Numbers Don’t Lie: Derek Jeter is a Horrible Shortstop
New York Yankees third baseman Alex Rodriguez batted a .286 in 2009. That’s .283 on Astroturf, .268 at night and .313 for games played away from home. His batting average may be scrutinized ad infinitum, but how his defensive performance stacks up is less clear. Baseball players accumulate a wealth of hitting and pitching statistics throughout their careers, but quantifying how they field has always proved difficult. Now, all that could change. A team of statisticians at the University of Pennsylvania developed a model they say is the most accurate fielding measurement ever published.It’s called the Spatial Aggregate Fielding Evaluation, or SAFE. It is designed to improve upon other models that rate players now, such as the Ultimate Zone Rating, UZR, and the Plus/Minus system.
