Don’t know if SS is more important than 2B. Is there a way to factor that? Looks like both positions handle a similar number of chances and SS would seem to be easier on the double-play than 2B, as the SS is facing 1B and doesn’t have to pivot. SS needs a stronger arm due to length of throw but usually has a 3B that is a better fielder than the average 1B and also isn’t holding runners on. I would think arm strength the major difference.

Just as a test of your theory, which does seem to have some validity as five at bats compares well to five fielding chances as far as sample size, would you say that Milwaukee got the better deal by getting Yuni in exchange for Escobar? In 2010, Yuni was clearly the superior hitter while being painfully bad at SS.

“Career wise, by the way, Mike Aviles has a higher OBP than Getz, as well as slugging, average and OPS+, but since he went 1-6 last night I imagine that is all ‘old’ data now.”

Aviles has been pretty stinky so far this year, especially against RHP, and the last week has been painful. I wonder if we are seeing ’30 year old ballplayer syndrome’ as he decays before our eyes. I agree that Getz has hit his way out of the line up, as, I think Escobar and Getz have. Best solution is packaging Soria and Francis and maybe Aviles in exchange for a good young 2B, Robinson Cano comes to mind. Next best might be to send both Escobar and Getz to Omaha to learn to hit and bring Falu and Giavotella up. They couldn’t be any worse.

Not trying to be mean, just trying to learn. I’m new to the stats, being an old ‘eyeball’ evaluator.

At any rate, as stated in the column, Escobar IS going to play short everyday and the catchers are likely not going to consistently hit this year, so can a hopefully contending Royals team afford to also opt to go defense first at a third position as well?

Career wise, by the way, Mike Aviles has a higher OBP than Getz, as well as slugging, average and OPS+, but since he went 1-6 last night I imagine that is all ‘old’ data now.

Okay, so this is just limited to C, CF, and SS, the three most important defensive positions. Should be possible to relatively quantify the value difference between 2B and SS, so we can statistically demonstrate that SS is more important and by high much, then we’ll be able to find which infield is more productive, a Kila-Aviles-Escobar-Betamit or a Hosmer-Aviles-Getz-Betamit or a Hosmer-Aviles-Escobar-Betamit.

“so the difference in hitting ability is even greater.”

If hitting ability is based solely on slugging percentage, Aviles’ clearly superior skill. You may well be right, just trying to find the limits. Your idea seems to suggest that some of the Royals’ former catchers would be worth more than Matt Treanor, for instance. Guess we would need a value assigned to position to show that Escobar is more productive than Aviles at short.

By the way, I know how much Kila paid me to be on his payroll – how much is Getz paying you?

Agree, but the thesis was that the difference between the top and the bottom defenders was worth less than the difference in slugging percentage between Getz and Aviles. Escobar is in his second year of poor plate performance, so, if offense is that much more important, then Betamit at 3rd, Getz at SS, and Aviles at 2nd seems the best line up with Escobar as a late inning defender.

Because Escobar is actually a plus defender and could be elite whereas Getz is actually a slightly above average defender (like Aviles).