I didn't realize, but UZR (a/k/a Ultimate Zone Rating), another method of rating fielding, is now available through Fangraphs. It's a daunting set of numbers, but the key one to look at is the last column, which measures the number of runs that a given fielder will 'save' over 150 games.
So let's run that ranking I did yesterday again. This ranked each player's fielding rating against those of qualified players in the NL. In most cases, that's about twelve players per position.
1b: Johnson, last
2b: Belliard, 4th; Hernandez, 9th.
3b: Zimmerman, 1st.
ss: Guzman, 11th.
lf: Willingham, 7th; Dunn, last.
cf: Dukes, last; Harris, last.
rf: Kearns, 7th; Dunn, last.
They more or less agree. Zimmerman comes out a lot higher in UZR, Willingham a bit lower. UZR does suggest that Dukes would make a good rightfielder, and Maxwell a GREAT centrefielder. If Mr Acta was channelling the Ghost of Bill McKechnie, he'd put Maxwell in centre, regardless of how he hit. In the circumstances, I think I would, too.
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