How Was Alex Avila's Defense in 2014?

Alex Avila excelled at pitch blocking in 2014
(Photo credit: TheMajors.net)

One of the hardest parts of the game to quantify is catcher defense.  It is believed by many baseball insiders that handling of pitchers is the most important defensive skill of any catcher.  By pitcher handling, I mean studying opposing batters, game calling, understanding pitcher abilities and tendencies, helping pitchers maintain focus and other duties unique to the catching position.  These things are difficult to measure because we do not know how much of good pitching is due to the pitcher versus the catcher.  Much of pitcher management is still a mystery to statistical analysts, but there are some things than can quantified.

The algorithm I have used to evaluate catchers is complex and will not be described in detail here, but the methodology can be found in an earlier article.  I do want to give credit to others such as Sean Smith, Justin Inaz, Matt Klaasen and Mike Rogers who inspired me with similar work in the past.  The system evaluates catchers based on what we can most easily measure - controlling the running game, pitch blocking and avoiding errors.  Thanks to analysts such as Mike Fast, Max Marchi and Harry Pavlidis and Dan Brooks, a relatively new component - pitch framing or receiving - can also be added to the formula

I'll use Detroit Tigers backstop Alex Avila as an illustration.  Based on innings caught, stolen bases attempted, runners caught stealing and league caught stealing rate, it is estimated that Avila saved the Tigers about four runs (4.3) compared to an average catcher.  This was seventh best in the majors in 2014. 

Similarly, passed ball and wild pitch rates suggest that Avila saved the Tigers an estimated six runs  with pitch blocking.  He was the major league leader in that department this year.  In addition, Avila did not cost the Tigers any runs on throwing errors (0.4) or fielding errors (0.1). 

Finally, I take the pitch framing data from Baseball Prospectus.  According to Pitch f/x data, there should have been 3,155 strikes called with Avila behind the plate.  There were actually 3,140 strikes, so he cost the Tigers 15 strikes with translates into an estimated two runs (-2.2).  

The five elements listed above (stopping the running game, pitch blocking, avoiding throwing errors, avoiding fielding errors and pitch receiving) are combined to arrive at total runs saved.  Avila's numbers summed to about eight runs (7.5) indicating that he has saved the Tigers an estimated eight runs overall with his catching. 

So, Avila was good at at stopping the running game and pitch blocking, but not so good at pitch receiving.  It's interesting to note that the opposite was true last year when he was -6 stopping the running game, -2 blocking pitches and +6 receiving pitchers.  Back-up catcher Matt Holaday cost the Tigers an estimated 10 runs with his catching, thanks largely to pitch framing (-8.7). 

Like other defensive algorithms, this system should be taken with a grain of salt.  First, it does not address important pitcher management skills.  Moreover, pitch receiving measurement is a work in progress.  There is evidence that these numbers tend to stay relatively consistent from year to year though indicating that they probably describe real skills to some extent.

Table 1 below shows that Brewers receiver Jonathan Lucroy was major league leader with 32.5 runs saved in 2014.  He was especially good at pitch blocking (4.8) and pitch receiving (27.5 runs). Martin was next with 29.8 total runs saved thanks to his ability to stop the running game (6.8) and framing pitches (23.0).

Table 1: Catcher Runs Saved Leaders, 2014 

Player	Team	Inn	Running Game	Pitch Blocking	Throwing Errors	Fielding Errors	Pitch Receiving	Total
Jonathan Lucroy	MIL	1,182	-1.0	4.8	0.9	0.2	27.5	32.5
Russell Martin	PIT	940	6.8	-0.6	0.0	0.6	23.0	29.8
Brian McCann	NYY	889	4.9	0.7	0.8	0.6	21.0	27.9
Rene Rivera	SDP	734	5.2	-0.2	-0.6	-0.0	22.0	26.3
Buster Posey	SFG	929	1.3	4.3	0.3	0.1	18.6	24.6
Miguel Montero	ARI	1,152	0.9	2.2	-0.8	-0.8	20.6	22.1
Mike Zunino	SEA	1,121	0.6	-4.9	0.6	0.2	24.1	20.6
Jose Molina	TBR	628	-0.1	-1.0	0.4	0.4	20.8	20.4
Caleb Joseph	BAL	672	4.7	1.0	0.4	-0.1	14.0	20.0
Hank Conger	LAA	637	-1.5	-0.3	-0.7	-0.1	22.6	19.9
Yadier Molina	STL	931	5.7	5.2	0.8	0.6	7.0	19.3
Jason Castro	HOU	971	-3.4	0.4	0.9	-0.4	18.2	15.7
Tyler Flowers	CHW	1,052	1.3	-3.0	-0.1	0.2	16.3	14.6
Ryan Hanigan	TBR	603	-1.5	1.7	0.6	0.4	10.9	12.1
Alex Avila	DET	1,017	4.3	6.0	0.4	0.1	-2.2	8.7
Yan Gomes	CLE	1,082	2.9	1.6	-2.0	0.2	4.9	7.5
Wilson Ramos	WSN	775	3.1	3.4	0.3	-0.0	-0.4	6.4
Yasmani Grandal	SDP	607	-5.2	-3.3	0.1	-0.1	14.8	6.3
Travis d'Arnaud	NYM	909	-3.5	-2.4	-0.9	0.1	11.9	5.2
Devin Mesoraco	CIN	936	-0.5	2.5	0.8	0.1	1.7	4.6
Robinson Chirinos	TEX	784	5.7	2.7	0.0	0.5	-5.3	3.7
Carlos Ruiz	PHI	960	0.1	3.6	0.6	-0.4	-2.5	1.4
Evan Gattis	ATL	799	-3.1	-4.9	0.1	-0.0	3.3	-4.7
Salvador Perez	KCR	1,248	1.7	1.2	-0.4	0.3	-7.9	-5.1
Derek Norris	OAK	870	-4.8	0.2	-0.1	0.0	-2.2	-6.9
Wilin Rosario	COL	824	-3.1	-5.2	-0.2	-0.5	0.2	-8.8
Welington Castillo	CHC	916	3.1	-0.3	0.2	-0.4	-11.5	-9.0
Chris Iannetta	LAA	835	1.2	-2.5	0.7	0.5	-8.9	-9.0
A.J. Ellis	LAD	773	-0.9	0.6	0.6	-0.5	-10.0	-10.2
Kurt Suzuki	MIN	1,017	-1.4	3.5	0.4	0.6	-15.8	-12.6
A.J. Pierzynski	BOS/STL	721	-9.2	0.2	-0.0	0.4	-5.9	-14.5
Dioner Navarro	TOR	907	-3.1	2.1	0.5	0.6	-16.3	-16.2
Jarrod Saltalamacchia	MIA	922	-4.6	-0.2	-2.5	0.1	-20.5	-27.8

Data source: Baseball Prospectus and Baseball-Reference