The Defense of Andy Dirks

In previous posts, I looked at the Revised Zone Rating (RZR) and Out-of-Zone Plays (OOZ) metrics listed at FanGraphs.  Links to these posts are provided below:

• Conversion of RZR, OOZ to runs (from 2012)

• Shortstops

• Second basemen 

• Third basemen 

• First basemen

• Center fielders

• Right fielders

Next up are the left fielders.  Table 1 below contains the following information for 16 MLB left fielders with 800 or more innings in 2013:

• 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

The top defensive left fielders in the majors in 2013 according to these measures were Alex Gordon of the Royals (+19 RSAA) and Alfonso Soriano of the Cubs and Yankees (+10).  Gordon was by far the best in baseball at making plays outside the left field zone (+21 OOZAA).  The worst left fielder by the RSAA metric was Domonic Brown of the Phillies (-23). 

Tigers left fielder Andy Dirks was sixth in MLB with +6 RSAA in just over 800 innings. He was +5 plays above average inside the left field zone and +2 outside the zone.  Dirks also was rated above average on  on Baseball Prospectus' FRAA (8) and DRS (+6) and average on Total Zone.  So, the consensus is that he was a pretty good defender in 2013.

Dirks will platoon with recently acquired outfielder Rajai Davis in 2014.  Despite his great speed, Davis has been just +2 on RSAA over the last two seasons.  On the Fan Scouting Report, collected by Tom Tango, Davis received excellent scores from Blue Jays fans for his range, but rated poorly on instincts, hands and throwing arm.  It sounds as if he'll be entertaining in good and bad ways. 

Tigers General Manager Dave Dombrowski revealed this week that Dirks played most of last season with an injured knee which may have affected his offense (His OPS dropped from .857 in 2012 to 686 in 2013).  If that's the case, his fielding might get even better next year if healthy.  Of course, his offense will also need to improve if he is going to keep his job.

Table 1: Runs Saved by MLB Left Fielders According to RZR, OOZ, 2013

Player	Team	Inn	RZR	OOZ	PIZ AA	OOZ AA	PMAA	RSAA
Alex Gordon	KCR	1,364	.918	110	3	21	23	19
Alfonso Soriano	- -	1,163	.929	84	4	8	12	10
Yoenis Cespedes	OAK	801	.920	61	2	8	10	9
Carl Crawford	LAD	835	.946	60	4	5	10	8
Nate McLouth	BAL	1,138	.914	81	1	6	8	7
Andy Dirks	DET	868	.938	59	5	2	7	6
Carlos Gonzalez	COL	857	.893	63	-2	7	5	4
Starling Marte	PIT	1,038	.941	64	4	-4	0	0
Michael Brantley	CLE	1,293	.932	80	5	-5	0	0
Bryce Harper	WSN	800	.929	46	3	-6	-4	-3
David Murphy	TEX	980	.859	63	-7	-1	-8	-7
Justin Upton	ATL	839	.882	47	-3	-8	-12	-10
Raul Ibanez	SEA	824	.904	41	-0	-13	-13	-11
Matt Holliday	STL	1,150	.882	63	-4	-12	-17	-14
Dayan Viciedo	CHW	892	.897	34	-1	-24	-26	-21
Domonic Brown	PHI	1,123	.889	49	-3	-25	-27	-23

 Data Source: FanGraphs.com