Analysis of defense

A recent chat world discussion of what an average defensive center fielder looks like piqued the interest of Richmond GM mattwithanh, so he went and found out. He sent me the information, and I thought it was so neat that I decided to do the same for each of the other seven positions.

So in this article, you'll see the average defensive ratings at each position based on the players who play that position regularly (there's no set innings total to determine that, because some time passed between Matt researching CFs and me finishing my research with RFs). You'll also see whose combined fielding ratings (range and glove) are the best and worst compared to league average and whose combined arm ratings (strength and accuracy) are the best and worst compared to league average.

This is obviously only a snapshot look at each position. Some players have gotten injured or replaced since Matt and I did this research, and there have probably been some ratings changes as well.

Catcher

HBD recommendations: 10 range, 30 glove, 75 arm strength, 75 arm accuracy, 50 pitch calling
Gleeman World average: 11 range, 28 glove, 70 arm strength, 69 arm accuracy, 65 pitch calling
(Teams not included: Sioux Falls, Vancouver)

Best fielders:
Will Carter, BOI +20
Dave Starr, OKC +15
Bernie Guerrero, MIN +10
Joey Robinson, LA +9
Richard Maxwell, LAA +6
Howard Riley, CHI +6
George Ramsay, MNT +6
J.D. Pettyjohn, STL +6

Worst fielders:
Ernest Crawford, FLA -10
Neil Byrne, MIL -9
Nigel Juden, CSP -8
Derek Reynolds, NAS -8
Miguel Alou, BUF -7

Best arms:
Dave Starr, OKC +19
Kelvim Lyons, NYY +14
Josh Wagner, SA +13
Richard Maxwell, LAA +12
Howard Riley, CHI +12
Sammy Franco, PHI +12

Worst arms:
Matthew Prior, MON -24
Giomar Mercado, IA -18
Neil Byrne, MIL -16
Miguel Alou, BUF -15
Tomas Alvarado, PIT -15

Best pitch callers:
Will Carter, BOI +25
Dave Starr, OKC +25
Howard Riley, CHI +25
Giomar Mercado, IA +8
George Ramsay, MNT +8
Ernest Crawford, FLA +8

Worst pitch callers:
Olmedo Park, TB -18
Matthew Prior, MON -17
Josh Wagner, SA -15
Derek Reynolds, NAS -13
Lawrence Bryne, LV -10

First base

HBD recommendations: 40 range, 40 glove, 40 arm strength, 40 arm accuracy
Gleeman World average: 41 range, 41 glove, 45 arm strength, 45 arm accuracy
(Teams not included: Albuquerque, Las Vegas, Monterrey, Oklahoma City)

Best fielders:
Darrel Stern, NAS +49
Mark Allensworth, SYR +40
Felipe Nunez, MON +20
Hector Perez, CHI +17
Luis Cervantes, RIC +15

Worst fielders:
Ted Simpson, MIL -49
Raymond Speaker, TAC -38
Paul Kirby, NYY -25
Dave Coles, CHY -18
Rico Rojas, CSP -16

Best arms:
Raymond Speaker, TAC +49
Mark Allensworth, SYR +46
Ted Simpson, MIL +39
Felipe Nunez, MON +36
Hector Perez, CHI +13

Worst arms:
Gregory Clark, STL -25
Paul Kirby, NYY -24
Jesus Reynoso, LAA -23
Yamil Trinidad, PIT -23
Rico Rojas, CSP -21

Second base

HBD recommendations: 80 range, 75 glove, 55 arm strength, 65 arm accuracy
Gleeman World average: 77 range, 71 glove, 61 arm strength, 65 arm accuracy
(Teams not included: St. Louis, Tacoma, Vancouver)

Best fielders:
Daniel Jefferson, NYY +30
Jose Guerrero, BOS +16
Gus Howard, MIL +10
Mikey Bennett, MIN +10
Clarence Hampton, SA +10

Worst fielders:
Marlon Martin, BUF -19
Micah Moehler, FLA -9
R.J. Granados, NAS -9
Woody Cortes, MNT -8
Al Johnson, MON -7
David Taylor, SXF -7
Darrin Murphy, SYR -7
Magglio Martin, TB -7

Best arms:
Jose Guerrero, BOS +57
Daniel Jefferson, NYY +50
Mikey Bennett, MIN +38
Javier Vizquel, CHI +38
Gus Howard, MIL +35

Worst arms:
Woody Cortes, MNT -23
Maron Martin, BUF -21
Darrin Murphy, SYR -19
Brandon Stewart, MAD -18
Geoff Forest, OK -17
Maggio Martin, TB -14 (He doesn't quite make the bottom five, but he deserves recognition because he's a lefty playing second base)

Third base

HBD recommendations: 65 range, 70 glove, 75 arm strength, 70 arm accuracy
Gleeman World average: 69 range, 72 glove, 73 arm strength, 71 arm accuracy
(Teams not included: IA, PHI)

Best fielders:
Omar Trevino, ALB +28
Juan Lima, SA +27
Al Clinton, RIC +18
Sparky Weaver, MIL +17
Bobby Hurst, PIT +13

