FanPost

Addendum: The Slight Defensive Downgrade At First Base

Alex Hall wrote a great article two days ago regarding our offensive upgrade at first base, and it sparked my curiosity on the defensive capabilities of the players we acquired for 2015.

Below are two tables, quickly put together, for you to see--at face value--how Davis and Butler faired in comparison to Moss, Vogt, Freiman, El Barto, Callaspo, and Blanks. Spoiler alert: It ain't pretty.

Before:

Name

IP DRS / UZR
Brandon Moss 487 -4 / -4.7
Stephen Vogt 346 -1 / 1.3
Nate Freiman 217 1 / 0.6
Daric Barton 162 4 / 0.7
Alberto Callaspo 142 1 / 0.2

Kyle Blanks

128 0 / 0.5

After:

Name IP DRS / UZR
Ike Davis 861 -5 / -3.1
Billy Butler 310 -3 / -0.1


Unfortunately, we went from below average (Moss) and near average (Vogt) to two players closer to below average (Davis & Butler). Obviously, it is not a massive downgrade and nobody was expecting Country Breakfast to be a Justin Morneau at first, but it is upsetting that the sticker price for Butler did not get us an offensive and defensive upgrade at first.

Either way, that is my cent and hopefully it provided a glance of a more complete picture of our first basemen of 2015. But hell, what do I know? Not much. #InBillyWeTrust

Respectfully,

@OcoCisco