Austin Jackson Among Top Center Fielders Defensively in 2012

In previous posts, I took the Revised Zone Rating (RZR) and Out-of-Zone Plays (OOZ) metrics listed at FanGraphs and converted them to runs based on an algorithm developed by Colin Wyers a few years ago.  Links to these posts are provided below:

• Overview of RZR, OOZ

• Conversion of RZR, OOZ to runs

• Shortstops 

• Second basemen

• Third basemen

Now, I'm going to to do the run conversion for center fielders.  Table 1 below contains the following information for 22 MLB center fielders with 800 or more innings in 2012:

• Inn = Innings

• RZR = Revised Zone Rating

• OOZ = Out-of-Zone Plays

• PIZAA =  Plays in Zone Above Average

• OOZAA = Out-of-Zone Plays Above Average

• PMAA = Total Plays Above Average

• RSAA = Runs Saved Above Average

Minnesota Twins center fielder Denard Span led the majors with +24 Runs Saved Above Average.  Next was Braves outfielder Michael Bourn at +18.  Both Span (+22 plays) and Bourn (+24) were especially good outside the zone. The worst center fielder by this metric was B.J. Upton of the Rays (-29 RSAA)

Tigers center fielder Austin Jackson tied for third with Angel Pagan of the Giants with +17 RSAA.  Jackson was only +4 plays over average in the center field zone, but was +17 outside the zone.  He also rated well well on Defensive Runs Saved (+5) and Baseball Prospectus' Fielding Runs Above Average (+9).

Table 1: Runs Saved by MLB Center Fielders According to RZR, OOZ, 2012

Player	Team	Inn	RZR	OOZ	PIZ AA	OOZ AA	PMAA	RSAA
Denard Span	MIN	1,073	.950	93	7	22	29	24
Michael Bourn	ATL	1,340	.913	113	-3	24	21	18
Austin Jackson	DET	1,184	.939	95	4	17	21	17
Angel Pagan	SFG	1,279	.939	100	4	15	20	17
Alejandro De Aza	CHW	1,078	.927	84	1	13	14	11
Andres Torres	NYM	904	.924	68	-0	8	8	7
Mike Trout	LAA	885	.954	59	6	1	7	6
Carlos Gomez	MIL	911	.893	72	-6	12	5	5
Cameron Maybin	SDP	1,210	.928	84	1	4	5	4
Jon Jay	STL	993	.892	77	-8	11	4	3
Shane Victorino	PHI/LAD	939	.914	66	-2	4	2	2
Curtis Granderson	NYY	1,364	.926	84	1	-6	-6	-5
Drew Stubbs	CIN	1,107	.955	58	7	-15	-8	-7
Colby Rasmus	TOR	1,237	.920	74	-1	-8	-9	-7
Andrew McCutchen	PIT	1,364	.933	78	3	-12	-9	-8
Michael Brantley	CLE	1,237	.948	64	7	-18	-11	-9
Michael Saunders	SEA	974	.886	59	-9	-5	-14	-12
Dexter Fowler	COL	1,026	.878	62	-10	-6	-16	-13
Adam Jones	BAL	1,458	.908	83	-6	-13	-19	-16
Coco Crisp	OAK	840	.908	39	-4	-16	-20	-17
Matt Kemp	LAD	911	.906	35	-3	-25	-29	-24
B.J. Upton	TBR	1,254	.927	48	1	-35	-34	-29

Data source: FanGraphs.com