's the WOAT. Crazy.

Better than Span? Lol

[BrandonK]

Better than Span? Lol

Yes. Maybe Span was better during his Twins days, but in DC. MAT has the edge.

[shoeshineboy]

Better than Span? Lol

Well, Span read the ball well off the bat. Span ran to the spot where the ball was going to end up, instead of drifting to it. Span timed his jumps well. Span took great routes to the ball. Span caught the ball knowing what he was going to do with it next. Span threw to the right spot. Span didn't butcher routine plays. But other than that, maybe Taylor is better.

[aspenbubba]

weak argument SSB.

[spidernat]

Well, Span read the ball well off the bat. Span ran to the spot where the ball was going to end up, instead of drifting to it. Span timed his jumps well. Span took great routes to the ball. Span caught the ball knowing what he was going to do with it next. Span threw to the right spot. Span didn't butcher routine plays. But other than that, maybe Taylor is better.

Span was the best CF the Nats have had, and by far. But that doesn't fit the argument the "advanced metric" idiots promote.

[BrandonK]

Seriously. You're basing half your argument off of one error last night (an egregious one, no doubt, but doesn't define his whole body of work).  MAT has range that Span did as a younger player. The last two years here (and this year with SF), he's was/is a shell of himself in the field, range wise. I've never thought Span had a plus plus arm, but MAT sure as hell does. The issue you have seems to be instinctual. I don't see him taking a ton of terrible routes. I think he knows he has the speed/arm to make plays that most can't, and that aggressiveness can be a downfall, I guess.

I don't feel like getting into this debate, because I do think Span is a fine CF. I also think MAT is. His bat is a completely different story.

[Smithian]

Anyone who thinks Michael Taylor takes bad routes never saw Roger Bernadina play.

However hyperbole is to be expected after a bad game.

Agreed. Michael Taylor is pretty darn solid defensively. And he is only 25. He'll continue to get better.

Last night was disastrous for him. It was bad but doesn't end his career.

[monkeyhit]

Should give Goodwin a try and option Taylor for a while.

[Elvir Ovcina]

Span was the best CF the Nats have had, and by far. But that doesn't fit the argument the "advanced metric" idiots promote.

This is what my eyes tell me as well.  But the point of the "advanced metric idiots" is the same regarding Taylor's fielding as it is regarding Espinosa's hitting: that he has some glaring, irritating, ugly, flaws, but that his other characteristics make up for them.  Taylor is, despite his routes, decently effective out there.  He catches most everything he should catch, although he frequently makes it look tougher than it needs to be (compare to Span).  He throws quite well, and that's not generally trying to throw guys out at second on balls that should have been singles but no more (compare to Harper when played in CF). 

But this certainly isn't Nook Logan, who was unable to run fast enough to cover his stupidity.

[mitlen]

Span was the best CF the Nats have had, and by far. But that doesn't fit the argument the "advanced metric" idiots promote.

Where does "on the DL" fit into metrics?

[Optics]

Taylor has what I call awful baseball IQ. The talent is there but he's just not very bright. He might yet turn it around but baseball history is filled with guys who had lots of talent but never put it together because they just didn't have it all up where it counts. I think if we can use him in a package for a veteran bat or RP we have to take it. I'm not sure I want him hitting in critical ABs late in a pennant race. That isn't even factoring in his fielding which isn't as good as it should be(he's no Denard Span that's for sure).

[BigMeech]

He's terrible.

[BrandonK]

Danny's June: .292/.378/.662 "Wow, he's great!!"

MAT's June: .340/.365/.560

He's terrible.

he's just not very bright.

At the plate and in the field. freaking sucks.

See ya kid.

That was one of the worst indavidual games I have ever seen.

Bye.

[BigMeech]

Danny's June: .292/.378/.662 "Wow, he's great!!"

MAT's June: .340/.365/.560

MAT's Career: .229/.271/.358

He sucks.

[BrandonK]

MAT's Career: .229/.271/.358

He sucks.

Danny's career: .230/.303/.394

He sucks.

[BigMeech]

Agreed.

[JCA-CrystalCity]

Good thing he gets a day off to clear his head.  I see that a lot of posters are writing him off after one bad game, but has anyone bothered to look at his slash line this month:

.340 / .365 / .560 in 52 PAs with 2HRs and 4SBs.

I'd bet that's among the best among OF'rs in baseball (for comparison - Trout in June: .239 / .349 / .408, 2HR, 4SB in 83 PAs).   So we're going to cut him after one bad game?  This reminds me of those who wanted to cut Robinson last year after he got picked off at first to end a game against the Cubs in June.

a home run every 26 PAs is not anything to get wild about.  So this looks like it is driven by BABIP (.484). 3d among OFs in June with > 20 PAs.  Good that someone on this team is getting some good luck, but he's still K'ng 1/3 of the time.  If Rizzo can fool someone in another front office into thinking that BABIP is sustainable, SELL!

[JCA-CrystalCity]

Danny's June: .292/.378/.662 "Wow, he's great!!"

MAT's June: .340/.365/.560

Whose AVG / OBP looks sustainable, the guy with the BABIP of .286 and the 22% K% in June, or the guy with the .484 BABIP and 33% K%?  The only thing about Espinosa's June that is unsustainable is his HR rate (1 in ~10 1/2 PAs).

[whytev]

Danny's June: .292/.378/.662 "Wow, he's great!!"

MAT's June: .340/.365/.560

If you add together the best and worst game Taylor has had this road trip, his line is:

4/9, 2HR, Double, Stolen Base, 5Ks, .444/.444/1.222

It's dumb to make a huge deal out of one game and not the other.