Ninth-Inning Yips

[Guest Edgy DC]

What the Hell's going on there with David Wright?

[Guest cooby]

huh?

[Centerfield]

I think as time goes by, we'll see that it wasn't so much a case of the yips as it was that David is just not that good a fielder.

[Guest Yancy Street Gang]

Centerfield wrote: I think as time goes by, we'll see that it wasn't so much a case of the yips as it was that David is just not that good a fielder.

Yeah. He can pull off the occasional dazzling play, but he's not going to be Brooks Robinson. Perhaps first base is in his future, maybe even as an immediate successor to Delgado.

[metsmarathon]

could be the groin injury limiting his effectiveness....

[Frayed Knot]

His minor league fielding rep was good, and then his glove work in the 2nd half of last season was good enough to make me think this week is a closer to a bad streak than a trend set in stone.
The throws get scattered every now & then but the arm strength is adequate enough (despite what Francesa claims) that I don't think he's headed for the other side of the diamond for quite some time now.
I doubt there's any gold gloves in his near future but 3rd basemen (and/or shortstops) will usually lead the team in errors so there's not a lot that's so unusual here except for the fact that it's all come down in the last week.

[Guest old original jb]

Gotta be the groin.
I would think if your groin hurts every time you move, it would make you miss some plays.

[Guest Edgy DC]

It's just that this week and for a similar period last year, his errors seemed to come in the ninth as the Mets were looking to put the game away.

Groins and hammies
Groins and hammies
Trouble my sleep
In Met pajamies

[Guest old original jb]

Yikes! "Gotta be the groin" was wishful thinking. He's a worse fielder than I'd like him to be.

Looking at the stats for "regular" 3bmen in 2005 on ESPN MLB, he is well in the lower half in fielding percentage and zone rating. His range factor is pretty good, though. Taking those stats at face value (cue debate on ZR, RF etc.) his fielding game is a mixed bag. He gets to where the play is, but doesn't always make the play. This would fit with making the occasional spectacular play while looking surprisingly rough on an everyday basis.

I don't have access to data detailing in what innings his errors occur.

[Guest Edgy DC]

I wish I could split out fielding stats, and find out if a disporportionate number of errata have occurred in late and/or close situations. But then I'm stumbling into clutch theory.