2010 In Review: Right Field

by Ryan on Nov 15, 2010 6:56 AM EST in Analysis

Posts in this series:

Team Offense	Team Pitching	Team Defense
Catcher	First Base	Second Base
Shortstop	Third Base	Designated Hitter
Left Field	Center Field	Right Field
Starting Pitching	Relief Pitching

Part I: Review

Shin-Soo Choo was a mainstay in right field, missing just 18 games due to injury. His batting line was almost a carbon copy of 2009, but because the league was much more pitching-friendly in 2010, his OPS+ jumped from 136 to 148.

Defense

Name	Pos	Inn	ARM	DPR	RngR	ErrR	UZR	UZR/150
Shin-Soo Choo	RF	1249	5.4		-2.7	0.3	2.9	2.3
Austin Kearns	RF	105	0.2		0.5	0.2	0.9	12.2
Shelley Duncan	RF	50	-0.1		-0.5	0.1	-0.5	-14.4
Trevor Crowe	RF	27	-0.6		-0.5	0.1	-1.1	-36.1
Chris Gimenez	RF	1			0	0	0	0

UZR didn't like any Cleveland outfielder's range, but Choo was able to make up for it with his arm. I think Choo's range is just fine, but he was penalized because of the style of pitchers in front of him.

Offense

Thanks to another outstanding season by Choo, the Indians' right fielders finished third in the AL:

Rk		G	2B	3B	HR	BB	SO	BA	OBP	SLG	OPS	BAbip	tOPS+	sOPS+
1	TOR	162	34	3	40	91	116	.252	.357	.527	.884	.249	130	124
2	TEX	162	42	4	30	54	115	.302	.356	.526	.881	.326	131	123
3	CLE	162	36	2	22	88	137	.294	.392	.464	.856	.345	144	120
4	NYY	162	33	3	29	69	154	.276	.356	.478	.834	.323	111	112
5	CHW	162	31	2	29	71	128	.254	.351	.466	.817	.277	117	108
6	BOS	162	33	3	25	68	139	.269	.345	.456	.801	.310	103	104
7	BAL	162	45	4	12	72	96	.293	.364	.432	.795	.326	127	104
8	LAA	162	39	2	21	78	122	.270	.352	.440	.792	.304	126	102
9	DET	162	34	2	21	56	118	.277	.338	.437	.775	.310	106	98
10	KCR	162	33	7	8	54	110	.298	.356	.414	.770	.349	111	98
11	SEA	162	30	3	6	49	86	.314	.363	.394	.756	.353	138	95
12	MIN	162	29	5	19	63	127	.255	.327	.410	.737	.291	93	88
13	TBR	162	27	5	13	78	112	.253	.347	.389	.736	.290	101	90
14	OAK	162	33	2	7	36	114	.247	.287	.342	.628	.291	79	61
	TOT	2268	479	47	282	927	1674	.276	.350	.441	.791	.312	115	102

Provided by Baseball-Reference.com: View Original Table
Generated 11/15/2010.

Toronto (Jose Bautista) and Texas (Nelson Cruz) were the only clubs with more production at the position.

Here's the breakdown of at-bats:

Rk		G	PA ▾	AB	2B	3B	HR	BB	SO	BA	OBP	SLG	OPS	BAbip	tOPS+	sOPS+
1	Shin-Soo Choo	142	638	542	31	2	21	83	113	.301	.403	.482	.884	.346	100	127
2	Austin Kearns	12	52	46	2	0	1	3	11	.239	.327	.348	.675	.294	81	74
3	Shelley Duncan	8	26	24	2	0	0	2	9	.292	.346	.375	.721	.467	99	86
4	Trevor Crowe	3	12	11	1	0	0	0	4	.182	.182	.273	.455	.286	42	15
	Team Total	162	728	623	36	2	22	88	137	.294	.392	.464	.856	.345	144	120

Provided by Baseball-Reference.com: View Original Table
Generated 11/15/2010.

Choo led the Indians in virtually every offensive category, whether they be cumulative or rate statistics. Even with the DL stint, he led the team in Games Played and Plate Appearances* by large margins, which indicates both his excellence and the team's faillings elsewhere.

Part II: Looking Towards 2011

Not Coming Back

Austin Kearns (Traded, 7-30-2010)

Please see the left field review.

Coming Back

Shin-Soo Choo (Arbitration-Eligible) - No Option Years Remaining

The only off-season issues to be answered for the Indians' right fielder have nothing to do with his on-field performance. He's playing for South Korea in the Asia Games, and if his country wins the tournament, he may be get an exemption from the two-year military requirement. If South Korea doesn't win, then the options aren't as palatable for Choo.

Choo is also arbitration-eligible, and with the Indians controlling him for three more seasons, you'd think a multi-year contract would be beneficial for both sides. But Choo hired Scott Boras as his agent this season, so it's actually more likely Choo and the Indians sign a one-year deal or go to arbitration. If the Indians and Choo do manage to agree to a multi-year deal, it's only going to be for three years.

Trevor Crowe (Pre-Arbitration) - 1 Option Year Remaining

Shelley Duncan (Pre-Arbitration) - No Option Years Remaining

*Trevor Crowe finished second in both categories, naturally. Andy Marte was 16th.

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Comments

Trever Crow should never get the 2nd most GP or PA for this team. He should be taking Andy Marte’s place in 16th next year.

by datrain021 on Nov 15, 2010 9:53 AM EST reply actions

CHOOO

I love Choo man, hopefully we can keep him in Cleveland. That was a great trade a couple years back, I remember seeing him in the summer when we got him, and I was like this guy will be the real deal.

by danmang on Nov 15, 2010 6:01 PM EST reply actions