WAR doesn't like Trout's defense

[Bashbrothers]

"War:  What is it good for?  Absolutely nothing...say it again..."

Edwin Star 1969

Except a .94 correlation to actual W-L results.  That's a better predictor than the pythag records.

[AngelsLakersFan]

What hurts his WAR the most is defensive runs saved.  Last year he finished top 3 and this year he's currently bottom 2.

 

The real focus should be on the DRS formula.

 

Most would say Trout has been unexceptional this year defensively, and he's made a couple of big mistakes in the field. It's important to realize that the sample we are currently dealing with is about as reliable as three weeks of hitting statistics. DRS has him costing us just a couple of runs, and the misplays I'm thinking of could realistically account for most of them.

[tdawg87]

Trout sucks. Trade him while his value is high.

[Brent Maguire]

His defense has definitely been worse so far this year but nowhere near that bad. He's still much better than most of the other center fielders.

 

Bourjos, Revere and Gomez are probably the only 3 in the conversation. 

[HaloMagic]

I think we are slightly misunderstanding what is inherently unreliable about defensive stats. The idea is that the stats themselves are accurate depictions of what has transpired. What is unreliable is the ability to use those stats in small samples to make a statement about how good (or bad) a player is on defense. The stats are supposed to be taken as accurate representations of how good or bad a fielder actually was, though. So using the stats Mike Trout hasn't been very good this season. But since we are using just under a half a season of info we can't make the claim that he isn't good or that he isn't going to improve.

Some, like me, question whether the stats have any real ability to accurately judge defense. But I say that about any sample size, even a decade. If you consider 3 years long enough to judge a fielder then you have to admit that the stat, in small samples, isn't error-ridden. It's just not predictive. If a player shows a low or negative DRS or UZR then the idea is that their defense has been bad, but if it has only been like that over a small sample then they might not necessarily be a bad fielder. Just like a batting average over 15 games won't show how good a player is but will show how good a player did.

[Troll Daddy]

He would make a better DH

[xboom28x]

I would still like to know why people are claiming that Trout isn't focused.