Pittsburgh Pirates base running: Narrative vs. Numbers

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Aug 9, 2015; Pittsburgh, PA, USA; Pittsburgh Pirates pinch hitter Pedro Alvffarez (24) reacts in the dugout after scoring a run against the Los Angeles Dodgers during the seventh inning at PNC Park. Mandatory Credit: Charles LeClaire-USA TODAY Sports

First Base:

  • Pedro Alvarez: 1.1 BsR
  • Sean Rodriguez -1.3 BsR
    • -0.1 BsR (Slightly below average)

    Pedro Alvarez is not the fastest player on the Pirates by any means, but is often referred to as the smartest base-runner on the team and the numbers seem to back that up as Pedro is an above average base-runner.

    Sean Rodriguez isn’t the most popular Pirates player right now and while advance metrics show his defensive value, they are not very kind to his base-running as he is a below average base-runner.

    First base isn’t usually a position known for its speed, nor is it particularly valued, but it’s good to see that Pedro is a mostly solid base-runner. He will never steal 20 bases in a season, but he will likely win a game with a smart base-running play at some point in his career. Sean Rodriguez is a below average offensive player in 2015 and the base-running lines up with that, but as we know he isn’t on the team for his offense.

    El Toro has struck well on the base-paths, but is he the Real Deal?

    Next: Second Base

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