CFP wrote:.193/.279/.248 this year. A missed opportunity!

The Phillies are the most-improved defensive team in MLB. And it’s a herculean improvement that got them to 12 Defensive Runs Saved this season. We’ll go through each of the teams on this list.

(All stats entering Wednesday.)

Most Improved Teams — Defensive Runs Saved

Teams 2018 2019 Run Improvement
Phillies -146 12 158
Blue Jays -100 -1 99
Dodgers 47 125 78
Astros 25 69 44
Reds 8 50 42
Nationals -55 -16 39
Cardinals 40 68 28
Indians 28 53 25
Let’s take a moment to remember just how bad the 2018 Phillies were.

They finished with -146 Runs Saved, the worst team total in the then-16-year history of the stat. Outfielders cost the Phillies 52 runs. Infielders cost them 64 more. (Remember their issues with shifting?) Pitchers and catchers combined to cost them another 30. The Phillies were 46 runs worse than any other team, 69 runs worse than any other National League team.

What’s notable here is two of their biggest offseason acquisitions, Bryce Harper and J.T. Realmuto, have been instrumental in the big jump. Harper’s defensive numbers took a huge hit in 2018. He finished with -26 Defensive Runs Saved in his final season with the Nationals, numbers his agent, Scott Boras, said were the result of previous knee injuries.

This season, Harper has been healthy, and he’s shown it in the field. He has 18 Good Fielding Plays (think Web Gems and things like cutting off a ball in the gap) after totaling six last year. He leads all outfielders in sliding, diving and jumping catches with 26. He has six assists without a cutoff man after having none in right field last year. He’s saved three runs in right field, an improvement from the Phillies’ -16 there last season.

Realmuto has been a revelation as the top basestealing deterrent behind the plate in the majors. He’s improved his pitch blocking and framing, totaling 10 Runs Saved after combining for -25 the previous three seasons.

The biggest jump is in left field, where the Phillies have gone from -27 to +7 after moving Rhys Hoskins to first base. When they were on the field, Andrew McCutchen and Jay Bruce were very good, combining for 9 Runs Saved, and the players who have filled in, while below average in sum, have not been bad. Even Vince Velasquez’s two innings were good for two Runs Saved, thanks to a great catch and an assist.

As for shifting, the Phillies are 16 runs better. Shifts cost them 10 runs in 2018 but saved them six in 2019. They’re no longer getting beat regularly by opposing hitters on it.

The Phillies are not the only team that has significantly improved with the glove since last season. When you consider which teams have, there needs to be an understanding. Every type of improvement is notable, whether it’s going from good to great, average to good, or poor to average (as the Phillies did). Who are among the biggest improvers by our defensive metrics?

He has 18 Good Fielding Plays (think Web Gems and things like cutting off a ball in the gap) after totaling six last year. He leads all outfielders in sliding, diving and jumping catches with 26. He has six assists without a cutoff man after having none in right field last year. He’s saved three runs in right field

Grotewold wrote:

He has 18 Good Fielding Plays (think Web Gems and things like cutting off a ball in the gap) after totaling six last year. He leads all outfielders in sliding, diving and jumping catches with 26. He has six assists without a cutoff man after having none in right field last year. He’s saved three runs in right field

That stuff seems like more than three runs

CalvinBall wrote:Gotta look at those sliding, diving, and jumping catches

Ace Rothstein wrote:Bought playoff tickets today

See you guys there

CFP wrote:After just using MOGDE (My Own God Damn Eyes), I can say that Bryce Harper is a very good outfielder.

bleh wrote:She couldn't do this yesterday?

Slowhand wrote:Pretty selfish and shortsighted of them to conceive when the baby would be born during the season.