Commentary

Playoffs' biggest defensive liabilities

Derek Jeter tops the list of players who could cost their teams in the field

Updated: September 29, 2011, 7:23 PM ET
By Ben Jedlovec | Baseball Info Solutions

If teams learn anything from last year's World Series champion San Francisco Giants, it should be Bruce Bochy's defensive leveraging. Throughout the season and all the way through the World Series, Bochy reliably used double switches and defensive replacements late in the game to replace his weakest defensive players, most frequently Pat Burrell. Bochy knew that, after spending a year and a half as the Tampa Bay Rays' regular designated hitter, Burrell wouldn't be an asset in the field, especially if he played him every inning of every game.

Who is this year's Pat Burrell? Baseball Info Solutions' defensive runs saved metric combines eight aspects of defensive play to evaluate every fielder in baseball. Five players on playoff teams particularly stand out as weaknesses in the field, and their coaches will be cringing with every ball hit those players' way in critical situations.

5. Lance Berkman (-10 runs saved in RF)


To read the full list of players who could cost their teams in the field this postseason, become an ESPN Insider today.

Ben Jedlovec

ESPN Insider
  • Researcher for Baseball Info Solutions
  • Co-authored The Fielding Bible, Vol. III

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