MIAMI -- Derek Hill’s diving catch in the left-center gap. Dane Myers’ game-ending collision with the wall. Griffin Conine’s home run robbery. Why has the Marlins’ outfield defense been so good this season? It’s a simple yet unexpected answer: crop circles. And no farmers or extra-terrestrials -- that we know of -- were responsible for an innovative technique that director of outfield Nathan Mikolas came up with as a grading system to better the unit. This Spring Training, circles could be found in the outfield of the back fields at the Roger Dean Chevrolet Stadium complex. They represented Statcast’s Catch Probability, which takes the distance an outfielder must go, the time he has to get there and the direction he travels to put a percentage of catch likelihood on each individual batted ball. Outs Above Average, which is a range-based metric of skill that shows how many outs a player has saved, is the season-long cumulative expression of each individual Catch Probability play. “There’s a circle at 3 1/2, 3.6 I believe, and then 5 1/2 feet,” outfield coach Blake Lalli explained to MLB.com. “From the pitcher release, if they get to the first circle, that's like a 50 grade. If they get to the second, it's like a 70 grade. Correlation has shown that the outfielders that react the best go make more plays, even if their route is a little off. We just put hyper focus on moving early and quick, and seeing where it gets us, and trying new things.” |
Entering Wednesday, the Marlins ranked as the following in the Majors: 1st in good fielding plays runs saved runs above average (3), per Fielding Bible T-1st for fewest errors (0) T-2nd in defensive runs saved (5) T-11th in outs above average (1) “We're big on catch probabilities,” said Conine, who is the only Major Leaguer with multiple five-star catches this season (plays made on balls with a 0-25% catch probability). “We want 10 percenters and below. That's obviously really hard to do, so we're always, like, [if] we make a good one, ‘What was the percent on that?’ … We want to see who can get the lowest one.” An infielder and catcher during his professional baseball playing career, Lalli had never specifically worked with outfielders before in his coaching career. He credits Mikolas’ ideas that he executes. Buy-in from the outfielders has been high, and so has the constant communication. |
Miami also has the benefit of athletic outfielders with strong arms. Hill, Myers, Kyle Stowers and Jesús Sánchez can play all three positions. So how have the Marlins been able to improve their reaction times and in turn their overall defense? According to Conine, it starts with the pre-pitch setup. The outfielders try to time landing from a hop just as the ball is crossing the plate for momentum as opposed to walking into it. It’s all about the burst. “Watch Derek Hill,” Lalli said of Hill, who is tied for sixth in MLB in OAA. “He's kind of like walking and shuffling into it [as the pitch is being thrown], and it's allowing him to break sooner. He's almost in constant movement, instead of just stand still and go.” |
Miami’s outfielders practice this, using their training to replicate a game-like environment as much as possible, something the organization has been preaching in all facets. Outfield drills consist of Lalli holding a baseball in each hand and dropping his hands toward the two machines. Only one baseball will be let go. During batting practice, outfielders will focus on every pitch while shagging. Not every ball will be hit to him, but he will still concentrate on the first five feet. “We've been intentional about it,” Stowers said. “I think that's kind of what it is, just about getting off of wherever we're starting, just getting, quote-unquote, out of the first circle, and something we worked on all spring. I think when you work on something, you're intentional about something [and] you start to see it show up.” |
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MLB MORNING LINEUP PODCAST |
Myers and Xavier Edwards joined Intentional Talk to discuss Jackie Robinson's legacy, Myers' incredible catch and more. |
Myers was around 7 or 8 years old when he and his brother were watching a baseball game on Jackie Robinson Day. “I asked him, ‘Why is everybody wearing 42?’” Myers recalled. “And my brother is my half-brother, he's a white guy, so for him to be able to explain the importance and kind of run me through how important Jackie was to the game was pretty special.” On Tuesday, Myers paid it forward by visiting Lenora B. Smith Elementary School to lead an educational activity highlighting Robinson’s impact on society through his nine core values. It was a profound prelude to his first Jackie Robinson Day as a big leaguer. “Just kind of setting out Jackie's core values and applying those to today's values and how they should be living their life,” Myers said. “It's not just on the ballfield but you should be treating people with respect and justice. So to kind of explain that to them, and them to get it was pretty cool.” |
For the second consecutive World Baseball Classic, loanDepot park will host all three rounds of the international tournament, beginning with Pool D, which features the Dominican Republic, Israel, the Netherlands, Nicaragua and Venezuela from March 6-11. The Quarterfinals in Miami will be played March 13-14 between teams advancing from Pool C and Pool D. The Championship Round will start on March 15 with the first of two Semifinal matchups, while the second Semifinal will take place on March 16. The Championship Game will be played on March 17. Full ticketing information for the 2026 tournament will be announced at a later date, but fans can register here to receive the most up-to-date information. |
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