I didn't know Ozzie Smith and Brooks Robinson still played...

[SA1NT401]

Re: I didn't know Ozzie Smith and Brooks Robinson still played...

i see A-lot of variety in defense from game to game...team to team.

I have seen gold glovers Botch choppers....I have had outfielders make a GREAT diving catch only to lose it when hitting the ground.....

I think it is great....Not predictable in any way at all.

[SA1NT401]

Re: I didn't know Ozzie Smith and Brooks Robinson still played...

So you move all you minor leaguers into the majors and play with them rather than the normal major league teams? I don't know why your being so closed about this issue. Plus you kind of made a point for me. If you play with a AAA team the defense will be very suspect. There are some major league teams that are that bad on defense such as the Royals. But in game there is hardly a difference between the way the Royals play and the way the Rays play. No one said the minor leagues have stellar defense so I don't get why your fascination with that point. We are saying the major league teams have little separation with regards to in game defense.

Guys like Pat Burrell or Adam Dunn who have no business playing defense play it just as well in game as guys like Crawford or Gutierrez. Granted they don't have the speed of those guys but as far as catching, getting jumps etc.. there's little difference.

I wasn't looking at specific numbers(as far as the Pirates) so I apologize. I was just assuming they weren't very good because of recent history.

Put Dunn/Burrell at 1st and then come back an tell me they play just as good....

I am doing a RED SOX/ Nats chise and balls get by DUNN ALL THE TIME....even routine grounders.

2 nights ago he had 2 errors and a dropped pop up in foul territory....YUp....chalk up a GOLD GLOVE for him.

Last night Jeter Overthrew 1st...TWICE. One of the runs allowed turned out to be the winning run....

Sure, fielding could be done a bit better and maybe there could be a bigger gap between top tier players and the average joe....But overall it is NOT nearly a big an issue as some have stressed about.

[King Gro23]

Re: I didn't know Ozzie Smith and Brooks Robinson still played...

Agreed, play in the minors on RTTS and watch the circus begin. They boot balls constantly because their ratings are so low.

This is also true. But also expected

not to get into a madden-like topic but put together a team of guys will no wheels and no defensive abilities out there and see what happens...

I see very distinct differences, are they drastic? usually not, but they are there... it is a play here, a play there - but the ratings matter.

I will say this for the outfielders the ratings dont matter too much. I still see great reads off the wall and Wall awareness like no other, Fence scales like the early griffey.

[ruxpinke]

Re: I didn't know Ozzie Smith and Brooks Robinson still played...

This is also true. But also expected

I will say this for the outfielders the ratings dont matter too much. I still see great reads off the wall and Wall awareness like no other, Fence scales like the early griffey.

This.

[rondoman]

Re: I didn't know Ozzie Smith and Brooks Robinson still played...

Rickie Weeks has been KILLING me lately. In one game he botched 3 grounders. Two of the times he picked the ball up and still threw to first in time but the other time he botched it and the ball went too far away on him on what should have been a double play.

Guess this game is realistic!!!

[CPT]

Re: I didn't know Ozzie Smith and Brooks Robinson still played...

If you play with a AAA team the defense will be very suspect.

YES!!! That is the point.

The entire point that there is indeed a difference. A discernable difference. I am suggesting that in order to show that ratings do indeed matter - throw a squad of AA guys out there - into the show and start the circus music.

Am I saying it is a good idea? No. I am suggesting that anyone who suggests that defensive ratings do not matter - try this and see how it goes. There should not be too many night and day differences in the majors... it is the subtle differences, a play here and there that make this guy an all-star and the next, just a guy i the bigs.

[Infinite202]

Re: I didn't know Ozzie Smith and Brooks Robinson still played...

They stepped up in a big way this year with the defense, but this is the one aspect of this series that I believe needs a major overhaul.