Nats sign Adam Kennedy

[KnorrForYourMoney]

You either have it or you don't, and he doesn't have it.  You're citing Willingham?  He got moved to LF for a reason.

[Lintyfresh85]

You either have it or you don't, and he doesn't have it.

I don't agree with that one. I didn't start catching till High School. The improvement from my first year to second year was off the charts. I think things like effective pitch calling... that's something you have or you don't... but the physical tools like catching/throwing, blocking balls, blocking the plate, footwork... those definitely can be refined, and taught.

[ronnynat]

From everything that I have read, Desmond has not improved in the field at all through six seasons as a pro. Sure, he could get better. But I don't expect it.

The job is going to be Espinosa's when he's ready anyways, so we are going to have to either trade Desmond or put him at a different position.

[KnorrForYourMoney]

I don't agree with that one. I didn't start catching till High School. The improvement from my first year to second year was off the charts. I think things like effective pitch calling... that's something you have or you don't... but the physical tools like catching/throwing, blocking balls, blocking the plate, footwork... those definitely can be refined, and taught.

Except he's been catching for years now, and he still wasn't remotely good enough at catching last year.

From everything that I have read, Desmond has not improved in the field at all through six seasons as a pro. Sure, he could get better. But I don't expect it.

The job is going to be Espinosa's when he's ready anyways, so we are going to have to either trade Desmond or put him at a different position.

1. You obviously haven't read fangraphs, which said that Desmond's range was fine last year.  He just has to stop making boneheaded errors.  Zimmerman used to have similar problems, albeit less frequently.
2. You're ASSUMING that Espinosa, a guy who has never played at AA, is a lock for the job.  Uh, yeah, that always works...

[tomterp]

From everything that I have read, Desmond has not improved in the field at all through six seasons as a pro. Sure, he could get better. But I don't expect it.

He's a bit wild on his throws, but glove and range are fine.  Just needs a bit of work on his throwing a la Zimmerman and he'll be there.

[ronnynat]

1. You obviously haven't read fangraphs, which said that Desmond's range was fine last year.  He just has to stop making boneheaded errors.  Zimmerman used to have similar problems, albeit less frequently.

I've read FanGraphs, some other sites, and articles by people who have actually watched him play throughout his career. His range is pretty good and his arm strength is awesome, but his problem has always been making too many bad plays (not just throws) each season. WAY too many. His range has never made up for those bad plays.

I haven't given up on the guy, but I really don't understand why anyone would complain about the team possibly trying him out at a different position.

[JMW IV]

Norris is a catcher. Annoys the hell out of me that anyone would try to move him and destroy his value. Willingham learned how to catch after he started pro ball, Norris will figure it out.

and where does Willingham play now?

[JMW IV]

they really need to figure out some better fielding metrics.

because the current ones all say "range is everything" and as long as you have range and can get to balls, that's all that matters.

i'm pretty sure there is more to defense than simply range. the fielder has to actually make the play after he gets to the ball, especially in the infield.

and Desmond has a lot of trouble simply making the play.

[Lintyfresh85]

Well, I think they see it this way.

Would you rather have a fielder that got to an extra 20 balls in one season but committed 5 more errors. Or would you rather have the guy that didn't get to those 20 balls, but committed 5 less errors?

So, most will likely write those extra 5 errors off as hustle plays and rejoice in the extra 15 outs they picked up because of the guys range.

[HalfSmokes]

they really need to figure out some better fielding metrics.

because the current ones all say "range is everything" and as long as you have range and can get to balls, that's all that matters.

i'm pretty sure there is more to defense than simply range. the fielder has to actually make the play after he gets to the ball, especially in the infield.

and Desmond has a lot of trouble simply making the play.

isn't not making the pay an error? so you can just look at range factor and number of errors

How does Norris' bat profile as a left fielder? At a catcher it could elite, but what about in the outfield?

[NatsDad14]

isn't not making the pay an error? so you can just look at range factor and number of errors

How does Norris' bat profile as a left fielder? At a catcher it could elite, but what about in the outfield?

I did a study and Norris bat profiles fine at 1B. His OPS was 65th percentile among 1B. That's solid. That means he could potentially be an all-star for a few seasons at 1B.

[JMW IV]

Well, I think they see it this way.

Would you rather have a fielder that got to an extra 20 balls in one season but committed 5 more errors. Or would you rather have the guy that didn't get to those 20 balls, but committed 5 less errors?

So, most will likely write those extra 5 errors off as hustle plays and rejoice in the extra 15 outs they picked up because of the guys range.

