Graph of the Day – Comparing Defensive Numbers for Shortstops that played from 2002 to 2008.
by Jeff Zimmerman (TucsonRoyal) on Jun 7, 2009 10:25 AM EDT
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In the the comments section of an article I recently wrote on infielder aging curves, I got into a discussion with NoNameOnCard about projecting UZR using only players who have played a position for a long period of time based on how they aged. Since UZR data is only available from 2002 to 2008 at Fangraphs, I decided to look to see if any shortstops, considered the most demanding defensive position, started 81 games at shortstop each year from 2002 to 2008. Five players made the list, Derek Jeter, Edgar Renteria, Jimmy Rollins, Miguel Tejada, and Orlando Cabrera. I plotted their UZR numbers for all 7 years according to their age, along with a reference line of the average aging shortstop.
Observations from the graph:
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Jimmy Rollins and Edgar Renteria following the trend of the general aging curve fairly good.
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Jeter, Cabera and Tejada fall into "It's and even year, better work on my defense" club. Each had a huge jump in UZR on their 30 birthday and then drops when they are 31, jumps again with 32 and drops again when 33 (Cabera bucked the trend and is now out of the club) and up when 34.
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Derek Jeter's defense sucks.
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Are the axes reversed? How can someone be negative years old?
Unless… time travel! By Jove, you’ve done it!
by Crashburn Alley on Jun 7, 2009 12:21 PM EDT reply actions 0 recs
The flux capacitor was the key.
Let me get a new one up.
Jeff Zimmerman - Protecting the world from RBI's and Wins from my mom's guest house.
by Jeff Zimmerman (TucsonRoyal) on Jun 7, 2009 12:34 PM EDT up reply actions 0 recs
There's something curious about the way Jeter and Tejada follow each other
And they’re the same age – so those would be the same seasons.
Did MGL change something in his calculations or is it a lucky coincidence?
by Dan Turkenkopf on Jun 7, 2009 12:53 PM EDT reply actions 0 recs
Interesting work.
The age 30 thing is definitely weird. Every player in the sample (as well as the trend line) had their UZR go up at 30.
What’s next?
by NoNameOnCard on Jun 7, 2009 2:27 PM EDT reply actions 0 recs
Obviously teams should move their SS to another position at age 30, then move them back the following year.
Beyond the Boxscore // Calling BJ Upton lazy is lazy.
by Sky Kalkman on Jun 7, 2009 2:59 PM EDT up reply actions 0 recs
31?
Everyone is better when they’re 30.
by NoNameOnCard on Jun 7, 2009 3:07 PM EDT up reply actions 0 recs
Right, that one. I never could tell a joke.
Beyond the Boxscore // Calling BJ Upton lazy is lazy.
by Sky Kalkman on Jun 7, 2009 3:16 PM EDT up reply actions 0 recs
Was curious why Omar wasn’t on there and then remembered 2003. I’m really curious how rare his 20 UZR season at age 40 is. Also I was pretty amazed that he wasn’t always having pretty high UZR seasons. He just always seemed to be awesome.
The Basil Fawlty Moderating Strategy:
"We could run a nice blog here if we didn't have all these members getting in the way."
Kevin Frandsen, come back!
by WalrusMan on Jun 7, 2009 7:19 PM EDT reply actions 0 recs
Peak defensive age for SS?
Does this graph imply that the peak age for defensive for SS is 30?
or 29?
if so that’s a bit of a surprise…older than I expected
by mhowes666 on Jun 8, 2009 3:26 PM EDT reply actions 0 recs
It is pretty constant until 30 and begins to decrease after that.
Here is a graph of the individual components for SS
Jeff Zimmerman - Protecting the world from RBI's and Wins from my mom's guest house.
by Jeff Zimmerman (TucsonRoyal) on Jun 8, 2009 4:13 PM EDT up reply actions 0 recs
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