Quote:I've seen them both play. Iglesias is great, but Simmons is in a class of his own.

 

 

He isn't. It's Simmons and Iglesias and then everyone else.

 

http://www.fangraphs.com/blogs/in-awe-of-jose-iglesias/

 

If I really wanted to start a battle in the comments, I’d pick the better defensive shortstop between Iglesias and Andrelton Simmons. I’m not actually going to do that, but I will point out a fact. We have UZR data going back to 2002, and since then, 142 shortstops have played at least 500 innings at the position. By UZR/150, it’s Simmons and Iglesias, then everyone else. Only Simmons and Iglesias come in over 20, standing as the best defensive shortstops by this measurement. Of course, they’re young, and young players make the best defenders. Eventually, both players will be worse. But right now, one has to wonder just how good a shortstop can really be. Both Simmons and Iglesias make us wonder if there’s such thing as a shortstop who’s 20 runs better than average. Both Simmons and Iglesias make us believe.

 

Given the big error bars around any defensive measurement, it’s impossible, between Simmons and Iglesias, to pick who’s better with a high degree of confidence. We don’t know and can’t know, and that’s part of what makes it such an enjoyable conversation, because there are no firm conclusions. Either one could be correct, meaning both has an argument. All we know for sure is the best defensive shortstop in baseball is one of these two. They can feel free to battle it out over the next several years. Monday, it was Iglesias who squeezed an out from the impossible. Now the ball’s in Simmons’ court, and he’s the only other guy capable of upping the ante. Not that Iglesias couldn’t up it right back. I don’t know how Jose Iglesias might ever top what he did, but there’s a lot I don’t get about wizards."

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