Examining the Tigers Outfield Defense(kind of) to Date

My previous post looks at the Tigers infield defense. If you haven't read that, please do. I'll wait. It'll help you understand how these numbers are tabulated. Done? All right then. Let's continue this look into the Tigers defense by focusing on the outfield. Without further adieu, the Tigers outfield defense as of August 9th, 2008:

Left Field

Clete Thomas: 3.15 runs, 139 innings
Ryan Raburn: 2.16 runs, 74 innings
Gary Sheffield: 0.76 runs, 47 innings
Brent Clevlen: -0.5 runs, 39 innings
Carlos Guillen: -0.55 runs, 17 innings
Jacque Jones: -0.57 runs, 172 innings
Marcus Thames: -1.07, 345 innings
Matt Joyce: -1.58 runs, 199 innings

Left Field total: 1.8 runs.

Right Field

Marcus Thames: 1.03 runs, 24 innings
Matt Joyce: 0.33 runs, 129 innings
Clete Thomas: -0.87 runs, 22 innings
Brent Clevlen: -1.06 runs, 9 innings
Ryan Raburn: -2.91 runs, 64 innings
Magglio Ordonez: -17.4 runs, 790 innings

Right Field total: -20.94 runs.

Centerfield

Brandon Inge: 2.59 runs, 85 innings
Curtis Granderson: 2.22 runs, 791 innings
Ryan Raburn: 1.37 runs, 29 innings
Brent Clevlen: 0.12 runs, 21 innings
Clete Thomas: -0.86 runs, 112 innings

Centerfield Total: 5.44 runs.

The Tigers outfield defense has come in at an underwhelming -13.7 runs defensively.

Players who played multiple outfield positions (and infield positions in the case of Thames and Raburn) come in at:

Ryan Raburn: 0.07 runs
Marcus Thames: -0.01 runs
Clete Thomas: 1.42 runs
Brent Clevlen: -1.44 runs
Matt Joyce: -1.25 runs

Summing the infield and outfield defense together, the Tigers total defense sits currently at -18.93 runs, or just about 2 losses are results of poor defense. In the outfield, the main culprit is Magglio Ordonez. This system rates him about twice as worst getting to balls out of his defensive zone (-13.3 plays) as he is at fielding the balls in his zone (-7.3 plays). So, he appears to be having trouble fielding balls he gets to, as well as even getting to balls that other right fielders do get ot. Out of all the right fielders in baseball, this system ranks Magglio 2nd worst, ahead of only the Yankees Bobby Abreu.

How does this rank versus the rest of the majors league teams? Well, I'm glad you asked. That will be my next blog post.