Bleacher Bums Forum

Fangraphs defensive metrics, flawed as they are, would back you up in LF as an average fielder.  In CF/RF he has been horrible this year

I confess to not watching the Cubs much this summer.  I was busy during many of their broadcasts, but what little I saw, I didn't see Coughlin as a "butcher," but not having seen him often enough I didn't argue the point.  Thanks to others for clarifying.

Fangraphs defensive metrics, flawed as they are, would back you up in LF as an average fielder.  In CF/RF he has been horrible this year

Coghlan hasn't played CF at all this season--and only 17 innings in RF.

BR has him somewhat below average in LF this season.  To my eye, he is awkward in LF and makes catches look a bit more difficult than they should be.  Not a stellar guy out there. 

That is what you get for taking a quick look.   I haven't watched much lately, but average to just below average seems fair to me from watching him up through early September. 

I'm not a huge fan of the defensive stat's.

Probably the best defensive stats are the proprietary defensive stats that clubs are privy to on their own and not yet fully available to rest of us.

Still, they are getting a bit better. And, are helpful in subsequently eyeballing guys based on defensive stats. 

After our discussion here on pitch framing, been watching catchers more closely in their framing.  Castillo does poorly in those stats and I've noticed that when a pitch is way, way off where he is setting up (as in, other side of the plate), he often carries the ball way out of the zone.  Some catchers can at least catch the ball steadier, even when fooled.  Castillo is not terrible at balls a little off target but is brutal when he is fooled.

10

This is pretty brutal.

Anybody else have that reaction?

I'll confess that I haven't seen many games lately, so maybe he has improved.  He has always looked a bit sluggish and seems to turn the wrong way more often than he should.  It's nothing that he can't overcome by hitting well, though.  I think he's played himself into a starting job for next season.