Red Sox third baseman Rafael Devers is underrated on defense

Rafael Devers leads the AL in errors at third. Just how much of a defensive liability is the Red Sox third baseman?

Just what are Boston Red Sox third baseman Rafael Devers‘ defensive capabilities? Is he just awful? Acceptable? Underrated? Is Devers eventual destination first base or designated hitter? Is Devers as bad or even worse than Butch Hobson?

Last season the Red Sox had Pablo Sandoval playing third – or was third playing Panda? If Sandoval was a horse he would have been in a glue bottle. His defense was equally matched with a lack of offense that makes our noted center fielder look like Tony Gwynn. Sandoval has gone and enter Devers.

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The knock on Devers was quite simple – the kid played third like the baseball was a time bomb. If hard work and effort was the key then Devers should be Brooks Robinson as his work ethic is exceptional. But the errors were far too many with 14 in just 507.2 innings at third last year. Thankfully his bat certainly balances out defensive discrepancies.

I enjoy defensive metrics although I do still have some reservations about them. Through the years they have become far more refined and in combination with pitching and hitting metrics, we now have excessive use of defensive shifts. Looking at the statistics I do see a clash of statistical titans – metrics and traditional.

So far this season, Devers is just not that bad. Among American League third basemen, Devers ranks third with a 1.6 UZR. In 2017, that figure checked in at -4.6. Devers is also second with a 15 OOZ or balls corralled outside the zone. Devers still sits at a flat line zero on Defensive Runs Saved.

I grew up with traditional fielding metrics and for infielders fielding percentage, errors, and chances were the items of note. A great infielder could be measured by the chances they had – usually a strong indicator of range – and errors. Errors quite naturally are an attention getter and Devers leads the league with nine.

Devers shows no favoritism with his errors as four are simple booting of the ball and the other five are errant throws. The result is a league-low .914 fielding percentage. If you went back a few decades that percentage would be enough to consign a defender to bench purgatory. Baseball history is dotted with great hitters whose glove work sent them to the bench.

So I have an argument with myself that I can’t win. From my baseball past, I have that wretched error total and what my eyes occasionally tell me. But then I have the metrics which tell a more promising story. So just who do I believe? That comes to my final test.

A late-inning situation with the game on the line. Where do I want that ball hit? Do I want it to Devers? And then there is my personal reaction. After watching Devers for about one baseball year when a ball is hit his way I stop breathing until the play is over – either negatively or with an out.

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Both those arguments say I am still not convinced Devers belongs at third. Devers does the job but is still rough. Devers will not be Frank Malzone, but he could be Wade Boggs. Boggs showed steady improvement and eventually was honored with four Gold Glove Awards – somewhat questionable, but he most certainly refined his skill set. Maybe Devers will?

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