Ackley's Glove - the Good, the Bad, and the Ugly
Q. The Ugly: how "natural" did Ackley look out there?
A. He didn't look natural, whatsoever. He looked like a Michael Jordan-level athlete, playing out of position.
An example, the bouncer that Ryan Howard hit to him early in the game, Ackley had been playing several steps on the outfield grass. He correctly charged the ball, taking control of it, but now check his position just as he reaches the ball:
The ball is just about to hop UP from here, so Ackley has raced in and mis-timed the hops so that he has a tough little short hop. Also, how do you run in ten yards, and then wind up this far to the side of it?
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Also notice the footwork on the throw following:
trong> Zduriencik points out the key light bulb here. There are plenty of second basemen who polished their games in the majors.
In the meantime, Ackley is young, supremely gifted, and farther along than he has any right to be. He'll be very adequate this year and next, and probably excellent at his peak.
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My $0.02,
Jeff