by JOHNPALAZZO » Sat Nov 10, 2007 5:04 pm
Some have stated that Polanco has 2 range and is not a 1 in spite of his Gold Glove. One thing that I think needs to be pointed out is that range is not only determined by foot speed. While I agree that Polanco is a step slower than 3 or 4 second baseman, however if you observe Polanco over the course of a season, you will note that he positions himself brilliantly.
Part of great range is game knowledge, that is knowledge of batter tendency, being aware of what pitch is getting thrown, pitch by pitch, knowing what the batter is likely to do with that pitch and putting oneself in position to make the play. Those factors are all far more important than footspeed.