Question maybe someone can answer...

[Pat]

R.A. Grounds - 2B
6 on range
7 on error

Jack Dynes - SS
8 on range
8 on error

Those two are my starting middle infield. Seems like I would have a REALLY good defense up the middle right? Well, when I look at the range numbers in the statistics, R.A. Grounds is 18th out of 18 starting 2nd basemen. Ok, but Jack Dynes has to be near the top for SS, right? 8 on range? 8 on error? No, he is 20th out of 21.

The top range stat SS has a "5" rating on range. The top range stat 2B has a "7" on range, while the 2nd best has a "5".

What gives? Is it a pitching related thing? A strategy thing? A hidden rating? Something to do with park factors?

[rubisco43]

are these SISA scouts or your scouts? do you have a scout with an 8 for scouting fielding?

[mahoney2]

What are their ratings at the position they are playing?

It looks like Grounds has 5 errors and Dynes has 6 based upon their HTML page, either way it doesn't seem like a huge problem.

[Pat]

My scout is an 80 on fielding ratings.

Yeah, its not a big deal. Just strange that they would be so poor at range, when they are rated so high.

Jack Dynes is an 8 at SS, and Grounds is a 7 at 2B.

[Riverman]

I notice your pitchers led the league in Ks so I am sure that is a factor. You might check to see if your pitchers are flyball pitchers. Are the RFs for your OFs greater than you would expect, given their ratings and all of those Ks?

I know my guy at 2b, Lucas, is also a 7 for range. If you figure 15% of the balls in play go to the 2B the difference in Ks between our staffs would account for about half the difference in RF between Lucas and Grounds. If the figure is more like 20% we would be even closer.

There could be a hidden experience rating that is hurting Grounds. Did he play 2B for the most part throughout his minor league career?

[Lintyfresh85]

I'm totally confused by all this. Do you want your player to have a good range percentage? Or is it the lower the better?

[Clay]

Maybe it's because they both cover so much ground neither one has an exceptional range????

[Andrew]

I'm totally confused by all this. Do you want your player to have a good range percentage? Or is it the lower the better?

Higher range factor is better.

[Andrew]

I notice your pitchers led the league in Ks so I am sure that is a factor.

This is a big part of the answer IMO.

Range Factor (commonly abbreviated RF) is a baseball statistic developed by Bill James. It is calculated by dividing putouts and assists by number of innings or games played at a given defense position.

If your pitching staff gets a lot of K's it will hurt your teams range factor ratings because it only considers innings/games played. Grounds and Dynes both rank very low in putouts and assists. IMO, it's because they're not getting the chances, not because they aren't getting to balls they should be.

[Pat]

I bet its the strikeouts.

Makes sense.