FanPost

Questions about Analyzing Defense

I've been looking at Alberto Callaspo's UZR numbers and I've got some questions about how to use UZR to project for the coming year.

Fangraphs has been reviewing the best fielders from 07-09--pointing out that one season of UZR is equivalent to about 1/3 season of batting (in other words, it takes 3 seasons of UZR to have a good grasp on a players ability. Last year Callaspo was not good (-7.3), in 2008 he was above average (+1.9 although it was in about 1/4 the innings). Should we view Callspo as a -5.4 (by adding 08 and 09 together)? Should we give the 09 numbers more weight?

Or looking at Yuniesky Betancourt. His UZR has gone: 07=-1, 08=-13, 09=-21. For 2010--should we project an average of those 3 numbers or do we follow the progression and project an unfathomable -30?

I know there probably aren't concrete answers to this but I'm curuious to hear people's opinions.

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