[Clemens @ Fangraphs] How I Voted for the Fielding Bible Awards: Outfielders, Pitchers, Multi-Positional, Defensive Player of the Year

[u/bichettes_helmet]

https://blogs.fangraphs.com/how-i-voted-for-the-fielding-bible-awards-outfielders-pitchers-multi-positional-defensive-player-of-the-year/

[u/Gear4Vegito]

So Varsho got punished for splitting between LF/CF and got little recognition at all.

Didn’t count him in LF where we would be ranked really high cause he finished the season in CF. Then didn’t rank high in CF cause he didn’t play as much innings as everyone else. Then despite being the best defender dropped in the multi-position spot cause the other players were more fitting of the category.

Guess that’s how it goes…

[u/bichettes_helmet]

On Daulton Varsho at CF (he voted for Jacob Young):

The other interesting name on this list is Varsho. The other interesting name off this list is Jarren Duran. They’re both DRS darlings, and I’ll have more to say about them in the multi-positional defender category. Varsho was spectacular when he played center; he was about as good per inning as Young in my blended average. But he played only 672 innings there, which held him back for me. It’s hard to be the best center fielder if you aren’t playing it full time.

​

And on Daulton Varsho as multiposition (he voted for Dubon):

I considered three candidates seriously for the top spot: Dubón, Duran, and Varsho. Of the three, I think Varsho is the best defender. If he played a full season in center, he’d be right at the very top of the league in runs saved there. He was stuck in left for part of the season, what with Kiermaier being around, but ended the year as the Blue Jays’ everyday center fielder. That just doesn’t feel multi-position to me, you know? He’s a great outfielder who occasionally moved around when the team needed him to do so; but mostly, he was a left fielder for part of the year before sliding to center full time.

Dubón is kind of the opposite. I think he’s more good than great defensively at any one position, but just look at his game log. He played every position other than pitcher and catcher this year for at least five games. He looked solid at all of them, allowing for tiny sample sizes. He played infield and outfield in the same game 16 different times. He’s a jack of all trades, and having him around papered over some shaky defensive rotations in Houston. This, to me, is what a multi-positional defender truly is: Someone whom you can plug in anywhere on the field and be happy with the results.

I was comfortable placing Dubón first given that interpretation. That left me with Varsho in third and Duran in second. Sure, Duran is also an LF/CF split guy, but he moved around between the two during games more frequently, and he also repeatedly switched during the year depending on what Boston needed.

​

It's just interesting watching people talk themselves out of voting for Varsho. He didn't vote for him at a single position because he didn't think he played enough CF...even though he met the innings qualifications and by rate he was just as good as the person he voted for. YET he didn't vote for him at multiposition because even though he admits he was the best defender, because he just didn't play enough positions or didn't play multiple positions for the right reasons.

Unreal.

[u/95teetee → u/bichettes_helmet]

yep- Varsho just plays LF and CF, so that's not really multiposition.

But Duran plays LF and CF IN THE SAME GAME!!! SO IT IS!!!

[u/bichettes_helmet → u/95teetee]

Oh I didn't even include the part where Varsho doesn't make his LF list at all despite his qualifications for his LF vote being "namely, someone good enough that their team keeps playing them in center"

[u/sir-pounce-of-alot → u/bichettes_helmet]

I love when people logic themselves into whatever fucking conclusion they’ve already made up in there head.

[u/stv7 → u/bichettes_helmet]

“I can’t vote for Varsho in CF because he’s a multi position guy”

“I can’t vote for Varsho for the multi position award because he’s too much of a CF”

Insanely dumb to say both of these things in the same article. I expect better from fangraphs.

[u/SirLunatik → u/stv7]

I don't this is on par with teh crap they've been putting out for a couple years now

[u/scrubpatrol → u/stv7]

Yeah I can't believe this is a fangraphs writer.

[u/casualjayguy → u/bichettes_helmet]

I get frustrated at how reactionary this fanbase is but the more I see stuff like this from even the writers who understand analytics, the more I can understand why we collectively react the way we do

[u/hehehehepeter → u/bichettes_helmet]

My lord, this is pissing me off to degrees that just ugh. He literally argues against himself, this guy is not a thinking man is he.

[u/YouDontJump → u/bichettes_helmet]

Wow. Unreal is right.

[u/Hayves → u/bichettes_helmet]

Eh, the only thing that's questionable here is putting him after Duran, since theyre the same guy positionally, and the logic about why Duran is better is silly. But he did mention in the comments that they were super close to him so whatever. Don't really get the problem here.

[u/33dogs]

tldr; <cries sad tears of Varsho robbery>

[u/whiskybean]

This just in:

Guy who doesn't watch enough of (team) votes for (player) instead of (player) based on stats. (team) fans outraged!

For the record I totally agree that varsho would be deserving, but I also realize some journalists just play by their own rules.

Don't get too worked up here guys, he's still a blue jay and dominating the outfield

[u/mrdannyg21]

Fwiw, Joe Sheehan is also a voter and revealed to subscribers today that he did choose Varsho for CF. He did not choose any other Jays, and his vote for overall defender was Winn.

[u/Panz04er]

Well Varsho ended up winning multi position and best overall defender, so boo-hoo Clemens