When the Chicago Cubs signed shortstop Dansby Swanson to a seven-year deal final offseason, they envisioned an excellent double-play accomplice for second baseman Nico Hoerner.
Year 1 of the Swanson-Hoerner tandem produced the elite play the Cubs wanted after prioritizing their protection up the center. The high defensive gamers have a knack for making troublesome performs seem routine, one thing Swanson and Hoerner did usually.
Their efficiency didn’t go unrecognized. Both are finalists for the National League Gold Glove award at their positions, becoming a member of Cubs left fielder Ian Happ. Swanson and Happ are vying for his or her second consecutive Gold Glove, whereas Hoerner, additionally a finalist in 2020, is on the lookout for his first. The winners will probably be introduced Sunday (6:30 p.m., ESPN).
Although Swanson and Hoerner obtained firsthand appears to be like at one another’s defensive prowess from opposing dugouts when the Cubs and Atlanta Braves performed the previous couple of years, a special appreciation comes from taking part in alongside one another. So who higher to interrupt down what makes them among the many league’s finest?
“There’s no ball (Hoerner) feels like he can’t catch and make a play on,” Swanson advised the Tribune. “And there will probably be occasions he dives and makes a play and may’t get the throw off and he’ll get (mad), however the truth (he) even obtained to the ball … that’s one factor that makes him an incredible defender. And he clearly places within the effort and time to have the ability to make all of the completely different sorts of performs.
“He’s such an honest self-assessor that he knows what he needs to work on or sharpen up, so it’s definitely impressive to play next to him. When you can play around great defenders, that makes you better, makes you look better.”
Hoerner understands what it takes to play shortstop within the large leagues after beginning 128 video games there in 2022. Swanson’s belief in himself and confidence stood out to Hoerner as he watched his counterpart present what it takes to remain within the lineup over a full season.
“Just knowing how much he needs in order to be at his best every day has been interesting to watch and something I could definitely get better at,” Hoerner advised the Tribune. “As far as how he performs, simply his inner clock and he by no means is in a rush. It may appear to be he’s taking it straightforward on his throws, however that’s actually a talent. He by no means has to rush up as a result of it’s all the time on the hop that he needs. He’s by no means sped up by a baserunner or a play, and that’s actually spectacular.
“He’s always doing things on his terms. He’s not really changing what he does in any situation or any runner or hit balls. Even when he slides, it feels routine. He’s got all those plays so dialed in and he’s been there before and nothing really seems like it’s new for him.”
Learning one another’s vary and the kind of performs they will make was an ongoing course of by way of the season. New guidelines proscribing shifts lessened the positioning extremes for shortstops and second basemen, but it surely nonetheless takes time to determine spacing and how one can play off one another — significantly on balls up the center, the place Swanson’s and Hoerner’s vary can overlap.
Hoerner excelled on performs to his left, the place he stole loads of hits. His eight outs above common (OAA) in that path had been tied for essentially the most amongst major-league infielders, and his 12 defensive runs saved (DRS) had been tied for essentially the most amongst NL second basemen.
“The angles at second base are a little bit different and naturally I’m a little more comfortable to my glove side at second base,” Hoerner stated, “however like Dansby making troublesome performs look routine, you get to a degree the place you’ve type of been there, accomplished that.
“There’s a mental memory bank of, even though this play looks like a highlight, I’ve done it before and it can start to feel routine. I’m getting closer to that and hopefully continue to improve.”
Swanson’s 20 OAA led all gamers this yr, whereas his 18 DRS had been essentially the most amongst big-league shortstops and tied for fifth amongst all positions.
He was notably elite on balls he got here in on, recording a major-league-best 11 OAA, and when going to his proper, the place his glove work and athleticism produced eight OAA — tied for tops amongst shortstops — and created quite a few highlight-reel performs.
“I’ve always liked throwing on the run, so even routine balls that I can catch on the run, I just keep running and throw,” Swanson stated. “It’s simply one thing that I really feel extra comfy with, so perhaps that helps with among the balls coming in.
“And going to my right, I’ve always either cut balls off and throw them on the run or do my little slide thing that I do. The slide thing I’ve done since I was a little kid, so that’s kind of always been my bread and butter.”
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Source: www.bostonherald.com