The Crane Pool Forum

... Marte is fast becoming a defensive liability.

He was terrific two years ago, a classic case of a GG CF moved to a corner as he ages and immediately giving you better range than
is usually expected in a corner with the bonus of a true RF'ers arm. Last year not nearly as much but I think we wrote that off to
him being in surgery recovery and diminished all around.

This year though he looks healthy and rejuvenated both at the plate and on the base paths. But out in the field is a different story:
he's taking bad routes; has become very tentative particularly on balls in front of him; and is plain misjudging a lot of stuff. There
were two examples just yesterday, one over his head and one which dropped in front of him. Neither was a gimme, but both were
catchable by a good RF and that includes by Marte himself circa 2022. Instead he didn't come that close to either.

Not sure there's any real solution at hand. We've already got two DHs on the team and so hardly need a third. And Tyrone Taylor
would be an offensive downgrade if used beyond the occasional fill-in rest in DGaNG or turf days, etc.

I disagree. His diving catch yesterday was clutch and he made a strong throw home to keep a baserunner at third in the eighth inning. The guy is a physical specimen.

He certainly has seemed to decline this season (which the data supports), and his failure to catch a ball in London was a mystery, but he sure had a strong series against San Diego. (He looked at least as strong out there as Tatis who is a defending Gold Glove winner.)

His arm is still a weapon and a threatening deterrent. Whether his failure to cover ground will be a continuing issue remains to be seen, but the team is getting him regular time off, his bat is justifying his playing time, defensive replacements are available if the issues continue, potential permanent replacements are coming forward, and the DH slot is open next year.

So while the situation is less than ideal — as it is at pretty much every position — things are in a workable and flexible state from which to go forward.

And it appears so far that flexibility is key part of David Stearns' philosophy.

The memories of players like Mays and Snider playing the outfield in their final years are still etched in my mind.
To paraphrase an old baseball saying, "if he drives in more than he lets in, keep him".
When he reaches that tipping point, you could keep him as a DH.
But that avenue is blocked by JD.
The problem may work itself out as we see how the team looks at the trading deadline.
So if the defensive decline continues, if they haven't already, they should explore possible trading partners.

Later

DocTee wrote: ↑Mon Jun 17, 2024 12:50 pm I disagree. His diving catch yesterday was clutch and he made a strong throw home to keep a baserunner at third in the eighth inning. The guy is a physical specimen.

The arm is still good, very good I'd say, but that diving catch yesterday was, in large part, made necessary by the fact that he, once again, took
a less than optimal route to the ball. And sometimes the phrase 'less than optimal' means just plain bad.
And one of the reasons I brought all this up is how odd it seems because he does still have that athleticism. What is lacking, in my view, is more
a case of judgement and aggressiveness. He often takes a bad route to the ball and/or has to adjust in mid-gallop. Or he seems to not know
that a ball in front of him is catchable and therefore plays it tentatively to the point where he has to play it on a hop. Those aren't recorded as
errors but they're plays that could be turned into outs but only sometimes are.

He seems to suffer from increased errors of judgement

On the other hand. DJ Stewart defense skyrocketing.