Dewan: Cannon arms in 2013
From SABR member John Dewan at ACTA Sports on January 10, 2014:
So much of the current star power in baseball is in the outfield, where phenoms like Mike Trout, Bryce Harper, and Yasiel Puig routinely amaze with their spectacular play. However, there are some equally exciting but less-heralded players who make some tremendous contributions to winning. In 2013 two of these players were also outfielders, and they dominated with their arms. One was a traditionally part-time player, and the other was a rookie non-prospect.
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Entering 2013, Gerardo Parra had been heavily used as a fourth outfielder. From 2009 to 2012, he averaged 940 outfield innings per season. However, the jump to 1,355 innings in 2013 coupled with extra time in right field—his 1,042 right-field innings in 2013 were more than double his prior 516 career innings there—allowed Parra to show off his great arm. Before 2013, Parra had saved the Diamondbacks an estimated 10 runs with his arm. Last season, Parra saved them 12 runs, which led all outfielders.
Read the full article here: http://www.statoftheweek.com
Originally published: January 10, 2014. Last Updated: January 10, 2014.