2011 Fans Scouting Report
This blog has been exhorting you all to fill out Tango’s Fans’ Scouting Report since 2006, and we’re not going to stop now. Seriously: if you’ve watched a decent number of Mariner games either in person or on TV, please go here and rate the M’s defensively. The more people who fill it out, the more useful the data. The FSR data ends up, as data is wont to do, at Fangraphs, where it sits alongside UZR, DRS, etc. in the fielding section. If you’ve ever complained about the limitations of UZR to a friend, if you’ve ever laughed at the limitations of fielding percentage to a coworker, if you’ve ever questioned batted ball data, you MUST fill out the scouting report. Tango and Dave will know if you don’t, and they will shake their heads disapprovingly in your direction.
Tango’s metric analyzes each defender by a series of specific skills – this is both the greatest strength of the metric, and the greatest challenge for all of us who fill out the survey. (The second biggest challenge? Keeping a player’s position from subconsciously altering your rankings). But there’s no right or wrong answer, so take 10 minutes, give it some thought, and send in your ballot. Thanks!
The one thing I thought made it easiest to not have player position pollute your rankings was to not evaluate the categories in which you weren’t certain. I only offered numbers for the ones I thought I could actually accurately judge.
Hint: It’s way easier to judge outfielders than infielders.
It is really difficult to judge fielders on the crack-of-the-bat category. So far as I can see, the only way you can do it for outfielders is if you’re at the game and you either focus on one OF or you’re sitting such that you can pick him up as soon as it is hit. Infielders are a little easier that outfielders, in particular if you’re watching a TV replay.
While I understand the emphasis on judging arms without regard to position, it’s tough to compare, say, a 1Bman to a RFer.