Baserunning and Defense

[Smithian]

I've thought we've been bad all year on the bases. Pulled up Fangraphs and it turns out the Nationals are #30 in the league in baserunning WAR by a massive margin. https://tinyurl.com/53ebn2pj

And they're barely ahead of the Giants for #29 in the league in defensive WAR. And it is a massive gap between #29 and #28.

That is horrible. I almost bumped the fire Martinez thread but I wanted to keep this to itself. Juan Soto and Josh Bell contributed a lot of that, but it is still pretty bad everywhere.

Has there ever been a team to finish last in both? This team could win a few more games next year by just giving half a care for defense and baserunning.

[Slateman]

I know we all joked about Henley and previous iterations of the third base coach, but this year seems really bad.

[JCA-CrystalCity]

I know we all joked about Henley and previous iterations of the third base coach, but this year seems really bad.

FWIW, the mouthpieces always used to praise Zimmerman as a baserunner.  He's gone.  I think some of the guys with less speed like Schwarber and Gomes (and before that Kendrick) at least knew they had less speed and didn't do stupid things. It might be a function of less veteraniness on the roster.  As for the team's overall ratings on FG, don't forget we had a super=skilled baserunner in Trea prior to this year, so that probably helped our overall rating in the past. TBH, now more than a few guys are pick ups from other systems with ingrained habits (Cesar, Franco, Thomas, Alcides and Gordon when they were with the team) so it is hard to pin the boneheadedness and the not picking up the 3rd base coach on the Davey and Disarscina. That said, we own Robles, Garcia, and used to own Soto's mistakes.

[Smithian]

FWIW, the mouthpieces always used to praise Zimmerman as a baserunner.  He's gone.  I think some of the guys with less speed like Schwarber and Gomes (and before that Kendrick) at least knew they had less speed and didn't do stupid things. It might be a function of less veteraniness on the roster.  As for the team's overall ratings on FG, don't forget we had a super=skilled baserunner in Trea prior to this year, so that probably helped our overall rating in the past. TBH, now more than a few guys are pick ups from other systems with ingrained habits (Cesar, Franco, Thomas, Alcides and Gordon when they were with the team) so it is hard to pin the boneheadedness and the not picking up the 3rd base coach on the Davey and Disarscina. That said, we own Robles, Garcia, and used to own Soto's mistakes.

But if you pull the 2018 and 2019 Nationals stats, the baserunning and defense numbers pretty good. I don't think Martinez woke up in 2020 and said forget baserunning and defense.

I'm not certain what happened. Not to sound like some SABRmetrics dork, but instead of asking how we replace Barry Bonds in the middle of the lineup, we could ask the much easier question of how to get this team back to major league average on the basepaths and defensively.

[Mattionals]

But if you pull the 2018 and 2019 Nationals stats, the baserunning and defense numbers pretty good. I don't think Martinez woke up in 2020 and said forget baserunning and defense.

I'm not certain what happened. Not to sound like some SABRmetrics dork, but instead of asking how we replace Barry Bonds in the middle of the lineup, we could ask the much easier question of how to get this team back to major league average on the basepaths and defensively.

Stop trotting out trash? But seriously, it's like our coaching isn't adapting to the, uhhh, "abilities" of our current squad. I think now that we have a SS prospect best fitted as a SS, we can finally move Garcia over to 2B and train him defensively there. I don't know if Robles wants to learn, so I'm kinda giving up on the guy from a perspective of "putting it all together".

[JCA-CrystalCity]

bumping this.

I noted in the CJ Abrams thread just how much the defense has improved since his call up on 8/15.  I use BABIP against / BABIP allowed by pitchers as a way to measure team defense.  I like it because it feels like a simple measure, it accounts for range, and it takes away the hit/ error judgment. Prior to Abrams call up, the team had the 4th worst BABIP against in MLB - .305. Since his callup, the team has the 4th best - .253.  Small sample, of course, but a huge improvement.

Abrams taking over short is one of the improvements, but you also have Thomas (and occasionally Palacios) more or less full-time in a corner rather than Thomas displacing Robles in CF for his starts.  You also have Yadi going down. I love the guy, but he's a DH.  Vargas is an upgrade over Franco, too, so that's at least 3+ upgraded positions.  Meneses/Voit is a wash with Soto/Bell in terms of D.  Just Garcia for Cesar is the only potential downgrade.

[Natsinpwc]

Add one decent starting pitcher and a good bat somewhere next year and could be near a .500 team.

[Smithian]

I fully believe if the Nationals emphasized defense and baserunning this offseason and drug this squad even to major league average, it would really help in next season being a year where we're look at 70 wins versus hoping for 60.

I have a longer thread somewhere else, but barring another Nelson Cruz every day DH, the roster on paper is set up be much better on Opening Day 2023 than 2022 when it comes to these two areas. No one on this roster is about to match a full season of Bell or Soto at the plate, but they can certainly cut down collectively on stupid mistakes.

[Natsinpwc]

I fully believe if the Nationals emphasized defense and baserunning this offseason and drug this squad even to major league average, it would really help in next season being a year where we're look at 70 wins versus hoping for 60.

I have a longer thread somewhere else, but barring another Nelson Cruz every day DH, the roster on paper is set up be much better on Opening Day 2023 than 2022 when it comes to these two areas. No one on this roster is about to match a full season of Bell or Soto at the plate, but they can certainly cut down collectively on stupid mistakes.

One good veteran starter who could eat innings and have an ERA under 5.00 would help greatly. 

[JCA-CrystalCity]

Gotta feel for the pitching staff.   They aren't great shakes, but to have put up with that bad defense all year. It's not even the glaring errors as much as the range.  Forced them to pitch away from contact. When you have guys with nibbling tendencies, it is just negative reinforcement.