Nationals Fielding Weekly #4

There's no real pattern I can see to the figures this week. Using Ultimate Zone Rating, a method for converting fielding chances into a +/- runs figure, which is complex and is adjusted according to how other players perform as well as to the peculiarities of the park, the non-Zimmerman infield improved sharply. The same sort of applies to Revised Zone Rating, which gives an average like batting average. However, UZR suggests the outfield play deteriorated. As far as I can tell, which isn't very far, these adjustments relate to some of Harris's play, some of Dunn's play and, on the infield, some of Zimmerman's play.*

'Median' refers to the zone ratings at the midpoint of the National League RZR chart at that position. I've put those players who are fielding above this level in bold.

Player           UZR   Change     UZR/150   Change   RZR    Change    Median
Zimmerman (3b)   7.6    - 1.2      17.8    - 3.9    .757    -.018     .709-.701
Johnson (1b)    -6.4    + 0.5     -10.4    + 1.5    .729    +.011     .781-.776
Guzman (ss)     -3.8    - 0.9     - 7.4    + 6.3    .754    +.011     .807-.793
Hernandez (2b)   1.5    + 0.6       3.2    + 1.2    .846    -.010     .820-.806
Dunn (lf)       -9.5    - 3.8     -23.4    - 9.7    .812    +.006       .873
Kearns (rf)     -0.5    - 0.3     - 5.6    - 0.4    .877    +.002       .912
Willingham (lf) -2.2     n.c.     - 6.5    - 0.1    .902    +.002       .873
Dukes (cf)      -6.0     n.c.     -23.3    + 0.4    .898    +.001     .944-.942
Harris (cf)     -4.9    + 0.9     -15.4    + 8.4    .935    +.010     .944-.942
Dunn (rf)       -6.7    - 0.2     -35.1    - 1.4    .756     n.c.        .912
Belliard (2b)    1.4    - 0.2       9.0    - 0.8    .881    -.012     .820-.806    
Gonzalez (ss)   -2.0     n.c.     -15.1    + 0.4    .718     n.c.     .807-.793
Dukes (rf)       0.9    + 1.1     - 3.5    + 9.1    .952    +.005        .912
Willingham (rf)  0.4      n/a       5.7      n/a   1.000     n/a         .912
Dunn (1b)       -2.0    - 0.1     -37.4    - 0.6    .714     n.c.     .781-.776
Maxwell (cf)     1.9    + 0.1      36.9    + 1.7    .833     n.c.     .944-.942

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* As I've said before, I don't think UZR is really designed to be used in this way. It's more of an end-of-season thing. The best it can do in-season is give a guide as to who is the most valuable fielder on a team, and how he is doing relative to other fielders at his postion.