UZR Data Released for 2003-2007 (baseball defense stats)

[New001]

Is there any way to add park factors to these?

[kyleb]

2nd base is tougher than 3rd base? Interesting.

[New001]

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2nd base is tougher than 3rd base? Interesting.

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It makes sense.

3B EQA .268
2B EQA .262

Sublime's order looks the exact same as if you ranked them by EQA. Works intuitively for me. Harder positions have worse hitters.

[kyleb]

Hmm. I guess. It just intuitively doesn't make sense to me as a 2nd baseman - I think 3rd is a lot tougher.

[craig]

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i think you have it mixed up

1B/LF/RF/3B/CF/2B/SS/C

is how i remember

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That is what I thought as well. A few sites have confirmed this. I could be wrong, but when I was teaching my wife about the defensive spectrum, she would sometimes forget and I told her to remember the corners were the 'easier' positions, so more power/'better hitter' and up-the middle was the tougher positions.

craig

[James282]

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Hmm. I guess. It just intuitively doesn't make sense to me as a 2nd baseman - I think 3rd is a lot tougher.

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you have to cover so much more ground and turn double plays.

James

[kyleb]

Reaction time is reduced at third base, you need a stronger arm, and you still need to turn a few double plays yourself.

I guess it makes sense in theory, but in practice I'd much rather play second than third.

[Sooga]

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Reaction time is reduced at third base, you need a stronger arm, and you still need to turn a few double plays yourself.

I guess it makes sense in theory, but in practice I'd much rather play second than third.

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I'm probably speaking out of my ass but to play a good 3b you need a strong arm and good reaction time, which are more physical gifts, whereas to play a good 2nd base you need to be able to position yourself correctly to cover more ground, and be able to turn the double play, which are more 'skills', which would make it a more difficult position to play well.

[Shadowrun]

Pretty stupid idea on my part but is that possible that 3b has better fielders then 2b which makes up for the difference in difficulty.

i.e. if you have a lot of bad people playing 2nd base it makes it look a lot harder then it is.

For some reason, i also have the inherent idea that 3b is harder then 2b.

[prohornblower]

Kyle, I'm surprised you feel this way. I too have played both positions and find third much easier. Fielding bunts is obviously difficult, though.