Defensive positioning in baseball has changed dramatically over the years as managers are looking at every detail of the game. Getting advanced statistics on the batter and shifting players into the correct defensive positions are a few examples. The defensive shifts implemented during the game can be interesting to see for fans – new and old — of baseball. In a game against …
Calling J.J. Altobelli the best defensive player on the Ducks is like calling Ryon Healy the best offensive player. It’s a reach to argue otherwise. Even though Oregon is a fantastic overall defensive team with basically zero weak spots among the eight positions, Altobelli stands out the most. He’s a wizard with the glove, he’s got a strong, accurate arm, …
About a year ago, Cole Irvin had a decision to make: play for the Ducks or go to the minor leagues. The left-handed starting pitcher had already committed to Oregon, but when the MLB Draft rolled around in June, the Toronto Blue Jays decided to select him in the 29th round. We all know what happened next. Irvin rejected pro …
Watch any Major League Baseball game when a fearsome hitter like Miguel Cabrera is batting, and you’re bound to hear announcers talk about how much fear he instills in opposing pitchers. Watch a Ducks game when Ryon Healy is at bat, and you’ll hear announcers say the same things. I can’t read pitchers’ minds, but it would honestly be a …
Ducks’ closer Jimmie Sherfy got the nickname “Wild Thing” because of his long blond hair, his animated demeanor, his follow-throughs on pitches … heck, maybe he howls at full moons. I don’t know the guy. But I think one of the biggest reasons he shares Ricky Vaughn’s nickname from Major League is because his pitches last year were often as unpredictable as …
Brett Thomas is a fantastic lead-off hitter. This might seem hard to believe, given that his batting average is a good but not great .291, and he only has five stolen bases in 34 games, but he possesses one trait that is vital in the lead-off spot: patience. Thomas has a .399 on-base percentage (OBP) this season, which would be …