My dilemma on defense is this. Do I play Wong at 2b or do I play both Kiermaier and Betts as 1’s in the outfield? It really comes down to the situation of the ball park and the opposing pitcher, and the defense is fairly close with the on-base chance calculated. The tradeoff is Wong’s doubleplay chances vs Kiermaier’s -5 arm. The OBP added is 7.7 changes with 5.9 gbA chances if Wong is playing. Those numbers change to 8.7 and 3.4 with Kiermaier in cf/Betts in rf, and another strong arm is tough to factor in.
I used my own LBB Fielding Chart to make sure I was on the right track. See below.
Kolten Wong – 2b-1e6: He will play when I need a LHB, I am playing in a pitcher’s park or I am in the lead.
Kevin Kiermaier – cf-1(-5)e5: He will play when I need a LHB with N power, I am playing in a pitcher’s park or I am in the lead.
Mookie Betts – rf-1(-4)e13: He will play cf to allow Dylan Moore to play 2b in my Washington Nats ball park with a home run 1-12 both ways and other home run parks. Otherwise, he will be in rf most of the time.
Dylan Moore – 2b-3e34, rf-3(-1)e6: He will play, mostly at 2b, in all of the home run parks with a 1-10+ ball park home run chance.
The constants on the fielding chart are Glasnow or Bradley at pitcher, Realmuto at C, Dom Smith at 1b, Castro at ss, Y. Diaz at 3b and Soto in lf. I use Kiner-Falefa at 3b, Polance at ss, and Bader in lf for late innings defense. I have Chapman at 3b and Hamilton in cf as defensive subs also.
All of this great defense allows me to take a chance with Castro at ss. I just couldn’t resist that hitting card in my line-up. I’ll probably pay a price for using him there so much.
