How much leeway is there?
Advanced statistics have been part of baseball for a while now, and they’ve completely changed how we follow the game, whether watching from home or at the stadium. If you doubt that, just take a look at the scoreboards during your next visit to Citizens Bank Park.
But even with all the data available today, some uncertainty remains—especially when it comes to evaluating defense. I’m not entirely convinced that the numbers we currently have, despite all the camera technology meant to assist with those assessments, represent the ultimate or only way to properly judge players. Still, it’s the best system we have, so it’s what we must go by.
These advanced metrics do show that Justin Crawford has made noticeable strides in center field as the season has progressed. According to Fielding Run Value (FRV), through the end of April, he ranked among the worst center fielders in the league. Since then, though, he’s improved to roughly average. Yet there are still moments when he’s tracking a ball where even the numbers that once highlighted his struggles feel overly generous. The eye test simply doesn’t align with any generous assessment of Crawford.
All of this is a roundabout way of getting to today’s question: after nearly two months of games, what’s your take on Crawford’s defense? He occasionally makes impressive plays, but even routine ones often seem harder than they should be under his watch. He’s still learning, so some patience is still warranted.
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