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YOUR BALANCE
How did Beer look defensively?
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How did Beer look defensively?


Feb 19, 2017, 5:00 PM

Was unable to get to any games this weekend. Have not heard anything about his debut at first, which I take as a good sign. In checking the boxes I see a 1.0 fielding percentage but I'm not a huge fan of that stat bc it fails to take into account the fielder's range. Thanks and Go Tigers.

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Re: How did Beer look defensively?


Feb 19, 2017, 5:16 PM

Beer needs work to become a quality first baseman but he appeared to be relatively sound in these games. Foot work is not impressive but that will improve with experience. Not a lot of chances in these games except for routine plays which he handled ok. Easiest position to play and it is certainly where he needs to be. Tigers need another hitter to bat behind him He will be pitched around all year. Last season we had the big catcher to hit fourth but no one this year has emerged as that kind of player!

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not a knock on him at all, but if I am correct he is


Feb 19, 2017, 5:46 PM

righthanded and it would be a plus if he was left handed at that position. Irregardless, the dude had a more than decent opening series.

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Easiest Position to Play?


Feb 20, 2017, 6:38 AM [ in reply to Re: How did Beer look defensively? ]

I'm not so sure. A long time ago, I pitched, played 2nd base, 3rd base shortstop, right field and left field before finding my natural position in center field. I never considered any of the infield positions as particularly "easy" and would suggest that right field may be the "easiest" position to play.

A first baseman sees far more opportunities for error than any position except catcher. If he can't react to the high and wide throws and can't dig out the in-the-dirt throws from all angles, he can create a lot of problems for a team, even if the error is charged as a throwing error. If he's not always alert for the bunt and for pick-off throws from the pitcher and catcher and doesn't stay in good position relative to the base runner, he's going to make errors. No, he doesn't have to have great speed and range (although there are times that helps) and he needs good footwork around the bag, but compared to a right fielder, he has a tough job - if he's to do it well.

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Re: Easiest Position to Play?


Feb 20, 2017, 7:31 AM

You're right. Beer was great in right field last year that's why they chose to move him! Look at your major league rosters and tell me that the first baseman is the best defensive guy on the field. I never understood why the Red Sox didn't play Ortiz at short! ALL guys nearing the end of their baseball career end up at first.

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Re: Easiest Position to Play?


Feb 20, 2017, 5:24 PM

"Look at your major league rosters and tell me that the first baseman is the best defensive guy on the field."

I never said that any first baseman was the best defensive player on any team. Usually, that's where you'll find a shortstop or second baseman, followed by a third baseman, then center fielder. First basemen fall into the category of catcher-types - big, but need to be fairly quick (not fast) and with good fielding and hitting skills.

"ALL guys nearing the end of their baseball career end up at first."

That's likely because they lose some speed and agility, but still have the skills and savvy to play the game..... and they're needed for offensive production. One of the reasons for big guys at first base in addition to the space their arms and legs can cover is their power hitting, to make up for a lack of it in other infield positions.

I never played first base, but always had a healthy respect for those who did. They should be long, somewhat athletic, with good fielding and hitting skills. A right fielder gets very little defensive action compared to the rest of the team - unless he's playing against a team with mostly left-handed hitters. If he has a decent arm, can catch the ball, guard the line, has some speed and will back up the first baseman, he's good-to-go. Those are skills mainly based on athletic ability..... see the ball, get the ball, throw the ball. There's just more to playing first base well than that.

From the time I started playing Little League baseball, the worst player of the starting nine went to right field. Granted, it's a little different by the time you get to college and the pros, but the idea is still the same. When I arrived at Clemson as a skinny rat in 1962, I recognized quickly that I might have been awesome on my high school teams, but I wasn't the best baseball player, football player or the fastest sprinter at the college level. All of those guys have talent and a lot of it - but there is a world of difference between a good first baseman and someone plugging a position so you have another hitter in the lineup.

You can say that playing first base is the easiest position on the field - but having played the game for a fair amount of time and with a fair amount of skill, I choose to disagree. I do have a pretty good understanding of the game of baseball and nothing said will ever convince me that a first baseman's job is easy if he's going to be any good at it.

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Footwork....


Feb 19, 2017, 7:06 PM

One play that Wilkie actually made a good decision AND throw on was a ball in the dirt that he picked up and threw to 1st. Beer was too far out in front of the bag kinda watching. If he had drifted back toward the bag he tags the guy easily.

Rizzo for the Cubs is a master at this.

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Re: Footwork....


Feb 19, 2017, 8:10 PM

He's learning.

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Re: Footwork....


Feb 19, 2017, 9:48 PM

Oh for sure. Nothing bad. Just fine tuning stuff.

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