Jeter had very good hands and an accurate arm. He did well on relay throws, too, but the amount of plays not made by short-ranged SSs is staggering.
I find it hard for any Sox fan not to realize by watching our opponent's SS rob our batters of hit after hit after hit, some times multiple times per game, and not think, "Hmmm, how come I only see Bogey do that a couple times a year?"
I guess it's sort of like the CERA issue, it's hard to compare apples to oranges. This player plays behind a staff that strikes out more batters, of lets up less ground balls or less difficult ground balls, so how can we know. To me, my eye test came first. I didn't start out thinking certain players had limited range. I noticed it first, then went and looked at the numbers. Have I been wrong? Yes, but most of the time, the numbers back up my observations and the observations of the UZR/150 trained and calibrated people, plus the fielding bible people do, too.
The people who do UZR/150 speak of the need for large sample sizes- meaning larger than one to two seasons as being needed, especially for players who play positions where little action occurs (like the OF). Bogey has had some decent UZR/150 seasons, and he's even been plus- some very slightly above zero- for 4 straight years, despite being negative on their range factor every year. For this, I have said I will not argue with anyone saying he is close to "average," but I will argue with anyone saying "above average on defense."
He has not only been negative in DRS every season, his overall DRS is rock bottom in nearly any large sample size time frame you can come up with.
From the time he became our SS to today, he has the following rankings:
UZR/150:
21 out of 41 SSs with 2500 innings at SS since '14. (Average)
19 out of 35 with 3,000+ innings (Slightly Below Average) 34th/35 in Range
18 out of 33 with 3500+
50th out of 50 in DRS among all SSs with 2,000 innings at SS since '14.
Let's look at just the past 4 years- you know, the ones where he's been slightly plus in UZR/150, to see if he has gotten any better...
NOPE!
34th out of 34 SS's with 1500 innings since 2018 in DRA at -26.
So, maybe average in UZR/150- maybe. Worst in DRS.
How is thinking he's below average a poor assessment of his defensive skills?
Since when is just making the plays on balls hit within 10 feet of a player all that is expected?
Even worse, how is just doing that deserve a better than average on defense label?
Please don't confuse my opinion with saying he is an overall below average SS. He is far better than the average, but his defense has to be taken into consideration when considering re-structuring his contract or re-signing him to more than $20M/yr after 2022.
I admit, I have a bias towards great plus defenders at SS (and CF, C and somewhat at 3B, RF and 2B.)
Bogey is not a plus defender, IMO. If you think he is, I think you are wrong.
If you think he's average or slightly below average, I won't argue, but I think he's about 18th at best and maybe 26th at worst- just by the numbers. My observations say bottom third tier (21-30th.)