#defensive-metrics

#defensive-metrics

December ended with Brooklyn leading the NBA in opponent scoring, allowing just 104.6 points per game, nearly six points better than the next-lowest team in the Eastern Conference. It was a sharp reversal for a group that entered the month allowing 113.9 points per game and searching for traction. The question now is whether that version of the Nets can carry into January. So far, the early returns have been mixed, though it's still a small sample.

Vientos looked like a lineup building block at this time last year. The righty-hitting infielder was coming off a 27-homer season in which he'd hit .266/.322/.516 across 454 regular season plate appearances. He was even better in the playoffs, blasting five homers and a pair of doubles while hitting .327 across 13 games. Vientos was a huge reason the Mets made it to the 2024 NL Championship Series.

The Marlins haven't finished higher than third in the NL East over the past five seasons, but they come into next year with optimism in the starting lineup. Kyle Stowers broke out last year, while Jakob Marsee excelled in his first taste of big league action, solidifying the outfield group. Agustin Ramirez finished sixth in NL Rookie of the Year voting and provided thump at catcher and DH.

Gold Glove winners for the nine standard positions are determined through voting by MLB managers and up to six coaches from each team. Managers and coaches cannot vote for their own players and are only permitted to submit ballots for those in their same league. Those votes amount to 75% of the selection total, with the SABR Defensive Index accounting for the remaining 25%.

It took four games, but Collin Murray-Boyles is finally on the board after scoring his first career bucket in the first quarter against the San Antonio Spurs on Monday night. The ninth overall pick would not be done there, however, as in only six minutes, Murray-Boyles got up to 10 points to lead all Raptors scorers. His second career bucket also came as the roll-man, then he nailed an open triple from the left wing, grabbed an open dunk, then sank a free throw after drawing a foul.

The 2025 Fielding Bible Awards gave even more credit to the Cubs. Sports Info Solutions (SIS), the company that developed Defensive Runs Saved (DRS), honors the best defenders each year. It is the 20th season of the awards, although some recent changes have been made. Patrick Bailey of the San Francisco Giants won the third annual Defensive Player of the Year Award, while the Cubs were named the Defensive Team of the Year.

Cardinals shortstop is scheduled for his arthroscopic knee surgery on Thursday, the club informed reporters (including John Denton of MLB.com and Derrick Goold of The St. Louis Post-Dispatch). Winn had played through a meniscus tear in the second half before being shut down a couple weeks ago. The relatively minor procedure is not expected to impact his availability for Spring Training.

García hasn't played anywhere other than second base since the end of 2022. He got a few months of shortstop run that year but clearly wasn't cut out for that position. He's not a particularly good second baseman either. Defensive Runs Saved has graded him negatively in three straight years. Statcast's Outs Above Average gave him above-average marks in 2024 but has had him as a subpar defender in every other season of his career.