Worst fielders:
Chili Hutton, MAD -21
Tuck Price, TAC -20
Junior Gray, FLA -17
Mario Daniels, MON -17
Larry Womack, MNT -15

Best arms:
Raul Rivera, LA +26
Omar Trevino, ALB +21
Louie Dispenza, STL +20
Sparky Weaver, MIL +19
Al Clinton, RIC +11

Worst arms:
Vance Phillips, NYM -30
Juan Lima, SA -23
Chili Hutton, MAD -19
Luis Cairo, BOI -11
Mario Daniels, MON -10
Matty Johnson, OK -10
Tuck Price, TAC -10

Shortstops

HBD recommendations: 80 range, 85 glove, 85 arm strength, 85 arm accuracy
Gleeman World average: 85 range, 83 glove, 88 arm strength, 84 arm accuracy
(Teams not included: Nashville, Tacoma, Washington)

Best fielders:
Dusty Zoltan, NYY +19
Andy Weaver, TB +19
Benito Ramirez, NYM +13
Oscar Sugawara, SYR +13
Parker Faulk, IA +10

Worst fielders:
Vinny Fitzgerald, MAD -19
Luis Uribe, BUF -9
Gene Tessmer, CHI -9
Cesar Piedra, MON -6
Preston Webb, SXF -6
Vladimir Pichardo, STL -6

Best arms:
Hoss Bennett, CHY +19
Phil Chang, BOS +18
Bo Brown, FLA +16
Oscar Sugawara, SYR +15
Benny Byrne, LAA +13
Dusty Zoltan, NYY +13

Worst arms:
Glen Harvey, LA -19
Dale Stewart, LA -17
Luis Uribe, BUF -15
Cesar Piedra, MON -15
Luis Lopez, MIL -11

Left field

HBD recommendations: 55 range, 55 glove, 50 arm strength, 50 arm accuracy
Gleeman World average: 60 range, 55 glove, 54 arm strength, 55 arm accuracy
(Teams not included: Boston, Cheyenne, Montreal, Oklahoma City, Washington)

Best fielders:
Fritz Rushford, LAA +51
Butch Cintron, ALB +47
Joseph Wang, VAN +37
Benji Fernandez, BUF +26
Bud Jones, MAD +21

Worst fielders:
Chris Hall, CSP -36
Bernard Rhodes, NYY -31
Jon Stowers, BOI -20
Dave Rupe, LA -15
P.J. Wilson, PHI -15

Best arms:
Hector Hernandez, SYR +34
Ramon Martin, NYM +29
Pedro Pulido, STL +27
Bud Jones, MAD +22
Clayton Mack, MNT +20

Worst arms:
Chris Hall, CSP -28
Bernard Rhodes, NYY -24
Jordan Hutch, NAS -18
Kareem Duckworth, SA -16
Mark Sakamoto, CHI -13
Chad Moss, FLA -13

Center field

HBD recommendations: 85 range, 85 glove, 60 arm strength, 65 arm accuracy
Gleeman World average: 84 range, 82 glove, 62 arm strength, 66 arm accuracy
(Teams not included: Oklahoma City, Tacoma)

Best fielders:
Ivan Glynn, ALB +29
Bryan Beckett, BOS +25
Pete Skinner, MIL +8
Ricardo Rincon, IA +7
Galahad Casey, RIC +7

Worst fielders:
Jim Brown, BUF -14
Daryl Morgan, LA -13
Sid Fleming, MON -10
Dan Ojala, CHY -10
Yogi Ingram, VAN -10

Best arms:
Adam Stanley, PHI +37
Sid Fleming, MON +35
Tony Cortes, BOI +34
Dan Ojala, CHY +30
Taylor Smith, NYM +26

Worst arms:
Eduardo Castillo, LV -29
Del Garcia, MIN -25
Jim Brown, BUF -20
Galahad Casey, RIC -20
Nelson Kieschnick, SA -19

Right fielders

HBD recommendations: 65 range, 50 glove, 70 arm strength, 65 arm accuracy
Gleeman World average: 66 range, 58 glove, 68 arm strength, 63 arm accuracy
(Teams not included: Iowa City, Nashville, New York Yankees, Oklahoma City)

Best fielders:
William Martin, ALB +52
Eli Beltre, CHY +36
Vic Gardel, BOS +26
Bronson Ritz, STL +18
Bono Hughes, TB +15

Worst fielders:
Scott Watkins, LV -22
Bob Dickey, RIC -20
Carlos Carreras, SXF -20
Brent O'Donnell, SA -19
Alexander Stowers, LAA -16

Best arms:
Eli Beltre, CHY +30
Bronson Ritz, STL +17
Bono Hughes, TB +16
Brent O'Donnell, SA +14
Brooks Zaun, TAC +14

Worst arms:
Archie Rizzuto, PIT -39
Nash McCartin, CHI -23
Carlos Carreras, SXF -19
William Martin, ALB -16
Vic Gardel, BOS -12