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Everyone can see a great play when it appears. But MLB Advanced Media’s new Statcast player tracking metrics explains how it happens.
Two plays in particular — highlight-reel grabs by Dodgers outfielder Yasiel Puig and Pirates outfielder Andrew McCutchen, both against the Mets in late May — are explained.
On Puig’s play from May 22, when he robs Wilmer Flores of an extra-base hit in deep right-center field, his speed stands out, at 21.1 miles per hour. That’s 9.43 meters per second, more than 10 yards per second. McCutchen isn’t as fast as Puig on his catch, but his jump — when the ball leaves the bat until he’s on the run — is .17 seconds, compared to .45 for Puig, when he tracks down a Juan Lagares drive to dead center field on May 27.
The Pirates star’s route efficiency rates at 99.7 percent on a run of 83 feet, which equates to 3Â inches of wasted movement. Puig’s efficiency was a solid 97.9 percent over a 95-foot run, adding up to about 2 feet of extra travel.
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