By the Numbers: Seager at the Hot Corner
Kyle Seager was among the best defensive 3rd basemen in the American League this season.
No American Leaguer saved more runs, started more double plays, made more plays or showed more range at the hot corner this season than the Mariners 3rd baseman.
In 2014, he was the Rawlings Gold Glove® award recipient for American League 3rd basemen. But it was this season that Seager recorded career-highs in defensive runs saved, assists and putouts. While he committed 22 errors this season, Seager also made more plays than any season in his career.
Defensive Runs Saved (American League 3rd Basemen)
T1. Kyle Seager, 15 DRS
T1. Adrian Beltre, 15 DRS
3. Manny Machado, 13 DRS
Seager and Texas’ Adrian Beltre tied for the American League lead among 3rd basemen with 15 defensive run saved this season. Defensive runs saved is a metric calculated by The Fielding Bible to “capture a player’s total defensive value”. It estimates how many runs a defender saved his team in comparison to his peers at his position. According to The Fielding Bible, players that recorded 15 or more defensive runs saved in a season are Gold Glove caliber.
Since his first full season in 2012, Seager has steadily improved his defensive runs saved, posting -7 DRS in 2012, -8 DRS the following season, +10 DRS in his Gold Glove season of 2014, +1 DRS last season and a career-best +15 DRS this year. Over the last three years, Seager is one of four American Leaguers to post two seasons of at least +10 DRS at 3rd base.
Range Factor per 9.0 Innings (AL 3rd Basemen)
1. Kyle Seager, 3.11 RF/9.0 IP
2. Adrian Beltre, 2.99 RF/9.0 IP
3. Manny Machado, 2.90 RF/9.0 IP
Among Junior Circuit 3rd basemen, Seager also showed more range than his peers. According to STATS LLC, Seager posted a range factor per 9.0 innings of 3.11, which translates to an average of just more than 3 plays per 9.0 innings. Range Factor takes into account putouts plus assists over 9.0 defensive innings played, or the “average number of plays a fielder makes over a nine-inning game”. Seager was the only 3rd baseman in the American League to average more than 3 plays per 9.0 innings this season.
Doubles Plays Started (AL 3rd Basemen)
1. Kyle Seager, 43 DPS
2. Adrian Beltre, 41 DPS
3. Todd Frazier, 30 DPS
Seager started 43 double plays, the most in the American League ahead of Beltre (41) and Frazier (30). Seager’s strong and accurate throwing arm is a big key in starting around-the-horn double plays from 3rd base. Of the eight American League 3rd basemen who played at least 1,000 innings at the hot corner this season, Seager made the fewest throwing errors (4).
Good Fielding Plays (AL 3rd Basemen)
1. Josh Donaldson, 51 GFP
2. Manny Machado, 42 GFP
3. Kyle Seager, 41 GFP
When Seager received the Gold Glove in 2014, he made 44 “Good Fielding Plays” and 28 “Defensive Misplays”, according to Baseball Info Solutions, which tabulates the Fielding Bible awards. Along with his 8 errors in 2014, Seager had a net of +8 good fielding plays over misplays and errors. This season, Seager tallied 41 good fielding plays — 3rd-most among American League 3rd basemen — 14 defensive misplays and 22 errors for a net of +5. Although his errors went up this season, he continues to minimize his defensive misplays. After posting 28 defensive misplays in 2014, he tallied 17 last year and 14 this season.
Good Fielding Plays are defined by The Fielding Bible as occurring when a “fielder does something to prevent an advancement or record an out that we wouldn’t typically expect from a fielder at the position”. A player is charged with a Defensive Misplays when a fielder allows a batter to reach base or a runner to advance when an out could have been made.
Games Started (AL 3rd Basemen)
1. Kyle Seager, 156 GS
2. Evan Longoria, 152 GS
3. Todd Frazier, 149 GS
Innings Played (AL 3rd Basemen)
1. Kyle Seager, 1,399.2 IP
2. Todd Frazier, 1320.1 IP
3. Evan Longoria, 1316.0 IP
Seager led all players (American League and National League) in innings played at the hot corner this season. In fact, he has been the most durable 3rd basemen in the Major Leagues over the past 5 seasons. Since 2012, Seager leads all 3rd basemen in starts (767) and innings played (6,856.1). Seager is one of 2 players to make at least 700 starts at 3rd base since 2012 (also: Chase Headley) and one of 3 players to play at least 6,000 innings at the hot corner during that time (also: Headley and Beltre).
Thanks to Scott Spratt of Baseball Info Solutions and Neil Weinberg of Fangraphs for research assistance.
