[Mick]

Very interesting analysis. Thanks.

How does Andruw Jones compare?

Andruw's very good.  Compared just to the six earlier-age centerfielders, and on the plus side, he had both the highest overall fielding percentage at 99.2%, and the biggest delta between league percentage (98.7%) and his own fielding percentage.  He had the fewest errors by a significant margin on a per-inning basis, about 2/3 of Ken Griffey's rate.  And his putouts per inning are second to Tris Speaker, just ahead of mays (.315 to .309 to .302), but center fielders have become so strong in the current era that the delta between Jones' range factor of 2.76 and the league range factor of 2.58 is only .18, which would list him second to last (only to Mantle).

He had the most putouts for six years, the most assists for three years among his peers.  But he's only 47th in career range factor, and just 24th in center fielding career fielding percentage.  The guys who had the great range factors were Gary Pettis, Dwayne Murphy, Darrin Erstad, Eddie Milner and Paul Blair.  They are the top five since 1948.  Denard Span is #78, speedster Billy Hamilton of the Reds is #91.  Recently acquired Andrew McCutchen is #126.  A good fit for a corner spot... :P

https://www.baseball-reference.com/leade...reer.shtml
https://www.baseball-reference.com/leade...reer.shtml

Andruw is a very good centerfielder, better than Mantle but a cut below the others, I think.

[Mick]

Very interesting analysis. Thanks.

How does Andruw Jones compare?

Andruw's very good.  Compared just to the six earlier-age centerfielders, and on the plus side, he had both the highest overall fielding percentage at 99.2%, and the biggest delta between league percentage (98.7%) and his own fielding percentage.  He had the fewest errors by a significant margin on a per-inning basis, about 2/3 of Ken Griffey's rate.  And his putouts per inning are second to Tris Speaker, just ahead of mays (.315 to .309 to .302), but center fielders have become so strong in the current era that the delta between Jones' range factor of 2.76 and the league range factor of 2.58 is only .18, which would list him second to last (only to Mantle).

He had the most putouts for six years, the most assists for three years among his peers.  But he's only 47th in career range factor, and just 24th in center fielding career fielding percentage.  The guys who had the great range factors were Gary Pettis, Dwayne Murphy, Darrin Erstad, Eddie Milner and Paul Blair.  They are the top five since 1948.  Denard Span is #78, speedster Billy Hamilton of the Reds is #91.  Recently acquired Andrew McCutchen is #126.  A good fit for a corner spot... :P

https://www.baseball-reference.com/leade...reer.shtml
https://www.baseball-reference.com/leade...reer.shtml

Andruw is a very good centerfielder, better than Mantle but a cut below the others, I think.