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Sure looks like his defense is far below average. The following is from a Nats site earlier this season and talks to his poor play, both as measured by stats and by the eye test.
The news is not good. Juan Soto as measured by defensive WAR (-6.5) tied for last for all fielders, and in StatCast’s Outs Above Average, which is a factual measurement of a fielder’s ability, ranks Juan Soto dead last in baseball of the 108 qualified outfielders at -4.0 runs.
To make matters worse, much of the poor rankings is based on effort if you open your eyes and see what is unfolding. Forget Soto’s miss-timed jump at the wall or losing a ball in the twilight last night that weren’t routine plays, in the 6th inning last night Soto jogged to Trea Turner‘s 86.9 mph single with runners on second and third base allowing Freddie Freeman to jog home. The video evidence is here. If he just charged it hard — maybe Dodgers’ third base coach, Dino Ebel, holds Freeman at third base.
According to the defensive stats, Soto was much better in 2021 than in 2019 and 2020, but his defense has regressed hard this season. If he isn’t hustling now, what is the risk when he has a 15-year contract to fall back on? Make him the very, very expensive DH?
https://www.talknats.com/2022/05/24/time-move-juan-soto-back-lf/
Our stellar defense / weak offense outfield has gotten us where? Need to score runs to win. He was the runner up for NL MVP last year. He’s 23.
I could see an outfield of Carlson, Walker, and Burleson some day. With Yepez and Gomez as the #4 and #5.
It’s a big step down defensively, though.
I have seen Walker a few times. Didn’t come across as very athletic defensively. On the bright side Lonnie Smith played left on the 1982 Team. Skates was no allstar defender. And we saw what that Team did.
Do you really want some kid who turns down $440 million from the organization that nurtured him? Who only has 43 RBI this season through 93 games?
To me it’s not worth it. I’d rather pay for better pitching. If we take him on, we stay with same pitching as we have now, not going to get it done.
Nobody can control injuries. Everybody seems to be complaining about our pitching. But who knew that both Flaherty and Matz would just about be non-factors through nearly the first 100 games?
Something tells me if both Flaherty and Matz were doing halfway decent that the posters on here would be clamoring for a Sosa trade, citing our lack of offense.
The big question is simply this……CAN WE COUNT ON FLAHERTY AND MATZ TO BE PRETTY GOOD FOR US FROM THIS POINT FORWARD?
If so, we should go for Sosa. If not, we should go for pitching. The problem is that nobody knows the answer to the big question.
r/Esteemed Rat
The money is there to do both. Just getting Dewitt to come up off some of it. Soto has had OBP’s of .490 and .465 the last two years. Leading the league. Ages 21-22. He led the league in walks last year. He has won 2 Silver Slugger awards already. In 2021 he led the league in walks (145), intentional walks (23) and on-base percentage (.465) .29-HR, 95-RBI. Oh yeah he also hit .313 with 29 homers and 95 RBI batting in the two hole. In 312 at-bats over 91 games this year, he 20 home runs, 43 RBI and a league-leading 79 walks. And he is 23 years old. Throw that in front of Goldy and Arenado.
Downplay his stats all you want, then try to find 5 guys in the last 20 years that match what he has done by age 23.
He’s a good offensive player and a weaker defensive player. The problem with a huge contract is that it can handcuff you in the future. I’d rather have a bunch of good all around players than several super stars and and the rest fillers. Just good solid production up and down the lineup. And above average defense. Take a look at the recent Giant teams that were so successful.
Agree if you had good solid production up and down the lineup, which we don’t. Looking at the last several winners. It worked both ways. The Braves, Dodgers, and Nationals had 2-3-4 superstars Oh well. Is just discussion. Soto isn’t gonna happen anyway.
kscardfan? I assume you are in favor of trading for Soto?
I am too, but I am hopeful we don’t have to give up the farm to land him. I don’t mind trading one or two of our prospects but no more than that. We need to hang on to Burleson or Walker. Losing O’Neill would not bother me either as we can cover for him from this point forward.
r/Esteemed Rat
I am. But depends on the cost. I wouldn’t give up Walker and Wynn both. Maybe Walker, Bader, Edman, and perhaps Pallante. I see Donovan equal to Edman. I like Tommy but see him as a super sub.
Stl rank within mlb, by baseball reference war, thru 7-23-2022:
All P, 19th, 6.6 war
SP, 15th, 5.6
RP, 25th, 1.0Non-P, 2nd, 20.3 war
C, 26th, -0.3
1B, 1st, 4.4
2B, 3rd, 3.4
3B, 1st, 5.0
SS, 11th, 2.5
LF, 18th, 0.6
CF, 14th, 1.6
RF, 10th, 1.2
OF, 16th, 3.4
DH, 10th, 1.4
PH, 10th, 0.5All P 19th
Non-P 2ndOwnership isn’t exactly throwing around cash like it were Halloween candy, so it’s imperative to fund the major need.
Take away three guys that are at the Top of the league right now and we drop dramatically. Edman is slowing down. Goldy probably can’t keep it up at this level. So yes our Pitching needs help. But guys like Soto don’t come around often.
Business is getting the highest return on investment that you can. Spending a half billion dollars on one player to the detriment of paying fairly for the other 25 players
simply won’t work when you’re looking at the whole. Especially if that person gets hurt. Some of you guys think we can spend like the Yankees and Dodgers. We can’t. Bill didn’t become a billionaire by investing foolishly.Screw business. This is baseball. If he didn’t come to win sell it. Otherwise become the A’s. I’m running outta time. Need to see another WS Champ.
It’s not about you, ks. It’s about a team that is in the top 3 in wins this century. I’m probably at a more senior age than you, and just enjoy watching the Cards every day.
Would winning the WS enhance the enjoyment? Sure, but it doesn’t detract from the enjoyment already felt. And as far as the offense? We’re going through growing pains right now. Edman isn’t going down permanently. He been in a slump. He’ll come back. Gorman and Carlson are probably future All Stars. Walker and Winn are on the way.
Goldy is here for 3 years and NA is here for 6. This is a time to be optimistic.What do you mean it isn’t about me? Lol. To me it is. I get it. Some of us just want more than being a playoff contender. World Series contender for me. And yes I do enjoy watching every day. Mediocrity pisses me off.
You must feel a lot of frustration then, ks. And only happy when the Cards make it to the World Series? Mediocrity? Mediocrity is a team that’s only a .500 team or below.
We’ll just have to agree to disagree. Too many things to like about the Cardinal organization right now. Two of them are at the infield corners. Great trades that were pulled off.Bear in mind this team is only a few games above .500.
It obviously needs something.
Healthy pitching? Yes
Some experience? Yes, Edman, Gorman, Carlson, Yepez, Donovan are all young.
A big bat? That would help – such as Soto.
We don’t want to waste the prime years of Goldschmidt and Arenado because we have too many youngsters and are pointing towards the future. Let’s go now!
r/Esteemed Rat
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