Two sided, aren’t we getting a stud infielder in the class for next year? If so, which it seems like we are, from Vegas or something, is there a chance he goes to SS and Martin goes back to a third? I just have felt Martin hasn’t been as good at SS as he was at 3rd.
Last year he would make bad throws every once in a while, but man he was a beast on the hot corner. Idk, maybe he has statistically been about the same , I don’t know his error numbers from last year. But he’s had too many this year.
I have wondered, more than once, why he isn’t in the outfield. There, his plus speed would certainly work to his defensive advantage, and the catch/throw combinations don’t have to be as precise as they do at shortstop. He also has a very strong arm, so one suspects he can make the throws required from the outfield.
I get that a premier shortstop with his kind of range has great value, but if you boot the ball with frequency he does, you negate the great plays to a large degree.
Will be interesting to see where he plays when he gets to The Show in a few years.
He’s a great player, but it sure seems like he’s made more than his share of errors this year. I wondered last night what his stats are & how they compare to his play last year at third & Biggers last year at SS. I’m sure DVH wants him at short because we already have some great outfielders. I doubt we’d put Kjerstad at short & Martin in RF. Franklin & Fletcher are among the best anywhere.
Martin is essentially fielding at the same percentage this year at shortstop as he did last year at third. The difference is that he is having more balls hit to him. Dave Van Horn loves his range at shortstop. He might not make a play there, but he might be able to lay out and stop a ball 4 feet onto the grass and turn a double into a single. I’ve seen that on a few occasions.
Bubba Carpenter said something that I thought was interesting, too, about Martin’s fielding. He said Martin might have 13 errors, but he also might have 13 plays that no one else on the team could make at that position. He may be right. Martin has made some outstanding plays this year that I think get overlooked because of the errors.
Ezell is playing first because his shoulder is a liability at second, but also because he’s a better fielder than the other first basemen on the team. There have been some times where his height worked in favor of the other team at first, but it has been increasingly less as the season has progressed.
I seem to remember LSU playing a 5-7 first baseman a few years back.
I think he’s a better 3rd baseman b/c he’s a fast twitch guy the less time to think about the play the better he ended the yr as a very good 3B .the balls come to you so quick over there you just react(fast twitch).I have been concerned at SS all yr b/c I don’t trust his arm which is where most of his errors occured last yr.
Kenley is the better SS IMO b/c he has better hands and more accurate arm,he may not get to as many balls but when he does he will catch it and throw you out which is something we can’t count on Martin doing either one.I would like see him at SS,Martin at 3B and Nesbit at 2B.
As I noted on the radio this week, I think Casey Martin gets to far more balls at SS than most would and that sometimes has resulted in him having more opportunities to make errors.
I wouldn’t him. Seems to be where the head coach is as well.
Now if someone comes in and can do it better, then that will be a decision to make, but there is not one right now.
Why haven’t we put Kjerstad at 1st? He’s got average speed for an outfielder. Seems like he has a plus arm, but nothing spectacular. Gives a chance for Washington to get on the field next year.
Jacob Nesbit is not only fielding much better at third than Martin did last year, but he’s actually one of the top fielding third baseman in the conference. I think if a move were to be made this season, it would be Martin to second and Kenley to SS, but I dont see a change being made because of what others have said about Martin’s range at SS.
Ha. I had to go back and re-read it myself to double check. I sure hope Kenley gets drafted. He’s one heck of a defender and his bat has been a revelation this season.
Ha. I had to go back and re-read it myself to double check. I sure hope Kenley gets drafted. He’s one heck of a defender and his bat has been a revelation this season.
[/quote]Kenley’s swing is vastly better this year. His HRs are an amazing improvement. Additionally, this season he looks like he has a plan at the plate. He has a chance to be special; I hope he stays for his senior season…I can’t see how that would hurt his professional prospects.
I guess that’s something, that could easily be overlooked. I don’t think Martins errors come because of a lack of ability, I think he’s the most talented infielder we’ve had in a long time, athletically especially, and his hands are super fast. I think they come from him getting ahead of himself usually. Theres no arguing he gets to balls that others cant, I just wish he wouldn’t rush throws, and bobble easy plays, once he gets that out of his system, he could be the best in the country.
It wouldn’t hurt his prospects development wise, but he would lose draft leverage and would get a very small signing bonus as a result if he stays for his last year of eligibility. The MLB draft is kind of crummy that way. If they know you dont have the option to go back to college anymore, they wont waste money on a signing bonus trying to lure you away. When I said I hope he gets drafted, that’s what I meant, that i hope he gets a big payday. It would be great for us to have him another year, but it would mean he likely sees a much smaller payday next year.
I disagree with this. Kjerstad has turned into a really good right fielder. He has been able to cover a lot of ground and not only has a strong arm, but has been real accurate. He made one of the best defensive plays of the year when he threw out a runner at third from right field in the nonconference season, and it was on a play where his momentum was taking him away from third base.