Jays and Rays: Game One

Biggio, 3b                     Tsutsugo, dh
Bichette, ss                   B. Lowe, 2b
Grichuk, cf                    Arozarena, lf
Guerrero, 1b                   N. Lowe, 1b
Gurriel, lf                    Adames, ss
Hernandez, rf                  Wendle, 3b
Villar, 2b                     Margot, rf
Kirk, dh                       Kiermaier, cf
Jansen, c                      Zunino, c
Shoemaker, p                   Snell, p

Here's what I really wanted to talk about, while we wait for the first pitch. I've been beavering away at the old Report Card, and I was thinking about infield defense. Bichette and Biggio aren't bad but they aren't exactly Ozzie Smith and Bill Mazeroski. Here's the thing - how much does that matter anymore? The great characteristic of the modern game is a zillion strikeouts. And if the batters are striking out more and more - it would seem to follow that they just don't need to get as many outs from your defenders. How, I wondered, has that manifested over the years?

So I just looked at the average number of outs recorded by AL defenders at 10 year intervals since 1969, using PO for outfielders, PO plus Assists for Infielders. Behold:

Shortstop
2019 - 622 (199+423)
2009 - 699 (247+452)
1999 - 769 (273+482)
1989 - 767 (263+504)
1979 - 797 (278+519)
1969 - 804 (295+509)

Second Base
2019 - 678 (267+391)
2009 - 762 (302+460)
1999 - 817 (325+492)
1989 - 839 (345+494)
1979 - 876 (381+494)
1969 - 845 (391+454)

Third Base
2019 - 430 (121+309)
2009 - 429 (118+311)
1999 - 411 (112+299)
1989 - 437 (120+317)
1979 - 489 (135+354)
1969 - 512 (158+354)

Left Field
2019 - 286
2009 - 330
1999 - 321
1989 - 336
1979 - 343
1969 - 310

Centre Field
2019 - 393
2009 - 431
1999 - 423
1989 - 436
1979 - 453
1969 - 394

Right Field
2019 - 325
2009 - 331
1999 - 324
1989 - 360
1979 - 344
1969 - 297

What this tells us is that the extra outs that the pitchers are getting for themselves are almost always outs that used to be produced by your middle infielders. The outfield spots and third base have remained relatively stable, albeit subject to what I suspect of random fluctuations. But the defensive outs generated by shortstops and second basemen have plunged. It is, I would think, a combination of fewer balls in play and the emphasis on hitting the ball in the air.

At any rate, teams clearly don't require as much defensively up the middle as they did in the Days of Yore.