Tiger fans have enjoyed watching Riley Greene play in the outfield. Watching him dive for balls, athleticism on display. Sure, it’s exciting to watch but these displays on his part aren̵…
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SATURDAY SURVEY.
Totally Tigers
Tiger fans have enjoyed watching Riley Greene play in the outfield. Watching him dive for balls, athleticism on display.
Sure, it’s exciting to watch but these displays on his part aren’t due to exceptional defensive skills. Actually, quite the opposite.
Greene finished last year with a -7 DRS. Second worst defensive player on the team and 4th weakest CFer in MLB.
The reason we’ve been watching all of his gymnastics is really due to his struggles with reading the ball well after it’s hit and getting late starts in tracking it down as a result.
The inability to have quick reaction time resulted in first, a left fibula stress fracture in 2022 and then a right elbow injury that required Tommy John surgery last year. Both injuries were due to diving for fly balls.
As a result, A. J. Hinch moved him out of CF and into a corner OF position this year. Less ground to cover combined with Parker Meadows in CF who has elite speed, is a plus defender and has a better defensive range.
This year, Greene has continued his pattern. A spectacular dive last week and then recently, catching a possible HR ball while hitting the outfield wall hard.
You could almost hear Hinch holding his breath as he watched both these moves.
As a fan, what would you want Riley to do?
Continue to go all out and risk further injuries that may put him on the shelf?
Or should he ease up on his diving style in order to protect his health? Understanding that there will be runners who will end up getting on base and potentially scoring.
This question is meant to be tough! But you can select only one……..
Should Riley Greene continue his style of diving for balls in the outfield?
1. Yes, it's important for as many runners as possible to be kept off base.
2. No, he needs to exercise more caution in order to stay injury-free.
VOTE