Desmond averages 31.5 errors a season.  so you are basically saying we should be happy that he doesn't average 36.5 errors a season, because he gets to 20 more balls a season than someone else who might only average 10 errors a season.

is that correct, or am I misreading?

I know that Errors aren't a tell-all stat, but how many Major League Starting Infielders AVERAGE 30+ errors a season? is it more than I think?

and since we are building a groundball focused pitching staff, I think that whether we can afford to field a SS that makes 30 errors a season, or whether that infielder might be better suited for the OF is a question worth asking.

[PANatsFan]

Errors depend on the scorer, and so are a terrible metric.










Just messing with NatsAddict

[Lintyfresh85]

Desmond averages 31.5 errors a season.  so you are basically saying we should be happy that he doesn't average 36.5 errors a season, because he gets to 20 more balls a season than someone else who might only average 10 errors a season.

is that correct, or am I misreading?

There's a point where range is no longer going to be a stand out factor for someone... especially if they are averaging 30+ errors a year. But, if all things are equal, I'll want the guy that gets to more balls every time.

[PatsNats28]

Why has no one discussed moving Desmond to second base? Kobernus is further off than Espinosa...

Can Kennedy play shortstop? Looked up his career fielding quickly, he's played 80 games at third, but only one at short... but I don't remember him actually playing, does anyone have an opinion here?

[NatsAddict]

Errors depend on the scorer, and so are a terrible metric.


Just messing with NatsAddict

Actually, there is a lot of truth in that.  The ball that falls between the SS, 2B, and CF as they stand in a small circle should, by the rules, be an error.  However, it has for whatever reason, it has customarily been call a hit.  So, to make stats comparable, you follow the custom.  Mental miscues show up in the stats as hits.  The hitter gets the benefit of the doubt in H/E decisions. The non-assumption of DPs has saved several inept SS and 2B (*cough* Uggla *cough*) errors that a competent SS or 2B would have turned and gotten an assist.  It doesn't affect any of the conventional fielding stats such as FPCT or ZR, only showing as a lower DP count and lower number of assists.  I'd like to see blown DPs at least be a non-error stat such as WP and PB, and be considered similarly for ERA.

[EDIT:  actually, lower number of both errors and assists would affect FPCT unless the FPCT was .000]

[tomterp]

Christina Kahrl (Baseball Prospectus) on the signings of Kennedy and Mench:

Signed OF-R Kevin Mench to a minor-league contract. [2/3]
Signed INF-L Adam Kennedy to a one-year, $1.25 million contract, with a $2 million club option for 2011. [2/5]

No sooner did Orlando Hudson decide to take the Twins' offer than the Nats struck quickly as far as signing up Kennedy for considerably less, and with an option. It's just as well, in that Kennedy's perhaps a better fit for the Nationals' needs. He has experience at third base, which might make for a better utility-oriented role, but the initial noise about the deal has suggested that Ian Desmond's just had his ticket pre-punched for Triple-A, with Cristian Guzman moving back to short so that Kennedy can take over the keystone.

This is glum stuff if you're one of the Desmond fan club. While Kennedy's coming off of his best year in the last seven, it's the other six years that provide cause for frustration. Admittedly, Desmond's defense at short has gotten mixed reviews, but so have Guzman's, and evaluations of Kennedy's defense haven't been all that consistently positive across various metrics. If Kennedy's projecting towards an EqA in the .240s, that's not exactly an endorsement of his usefulness, nor is it appreciably better than what the club might expect from Desmond. However, the sunny-side view of the matter is that if between Desmond, Guzman, and Kennedy, they have three start-worthy options up the middle, that's not exactly bad news. That should keep them from playing Alberto Gonzalez regularly for any reason, and it isn't like Kennedy's been signed to a financially significant deal. If Kennedy repeats last year's success, he'll have value at the end of July (the cheap option doesn't hurt), as will Guzman, so Desmond's wait might only be a matter of months.

As for interesting comebacks, seeing Kevin Mench return to play stateside might be cause for excitement for people still having trouble letting go of the Menchkins platoon that briefly part of Brewers history. As is, that platoon was a great way of making up for the Brewers' initial overestimation of Mench in an instance of yet another Rangers outfielder living down to lowered expectations. Traveling to Japan last year, he didn't play for long, hitting .148/.179/.204 in 56 PAs for the Hanshin Tigers.

[PANatsFan]

http://washington.nationals.mlb.com/news/article.jsp?ymd=20100206&content_id=8034702&vkey=news_was&fext=.jsp&c_id=was

Desmond quite likely to play in the OF - however, he was a high school outfielder.