February 28, 2005
Right-Center
J.D. Drew and Milton Bradley have worked out their outfield assignments for the Dodgers.
"He was telling me he's not trying to step on any toes," Bradley told the Los Angeles Times. "We are in agreement that we want what's best for the team. We want everybody to fulfill his potential.
"I'm more comfortable in center field; he doesn't want me to be uncomfortable. If he can play right field without aggravating his knee, that would be great. But if his knee is acting up, he'll let me know and he can shift over for a couple of weeks."
A good compromise. I don't quite understand, however, why playing center field would be less taxing on Drew's knee than playing right. I would think that in right field you would be involved in many fewer plays. Does anyone understand the different pressure on the knee in right?
Posted by David Pinto at
12:43 PM
|
Defense
|
TrackBack (0)
I've heard this before, that CF is easier on your knees. I think it has to do with stopping and turning your body to throw, more than anything else. In LF or RF when you go towards the line you usually have to plant hard to make a quick throw. In CF it's less drastic. You still have to plant to throw quickly but I think it's less often where the angle is weird.
Also, in LF or RF sometimes you have to stop fast to avoid crashing into the stands down the line whether you have to make a throw or not. In CF if you don't have to make a throw then you can always ease to a stop unless you're going up against the fence behind you.
I am pretty sure that Will Carroll has given roughly the same explanation as Nick in UTK.
Why are two outfielders determining who will play which position?
I'm pretty sure it's the wall. In center field, on almost any flyball that's caught you can run through the catch and come to a stop gradually. Although, with the uncertainties of the Dodger's pitching staff, the center fielder may actually be spending a lot of time running into walls, so we'll see.
I agree with Shane? Since when do the players decide where they are going to play? Isn't that the manager's decision?
I think in a case like this, where Drew is dealing with a history of injury problems, if he feels playing a few games in center will help him so be it, and as for Bradley, i think a manager's best bet would be to give him the illusion its his choice. this may very well be a ploy by the dodgers to appear to let the decision to be Bradley's when in fact whether he like it or not drew would see some time in Center, they just made a suggestion instead of a demand, and it worked out. I think it goes along with DePodesta's relaxed attitudes on player behavior.