Most Clutch Player

[HoustonGM]

If A-Rod is so clutch, why was his team eating nachos and drinking beer during the World Series instead of spraying champagne?

Because Alex Rodriguez is one player. He plays one position and bats four or five times a game. There are 24 other players on the team that must work together to win a World Series. It's not Alex Rodriguez's fault that the Yankees ace fell apart and they have no other pitching.

[HoustonGM]

o yeah jeter really came through with that double play groundout in game 4 against the Angels...

And making 18 outs in 17 trips to the plate!

[RickD]

Still Jeter year in and year out has been the guy most Yankees want at the plate or in the field when the game is on the line!

[HoustonGM]

That doesn't mean he's actually a better player to have at the plate/in the field when the game is on the line

When the game is on the line, I'd always want my best player for the job at the plate. Jeter's not a great defender. For a defensive play with the game on the line, I'd rather have Troy Tulowitzki, Omar Vizquel, or Adam Everett. Jeter's a good hitter, but there's many better. For an offensive play with the game on the line, I'd rather have Alex Rodriguez, David Ortiz, or Albert Pujols.

[RickD]

Jeter's not a great defender.

Have you actually watched him play?

[MeetDaMets]

situation dependant ?

i would take jeter over ortiz faster than you can say saltalamacchia
to lead off 9th down by 2 runs ,

1 run at home if playing totally by "the book".

[RickD]

Jeter over Ortiz for sure!

[HoustonGM]

Have you actually watched him play?

Yes. And I watched him completely miss tons of balls during the division series that another shortstop may have gotten.

He was in the bottom half of the league in fielding percentage, he was second to last in range factor, he was dead last in zone rating, he was tied third to last in The Hardball Time's Revised Zone Rating, which is based off play-by-play data, he's been in near the very bottom every year in +/-, based off play-by-play data, he was 6 fielding runs below average using BP's fielding runs which are based off putouts/assists/dps/erros. Defensive metrics are far from perfect, but Jeter ranks last or near last in every one.

[HoustonGM]

situation dependant ?

i would take jeter over ortiz faster than you can say saltalamacchia
to lead off 9th down by 2 runs ,

1 run at home if playing totally by "the book".

Yeah, you're right. It does depend on the situation annd score. Leading off, I'd take Jeter over any of those guys. But leading off, down by 2, isn't exactly a "clutch" situation in that one hit could make the difference, but you are right.

[Coach Owens]

Yeah, Jeter is one of the most overrated fielders in baseball. People just assume that because he has an accurate arm and makes a ton of flashy plays, that he's a great defender. Then you watch him miss a ball 3 feet to his left.

[robinhoodnik]

Yeah, Jeter is one of the most overrated fielders in baseball. People just assume that because he has an accurate arm and makes a ton of flashy plays, that he's a great defender. Then you watch him miss a ball 3 feet to his left.

Flashy for him, routine for others. Nomars problem too.

[RickD]

Man this is where the intangibles come in!

[HoustonGM]

Flashy for him, routine for others. Nomars problem too.

Yep. The plays that Jeter has to make a jumping spin throw where he lands on his back, Adam Everett makes without breaking a sweat.

[HoustonGM]

Man this is where the intangibles come in!

His calm eyes and golden poop stop baseballs from going past him?

[Coach Owens]

His calm eyes and golden poop stop baseballs from going past him?

Yeah, when he really tries, which happens about once every 50 plays!